2010 Ski Season: Day 18-Northstar (Show Some Respect)

First run down, Jodi and I are hitting Lookout Mountain, making slow turns on a groomer day and I get bored. I decide to start maching down the mountain as fast as I can on Martis. I reach terminal velocity right at the bottom of the run and see some rollers that could spell trouble. I turn around the first, negotiate the second, and completely miss the third roller.

Whoops.

Airborne.

SLAM.

Ski falls off.

Knee in my chest?

Helmet on the snow?

Goggles crash into my face.

Skier who witnesses all of this as I fly by him and proceed to destroy myself at the flat part of the run brings my ski along.

"Now that's what I call a yardsale."

me: I thought I had it

skier: "Ya, you tried to bring it back in."

Click back in, go up, little tender in my chest.

Next run. Two skiers buzz by me and shout epithets. I'm not for that so I get on my horse to chase them down.

Boom.

Down again.

Sliding.

Sliding.

Sliding.

Trying to stop.

Still sliding.

Finally stop. My right ski is about 30 yards up the mountain. Picture Jodi, on her 152's, skiing the steepest part of the run, carrying my lone 184.

Click back in, ski to the bottom, wonder WTF?

Lunchtime, "Hey honey, is my eye all red here?"

Jodi: Yep.

How about under my eye

Jodi: Yea, you've got a bit of a black eye going.

Ski the rest of the day, no issues.

Last run, skiing a lonely blue. Boom, ski pops off. I'm on one ski. I'm turning dragging a boot for good measure. I go down. She brings my ski down to me for the second time. I look at the binding. WTF.

Ahh, that explains the second and third falls. Two of the three screws holding in my toe piece were ripped out on the first run of the day.

Next day, ouch, my rib hurts.

End result: busted binding, busted rib, black eye

Lesson learned, show some respect for the mountain, at least on the first run of the day.

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2010 Ski Season: Day 8-Alpine

Location: Alpine Meadows
Date: 1/22/2010
Conditions: Pow pow

Special live blog brought to you from the Bus somewhere near Danville, CA.

With the biggest storm of the season rolling and trips planned p to Kirkwood and Sierra-at-Tahoe already on deck I had the last minute opprutunity to ski the pow pow at Alpine. Of course, I jumped.

We arrived at Alpine after a hectic ride involving snow chains, traffic, and ski videos.

The view was worth it:



I literally bolted out of the bus with my boots under my arm and my balaclava and helmet on my head. I was greeted by the BASB coordinator (Hi Tammy). I took Subway up and went directly to Hot Wheels for some early pow.

I headed over to Scott chair and poached the Promised Land. Face shots!

I hit the front bowls, I hit the back bowls, I wiped out, ALOT. The fabled double eject yardsale was a common occurrence. Early that morning I wondered why all the loc's were rocking streamers behind their skis. After 4 times trying to dig out my Mantras from the fluff I started to piece it together.

Another first for today? GPS tracking of all my runs. Top speed?

36.9 mi/h

Max Grade: 45 %



Vert?

17961 ft

Full details

The snow was DEEP. You think you've got what it takes to ski 48" of fresh? See me tomorrow at Kirkwood.

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Alaskan Yard Sale

Note how the Alaskan Yard Sale compares to the more common Sierra Yard Sale. Also note this Alaskan Yardsale is also a Fresh Tracks Yard Sale and a Double Eject Yard Sale.

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2008 Ski Season: Day 3

This is a photo of what skiers call a yard sale. All your gear is strewn out on the ground like a sale in front of your house. Need a pole? Here's mine, 10 bucks.

Note to self: Powder day+iPod blaring Q-bert scratching=yard sale

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