Ski

'Dude, my daughter's teacher has the same last name as your Coach Jack. What are the chances they aren't somehow related with a name like that? So I REALLY appreciate Dthmt's not giving us up. I'll shoot you a pm, though.

Bunnies don't come out on days like today. And I was with my family on Valentine's Day, you callous bastards. Although my wife is a little pissed about how those plans turned out...

Congrats!!!! Go clean your room, draw your mom a bubble bath, and get Dad a scotch on the rocks. Do something crazy, like write mom a sweet poem. If that doesn't work, write her a poem about how much you love the Devil. Leave no stone unturned; try everything.

Ha. It's kinda like runs from the top are reserved for special occasions. Some particularly good snow, or just to break up a day. But that was the first time I've ever been on Upper or Lower Runaway with more than five other people. And with the slow ass top to bottom lift, that was literally the first time I'd ever skied Upper Fast Track. Atomic and I got off the Iron Horse, then skated up and around the other dead lift. Just today, a friend of mine said that the groomed corduroy can go untracked from Monday through Thursday. A high speed there would make for some amazing laps. That's a 6500' run, with half of it a diamond.

I accidentally cleaned out my Jeep when I opened both driver and passenger doors. My cable bill is probably in Wilkes-Barre by now. I hope somebody finds it and pays it.

Maybe it was the gale wind-driven ice pellets, or the occassional mixture of frozen rain and sleet, but the slopes at Montage were empty this afternoon. I heard this a few times: "Daddy, this sucks."

Hey, Jamie! Every time 'Dude would bitch about how much he hates Mountain Creek, I thought about you. I woulda loved to have seen those two races. Awesome day! Good luck at Elk!!!!!

It is now official. Next stop PA State Championships March 4-6! Congrats!

Oh, yeah, today was the Corchnoy on Cliffhanger. Great job!

It doesn't show up on USSA because it was originally scheduled for Jan. 9th as event #'s U0816 and U0817.

Skimom!!! We need you guys to hang out after the races and figure out where he placed in each run so we can either get stoked or console the little guy. PARA is amazingly slow posting.

Well, we're still in rooting mode. There are so many mathamatical variations on what could happen, you just never know until the official posting. Racers just need to ski as fast as they can and let the chips fall. That said, it sure sounds like he smoked the first run.

Regional qualifiers count as separate runs so that's REALLY GREAT F*ING NEWS!

Jumping over two teammates that were beating you after the first run and not giving up any ground to anyone else makes it a good race, for sure.

Just come with with something really freaking annoying that people will offer to pay you to stop doing. Solved. Where are you headed in VT, Starry?

Good luck to the 'Dude in the last regional qualifier slalom at JF, tomorrow. The 'Dude did much better than he felt and let on to us at Blue and is in a position to make State Finals. He is currently in a qualifying position, but has 17 racers from his region out to knock him off on Saturday. In other words, he's in eight place in his region with the top 8 going to State Finals. He's ahead of 17 racers that are very good and very close behind him. Do or die time, 'Dude! Kick some ass!

Hey, Line, I know how to get you in:

Wasn't I clear? That was my point. Upper Runaway to Lower Runaway is basically the same slope as one of the most heavily skied spots at--- for instance--- Beaver Creek that run down around the Strawberry Express. The diamonds at Montage are blues in Summit County, with the exception of WL and possibly Boomer, which is marginal. The greens/blues at Montage are parking lots at A-Basin. I guess I just find it a huge waste to travel thousands of miles when you aren't capable of skiing the best parts of the mountain. A group of female friends of mine, who would never go to CB, drive all the way to Killington and ski Rams Head (a beginner area) every other weekend. They scoff at Marjie's, yet couldn't make their way down it. I find that attitude a little pathetic. About three minutes after my first "Wow, what an awesome snow capped view," I don't give a sh*t about Colorado scenery. I happen to like a Vermont hardpack surface. I like it after a little rain, then when the temps drop fast. I think powder is for chicks and makes for crappy snowball fights.

I've met a lot of people from this region while at Beaver Creek and Vail...most spend their time on groomed, intermediate slopes. Typically, they ski two weekends in VT and wouldn't be caught dead in the Poconos or Catskills. But they'll fly 2000 miles and pay $400/night to say how great groomed intermediate runs are in Colorado.

Great point. And it's simply something passholders asked for. What a great way to build loyalty, too, as is the 15% off on food and in the gift shop. Maybe it makes the management come off as unfriendly to some, but lemme just tell ya how friendly and relaxed we are compared to some of the crazy NYC folks I've been skiing with at CB over the past few seasons.

'Dude? Did you really say shut up to a Montage boy?

Some people see providing extra services and features for loyal passholders as a negative. So you want Montage sold to a company that would cater to the day pass crowd? That would seem like a friendlier thing to do? Hmmm...yeah, maybe they should start throwing up some colorful water slides and closing early to prepare for summer events. Jeez, I hope you didn't find the suggest box. I hear they once listened.

No, I was only busting on Atomic about the fries and how flat Blue is. But I accept your apology anyway. Yeah, Volkl, Montage opens at Noon during the week for the day pass people. But the North Face diamonds open before that just for season passholders. It lets us have fresh tracks and not be bothered by tourists. You mean your mountains down South don't do that?

Ha, I'm picking it up today. It's a "good any day/all day". Lemme know when your comin' up. I have a race at Roundtop Saturday and Zonked and I are in Tahiti the following week, but I'm good for a tour any other time.

Yes, I considered hiking back out the first time down.