Skate Journals

I've fallen into a pattern where I go skate skiing by myself on the weekends, and with some coworkers one evening during the week. The guy who organizes also then writes about it the following day. Last week's was particularly entertaining so I thought I'd share - key piece of background is that I was by far the slowest person there (which is why the second half is funny). Dad that's the headlight you got me lighting the photo :o)

*****

How can it be that each night seems to be better than the last?  I can only attribute it to good, clean living – and for a great crew.

In what has to be a first, we assembled on time at the trail head without anyone getting lost.   It was a wonderfully warm evening, with temperatures hovering around 30 degrees.  A few stubborn snow particles lingered in the air as the cloud that created them continued on its path to wherever it was going, leaving us with mostly clear skies to start.  There was quite a bit of debate over the appropriate clothing to wear, with me advocating “layering” and Gary advocating dressing like something out of a Dr. Seuss book.  The vapor from our breath billowed directly above us in the still air and seemed to fill the night as we found our way into our skis and headed out.

The trail itself simply could not have been better.  It had been groomed sometime during the day, and then dusted with the lightest imaginable snow.  The result was  ½” of soft on top of a firm base, which made for ideal gliding conditions. 

We moved away from the road and into round valley itself.  As we started the long, gradual ascent, it quickly became apparent that we had all over dressed for the mild conditions.  A suggestion was made to do “night skiing in the buff”, but it was immediately rejected by the group – leaving me to retrieve one of my boots from a snow bank as the rest of the group continued up the trail.

The climb was mostly done in solitude and the surface snow seemed to dampen all sound, isolating us further.  The long entry into the valley gave us time to work on our own issues, whether they be technique, endurance, or in Gary’s case, fashion.  I have to admit that round valley is one of my favorite places at night.  It is not far away, but far enough to give one space.  The ambient light from Park City surrounds round valley and washes it in a glow which always seems to mellow things out a bit.    

Or so I thought.

What really happened is that as soon as we hit the valley floor, Sarah ignored her ski instructor’s admonishment to “ski where it is flat or down….” and charged up the wall, heading out of the valley.  This was up, not “flat or down” and Sarah was clearly at fault.  After Sarah dragged us over hill and dale, we regrouped to look over Park City.  We could see the dense cloud of smug from Sundance rolling up the hill toward us, but my REI Garage Sale clothing purchases and Gary’s keen fashion sense protected us for the remainder of the night.

At some point, Sarah started screaming “Faster!  Faster!  Mach Schnell!”  and we jumped on the all-downhill return to the cars.  All in all, it was a fine evening despite the near-fatal brush with Sundance.  We traveled about 5 miles in an hour of moving time, and had plenty of pit stops along the way.  Gary and I headed to Billy Blanco’s for food and beverages and it was simply delightful.

I’ll be at UOP next week.   I hope you’ll consider joining me.

Keith