Bloggy McBlog

Elk Mountain

And then, as if to supplement the below blog, yesterday happened. But, I'll start from the beginning.

I went snowboarding yesterday at Elk Mountain. It was a bus trip organized by these two people, Dave and Jane. I was forwarded the email by my boss, so I was a tad apprehensive that this was gonna be a boring trip. Not because the snowboarding would somehow be bad, but because it would be with old/middle-aged people. I already got the impression from my boss that they didn't take too well to snowboarders. However, the trip was a ridiculously good deal. Sixty dollars for transportation via coach bus, lift ticket, donuts in the morning, and half a large Caspulla's sub and beer for the ride home. Hell, considering the lift ticket itself would cost $49 if I were to purchase it myself, it's a really really good deal. Especially considering the cost of gas right now. Additionally, it was a possible opportunity to earn some brownie points with my boss considering he was going on the trip.

When I got the place where the bus was to pick us up, my first thought was that this trip was going to be a boring as I thought it would be. Pretty much everyone that was going on the trip was already there and loaded up on the bus. And we got there fifteen mnutes early...

You may be wondering what the hell I'm talking about. Well, on bus trips like these, especially ones that leave at six in the morning, people are always late. There are always some people that get there at like 6:15. Even the people that get there at 6:00 on the nose are a problem because they have to load up all their shit and get settled. All this in spite of the fact that they were instructed to be there fifteen minutes earlier so they wouldn't hold up the show.

But not this trip. No No. I'm pretty sure Lex and I were the last ones there. And we arrived at 5:45 on the nose. We loaded up our gear and sat in the only open seats left in the bus, which were the ones all the way in the back. Right before 6:00, Jane did a head a count and we were gone.

Now, what does this have to do with trip being boring? Well, let's be honest; people who are usually very well organized aren't very fun. Don't quite know why... I think it has to do with lack of spontaneity. Maybe I'm wrong... but who really cares anyway. Especially since I was so incredibly wrong that it still boggles my mind.

As we all got settled in, the movie started, and people started chatting, I quickly realized that this was yet another case of really cool old people. The lady sitting directly in front of me started ripping on this other guy for being "gay" cause he ordered a cheese sub. First of all, I didn't know old people used the word "gay" in that manner. I was intially taken aback. But then I settled in, started talking and had a grand old time.

We got to the mountain two and half hours which, apparently, is record time. After we got our lift tickets and such, we headed up to the lodge, got all suited up, and went out.

The mountain was absolutley fantastic. The night before it had snowed 5 inches. And we got there right as the lifts were opening up. It was glorious. Simply glorious. We rarely get conditions like that here in the east, and when we do, it's a real treat. I was carving like champ. It was AWESOME.

It was so incredibly awesome, we skipped out on lunch. When you get conditions like that, there is no such thing as wasting time on lunch. That's an hour that you could have spent snowboarding.

After a number of runs, we decided to begin our quest to board every open trail on the mountain. And some that weren't open. (shhhhhh!)

One of the trails that we decided to conquer was their mogul run. It really didn't look that bad from the lift. Haha. Yeah, that's how it starts dosen't it? I knew I would be able to do it, but Lex was somewhat apprehensive. But, being the peer pressure person that I am, I convinced him to do it with me. As we approached the trail, and I got the edge of the drop-off, I realized how steep the run was. That combined with the moguls was more than Lex had ever attempted before. I turned and told him to go around and then I started down the trail. I got about 200 feet down the trail and I looked up. To my complete and total surprise, Lex was there about 100 feet behind me. I yelled "Hey man, it's your funeral." I then proceeded to get to the bottom as fast as I could so that I could sit back and enjoy the show. To be fair, he got to the bottom without any major problems. Props to him for doing that his 4th time ever on a snowboard.

Another one of the trails was a terrain park. Now, terrain parks and I don't mix very well. I'd be happy to kick your ass in a race down the mountain, however, bring a one foot jump into it and I turn into a giant pussy.

However, on my first tour of the terrain park, I saw that they had a tabletop set up. Now, those of you that know me, know that the tabletop and I have a history together. And by history, I mean that we've met once before and it thoroughly kicked my ass. So, I was determined to do it this time.

We went came back down the mountain to the terrain park and I went for it. Boy, was that a mistake. The box top was more slippery than the snow itself. As soon as I got up on the box, my board just flew out from under me. It hurt, but I was fine. I'm told that the fall was quite spectactular. Then Lex, probably still on tilt from his mogul run, attempted the tabletop as well. I'm happy to tell you that his fall was spectacular as well. He fell on his ass, but from my angle, it looked like the he pulled a spinebreaker on the box. In case you care, he is ok too.

After that fall, we did a few more runs and then we came in for the day. After changing we headed to the bar to hang out with the other people from the trip for the last half hour before the bus loaded up.

And drinking began. Wow. And then we loaded up the bus, scarfed down our subs, and the drinking continued. It was awesome. I felt like I was hanging out with bunch of college kids. And then this lady busted out this bottle of mulberry vodka. And we started doing shots. And then this other guy brought margaritas. At one point one of the ladys told me "you know your parents act like this when you aren't around!" Haha. Man, I wish she was right.

But seriously, It was an absolute blast and I definitley plan on going again.

posted by Sunder @ 10:11 PM Comments: 1