Or, at least on the top of North Peak at Sunday River:
Or, at least on the top of North Peak at Sunday River:
After surviving a colder and snowier than usual December, January 2008 is off to a mixed start. Last week began with piles of snow and then ice ruts from the two feet of snow that fell on New Year's Eve & Day. Friday was my coldest commute yet at 2 degrees F! Out of paranoia I actually over-layered and was too warm. By contrast it is 43 degrees F today (and, the streets are mostly melted clear).
I took the Christmas lights off the bike and stored them for next year. The days are getting a little longer, and we'll see how many days I can stay on the bike this winter. Last year the real snow didn't hit until Feb/March/April!
that is all :)
]]>We got about a foot of heavy snow overnight.
I went Alpine skiing for the first time on Sunday.
Verdict: awesome.
I took a lesson in the morning at Mt. Abram. I highly recommended the staff there for any first-time skiiers. Everyone was super-friendly. I was in a class with about ten kids and two other adults. After conquering the bunny slope, it was off to the lift!
I like the lift. It's nice and peaceful up there. Good to relax and bask in the warm sun.
Even with just a short lesson, I was zipping down the trails in no time. Granted, they were the beginner trails. It's as if they have been perfecting this sport and equipment for over a hundred years or something.
Last night after work a bunch of us tackled Shawnee Peak for some night skiing. If the aliens ever decide to land, look for them to land at a mountain set up for night skiing - basically giant strings of bright lights going straight up. (I didn't have my camera but I'll steal a pic from somewhere later) Here is a great picture by bobtravis
It was a lot colder: in the single digits with the windchill - and there was plenty of gusty wind. So the lifts were a bit less enjoyable. I tried some longer and steeper trails, and worked my way from the beginner trails to an intermediate one. I managed not to fall, except for getting caught up in a tangle off the quad lift, resulting in a nice gash to my shin off the edge of a snowboard.
Probably not much ski season left this year, but I'll definitely try for some more rides before spring.
A++++++ WOULD SKI AGAIN
Playing in the snow & staying warm - the best of both worlds:
The temps are out of the teens and the snow is plowed, so I got back on the bike this morning. I had to avoid a few icy patches, but otherwise the only hazard was my leg muscles being out of shape because I haven't biked in well over a month.
Yesterday, it was a spring-like 41°F, and it was good to get out and about. We did some sledding at a nearby golf course and the well-packed snow + the warm temps made for some super-slick riding conditions.
Snowy, 30% chance of black hole
A great day in Maine for laying low, drinking hot chocolate, and playing in the snow. Sure, we had to dig out a bit tonight, but totally worth it :)