Ski Bum Poet

There are some memorable summer sunsets tucked away in my head. I have surely been touched the same way in winter months, but since I moved to Utah in ’98 the June/July sunsets stand out to me. If you’re a fan of day turning to night, then you have it made here.

On Friday, December 30th 2011 we headed up to Timberlakes to change over our Utah mountain cabin rental for some guests bringing in 2012 up there. In that subdivision when you drive up the hill @Lake Pines you’re heading northeast. The entrance is also in a tight canyon, so there is no west view regardless.

As we crested the hill near our house, and pulled into the driveway, I could see there was something special in the sky that night. I was drawn to it. I walked up on the front porch and stood there mesmerized. It did not last long, but I was able to snap a picture with my phone while the colors were peaking.

The photo directly below is from our porch, an unobstructed view of a surreal winter sunset. The other photo is compliments of the Powderhouse Ski Shop via their “LCC Sunsets” Album on their Facebook page…taken from Alta’s Wildcat base in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Looks like it was taken about the same time.

Now it’s safe to say that a memorable winter sunset stands out to me as well Happy New Year 2012!

I keep saying that one of these years I am going to come out of ski bum retirement, and get back to more LCC powder. Keep in mind 8″ of low density snow at Alta after a dry spell is “dust on crust”. I am talking about plentiful deep or storm ride days……..

At the risk of too much rambling, I should get to the point. My friends Matt and Rick started building skis in the last year (or two?), and I was fortunate enough to get my pair this season. Must admit I was a bit intimidated at first, just by looking at them… but not anymore. I do not know their dimensions, but these things I do know:

• They are big and fat skis.
• They are on a flat rocker profile.
• They render deep powder snow helpless.
• They like to buttttter the terrain.
• They dump speed instantaneously.
• They have an ash wood core.
• They allow me to feel like I’m 12 years old again.

So although I am not getting as many big storm rider days…when I do get them, I am locked and loaded with skis conceptualized, designed and built from friends that collectively have 1000s of days skiing in the Wasatch (and far beyond). Incredible insight and workmanship on these, and the word is out. Just about every time I am @Alta lately someone asks me if they are Garage Skis.

From the comment thread @YouTube… “the definitive version of this song”

The Ballad of Love and Hate, Live at Memorial Hall

…from the documentary The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made is Black Belt Jones, and here is the intro. Hope it lightens your day a bit, as it did for me

Be merry, and ask Jah for more snow! From our wee cabin in the Uintas, to your home wherever that may be, enjoy the season.

Here is some cool Sage POV of a random lap at the bird early 2010…he’s following Matt C.

It’s been blustery Graupel all day long at our place on the Wasatch Back. Alta is probably already in the thick of it, and this one is going for at least another two or three days. Check out the screen grab of the map below from November 20th

Anyone remember Thanksgiving 2001 in Alta?

“From the film ‘We Got That Fiyo’ of the Festival International 2010 event in Lafayette, Louisiana.” At :27 the YouTube vid switches to just Tara & Jeb unplugged. I have to put a “Music” category on SBP.

It’s Love Time

…from our family to yours And enjoy all that fresh POW in Little Cottonwood! We have 6-8 inches at the house but it’s looking like upper LCC got around 40..

I have always considered myself to be at least somewhat compassionate, patient and tolerant. Lately I have been even more conscious of these personal attributes, ever since I subscribed to a daily thought/quotation from the Dalia Lama on Facebook. After all how could one not want to start their day reading something like the following..

One of the most effective ways to overcome anxiety is to try to shift the focus of attention away from self and toward others. When we succeed in this, we find that the scale of our own problems diminishes. This is not to say we should ignore our own needs altogether, but rather that we should try to remember others’ needs alongside our own, no matter how pressing ours may be…

Or…

It is self-evident that a generous heart and wholesome actions lead to greater peace and that their negative counterparts bring undesirable consequences. Happiness arises from virtuous causes. If we truly desire to be happy, there is no other way to proceed but by way of virtue: it is the method by which happiness is achieved. And, we might add, that the basis of virtue, its ground, is ethical discipline.

Perhaps this post sets me back a bit in that regard, but what the heck is going on with the continuous incompetence out there in day-to-day life? Is it just me?? I know that when I do things for work, I do them right. I know that when I say I’m going to do something, I actually follow through and do it. But it seems I’m not getting the same thing in return…and it’s happening more and more and more and more.

I will spare you the details, but from my experience it’s looking more as each day passes that large companies cannot be trusted, that household goods and kid’s toys are manufactured to break in three days, and that the majority of service industry workers do not care if they actually deliver with a smile what was ordered and paid for.

It’s certainly becoming more of a challenge, but I will keep working on stressing less and smiling more

“Men say, practically, Begin where you are and such as you are, without aiming mainly to become of more worth, and with kindness aforethought go about doing good.” -Henry David Thoreau