The past few weeks have been a busy time for me. Admittedly, my lifestyle is based on a core 35/65% split of work to leisure, so it doesn't take much to be a busy week for Evan - doing two loads of laundry and unloading the dishwasher would almost certainly qualify as a "frantic day." Still, it's all relative, and this is my word-space, so let's just say I've been "Evan-busy." Also, this provides an excellent excuse for why I haven't been writing!
It's rare that I leave the house for the express purpose of physical activity. Really, I'm a utilitarian sort of guy, so as a corollary to other goals I might deem exertion appropriate (e.g. walking to get a burrito, running from the scene of a crime, etc). Snowboarding, however, is an end in itself - a mode of transport with no explicit destination - and so isn't easy to justify by the aforementioned logic. And when you consider the expense, the early wake-up, the cold, the discomfort - these are all factors which work against my participation in the sport.
Yet, in spite of all that, Saturday was a gorgeous day to be snowboarding. I know because I went, and it was amazing; it was a perfect reminder that I do actually enjoy the outdoors. I forget this sometimes, but being on the mountain, feeling the wind's whip and the snow rushing beneath you, even the occasional crash, these are all thrilling, important sensations without which you can feel disconnected. It was so good, in fact, that even after I had bled a full day pass dry the urge for "one more run" remained.
The mountain wasn't enormous, but the lines were short and the conditions perfect. Really, my only complaint is that they falsely advertised themselves as having a trail named "Gobbler's Knob." That unseemly bit of British dick humor must have been discovered and eliminated, much to our disappointment. Eating free Chinese buffet is a salve upon the soul, however. So in the final appraisal, I have to say this past Saturday gets an A-plus.
What does this mean for my philosophy of pasty-faced indolence? The future is uncertain. Perhaps this summer I will experience this "ocean" that I've heard so much of...
Hooray! Another blog post from Evan, although it is one that leaves me feeling jealous and bitter.
ReplyDelete*I* wanted to go skiing this winter. Psh.
Please do tell us more about the free Chinese buffet though! Was it free because you brought Wong and the people at Ragged were so astonished to see a minority on skiis that they showered you with lavish culinary gifts? I hope this happens when I take Mauro skiing for the first time...
Also, "one more run" syndrome is probably the worst thing ever. I think every skiing related injury I have ever suffered has been on the final run of the day. Totally worth it, though.
Haha, no, Wong didn't come. Our new best friend Frank copped us the hook-up.
ReplyDeleteI have that problem, too! You always want to go all-out on that last run - 360 tail grab off the lipside rail grind! Saturday I actually made a conscious effort to not overreach on my last run, though. I left it all on the slope - no doubt, son! - but I didn't lose a pint of blood doing it, either.
You forgot about "Jug handle" to which we also tee-heed.
ReplyDeleteFrank is Addie's friend's boyfriend whose family owns a Chinese restaurant in Dracut.