MARY JANE (WINTER PARK) DEFEATS ME!

Me and Tarra waiting for the shuttle back to the Mary Jane parking lot.

Tarra enjoying lunch!

Troy taking a crap while reading the map.

Me with my club arm.

So yesterday I got to meet Tarra, Troy, and Mandi at Winter Park for a very interesting day. I stayed at the Comfort Inn in Dillon the night previous and headed towards Winter Park around 630am. As I hadn't eaten breakfast I decided I would head into Idaho Springs and stop by the McDonalds (just a few miles beyond the Winter Park turn off). I shortly realized this may have been a mistake because of the bumper to bumper traffic headed westbound I-70, the ski traffic. Needless to say I got my breakfast and was headed to Winter Park (WP). Having never been to WP the drive was interesting with sharp curves up and down a mountain. I told Tarra I would meet them at the Mary Jane Parking area Dotsero Junction, I didn't realise how logistically difficult it would be to park there, but they had a 6 person lift that went straight to the top of the mountain. They arrived in the parking lot shortly after I did. Tarra came over and tried on the boots I had brought for her to use with her new skis.

We all got dressed and headed over to the ticket booth. All of they had bought their tickets down in Denver where they were 18 dollars cheaper, I had one of the passes we had bought before the season started. I suggested to Tarra that she take the skis and boots into the shop to have them fit the boots to the bindings, which was a good thing. When Renae and I got the skis the were probably set to a kids ski boot because they wouldn't lengthen to a size 8 1/2 boot. Tarra rented a size 8 boot which ended up being painful. But soon we were all ready and headed up on the lift. I actually stood up mostly when I exited the lift, yeah. Troy lead us over to the "Village Way run, which later we found out was WP's longest run, I would venture to guess at least two miles and lots of flatness. But the top section started pretty good. Tarra was impressed that I could make turns on my board, I connected several on the steeper section, but as the run started to flatten out I became more and more frustrated as I was falling more. Troy and Mandi headed on down as Tarra stuck with me. I fell twice and hit my head which really rung my bell and I fell another time and landed really hard on my back and tailbone. On some of the flat areas Tarra would hold out her pole and I would grab on, she would pull me along, this was much more work for her than it was for me, but I really appreciate it. Tarra started indicating that she was dizzy, from altitude, I kept telling her to go on down. At on point, probably a mile into the run, I took of my snowboard and started walking, to stretch out my repulled groin muscle. Troy and Mandi caught up with us and Mandi walked a little bit with me. I'd strap on my board for when there where longer stretches of more downhill, then I'd take it off to walk the flats. At one point Tarra said I need to get down to get some water, so I told her I'd meet them at the bottom of Village Way the everlasting freakin run. I finally made it to the bottom after 1 1/2 hours of being on the run.

I saw Tarra, Troy and Mandi so put down my board and Tarra and I headed inside to get something to eat.

This is where parking at Mary Jane made it difficult logistically. We all brought stuff for lunch, but where we came down and where our cars where were opposite sides of the mountain. We would to have gone up about midway up gone down some advanced intermediate up another lift and down Mary Jane just to get to the car or take the shuttle. So we ate and joked, poor Troy the only guy with three women. As we were about finished with lunch we watched a guy go get his snowboard which was leaning up with many other snow equipment (skis, boards, mono skis etc) well when he lifted his board it started a domino effect and our whole table watched this guy knock over like 50 boards and skis. We all erupted with laughter, I nearly pee'd my pants. Then the guy didn't even try to pick up any of the stuff he just knocked over, but went over to his buddies and pointed look what I did, jeez.

So Troy and Mandi where going to hit some longer advanced runs and Tarra and I were going to go up to discovery park. I made it off the lift again on my board. But this lift was almost going to slow for me. I strapped in and Tarra helped me up b/c of my pulled groin muscle and being one handed I had a lot of difficulty getting up. We went about half way down the run, I fell a couple times but the last fall, I really tweaked my groin, so took off my board. Tarra said "you need to ride down", I was like no I'll just walk, but she flagged a snow mobile take takes the disabled skiers up and down the mountain. He said he wasn't supposed to, but took me down anyway. So my first snowmobile ride.

It was about 145p and Tarra and I asked where to catch the shuttle back to the Mary Jane Parking lot. We started walking to the shuttle stop talking and laughing when we came to this puddle of water, Tarra decided to walk through it (mind you with her ski boots still on) while I walked around. I stopped to turn around to talk to her and just like slow mo she hit some ice, up went the poles, over went the skis, and there is Tarra laying flat on her back in a big puddle of dirty brown water (wearing Troy's white pair of snow pants). I ask if she is ok before or as I start laughing hysterically. Also this big puddle is where all the traffic comes in and out of the village. (I'm trying not to laugh as I write this) I help pick up the skis and poles, she says "some friend you are laughing at me", I said " I would have stopped the bus before it ran over you and be glad I like you." So we laugh the rest of the way to the shuttle stop as I point out all the icy spots. The shuttle driver was lots of fun we all made fun of me boarding and Tarra "choosing" to live in Kansas. We get back to the car and change clothes. We are to meet Troy and Mandi at 3pm. We have about 20-30 min to kill so we turn in Tarra's boots, I pick out a sticker for Winter Park. The were also having a sale on their logo wear buy one get one, so Tarra and I split the cost and each got a sweatshirt for 25 bucks. I looked but they didn't have any that said "Mary Jane kicked my butt"

We saw Troy and Mandi headed to their car so Tarra and I met up with them, we ate some lunch meat, laughed and told some more stories something about the smell of tuna fish and said or goodbyes.

Even though I only did the equivalent of maybe two runs I had a blast and didn't break anything. It was good seeing everyone again, good friends and good times.

I've included a trail map of our fateful three hour run on Village Way. You will have to click on the picture to enlarge it. The purple is where we parked and rode the lift up, the pink is when I was actually on my board, the red splats are where I splatted and the Green is the portion I walked (which was a lot more than I boarded).