Well Renae and I wondered on over to Winter Park last Thursday in a snow storm to meet the Ridley's and the Clinefelter/Polenz families. We didn't get in until about 715 and I was starving for Uncle Kirk's promised German food. We set out walking for the place only to find out that they had closed down. So we headed a bit further to an Italian place which had switched hands (unbeknownst to Uncle Kirk). We ran into frustration when they wouldn't split the check and because we were a party of 6 they included 18% gratuity which the server did not deserve, but that is another story. After dinner we were extremely tired and excited to get on the slopes the next day. We met at 0815 and headed over to the shuttle stop with our gear. We hit the slopes around 0900 and headed up the Zephyr lift. The goal was to head over to High Lonesome lift however all roads to the lift were roads and I took a steeper green thinking I would link back into the run that everyone else was on, but I was wrong. I zipped through some trees (yeah for me) onto another run which lead down to the Olympia Express Lift, luckily I had my phone and called Renae and told her where I was. She made it over to me and we road over to High Lonesome after riding up the Olympia. We finally reached the top and took a couple of runs looking for everyone. Finally I started calling people. I didn't know it but Uncle Kirk and Aunt Debbie had left their phones in the hotel and I got ahold of Tarra who told me that she was waiting for Ski Patrol as Traci had fallen and hurt herself. I was able to send Ski Patrol to their location and found Aunt Debbie and Uncle Kirk at the same time. We talked Uncle Kirk into trying some of the runs that I had found that run into the Olympia Express lift....they have a little more slant to them so he could practice opening the door or as I like to say the gay hitchhiker (cuz it has some flare). We headed down to Snowasis for lunch around 1130 taking Uncle Kirk down a steep blue (Cramer) and he survived and did fine. After lunch we headed up Prospector lift and were the only ones on the run until we hit Olympia Express lift. That was nice because there was a little bit of fresh powder on the side that Renae and I were playing around in. Renae by the way was on skiis this day to help show Uncle Kirk some moves (no not dance moves). We did some more runs until about 2 pm and I knew my legs were spent suggested we head to the bottom. Renae and I took the quickest way down which was Cramer to LaSal run to the bottom and Uncle Kirk and Aunt Debbie took Village Way down. Tarra and Traci were hanging in the Derailer. And we sorta made our way back to the shuttles to get to the hotel. Man I was spent and ready for a hot tub. But before that Renae and I had made some spicy cider and Tarra come over to try some of Renae's salsa, lol. I think I heard her crying because her mouth was on fire. Luckily we had some cheese for her to put the fire out, lol. We headed to the hot tub and Tarra and Traci soon joined us. We dropped off some spicy cider and cheese for Uncle Kirk and Aunt Debbie before our soak. We all hooked up for dinner at Deno's and Tarra's brother Troy came up to stay and play. I think I fell asleep at 7 pm that day and got up for breakfast at 640 the next morning. Uncle Kirk was there and we had breakfast together. Troy and Tarra drove to the resort, Aunt Debbie, Uncle Kirk, Renae and I rode the shuttle and Traci stayed a little bit at the hotel then drove to the resort. We decided to ride with Tarra and Troy until 1030 then meet Uncle Kirk and Aunt Debbie and try to convince Uncle Kirk to hit another blue run. We met Troy and Tarra at the top of the mountain and headed down Edelweiss which was a nice flat blue run that Renae and I were sure that Uncle Kirk would be able to do. When we got to the bottom of the run we got on the lift that headed up to the bowl. Renae as we were heading up said "I want to go over there to head down" ok that doesn't look to bad but instead she picked an advanced blue with huge assed moguls in it. I was a little ticked at first but then once I got on the run I did ok because there was huge powder in the moguls. We made it down and I think Tarra was amazed about how much I had improved since she last was with me at Winter Park.
Uncle Kirk, Aunt Debbie, and Renae coming down the flats.
Riding the rails for the first time.
Renae and Tarra coming down Edelweiss.
We finally made it down from the bowl and left Tarra and Troy to go get Aunt Debbie and Uncle Kirk. Uncle Kirk did really well down Edelweiss he even sped ahead of us while we were taking pictures. I ran through some more trees and was getting ready to merge back onto the trail and caught some really big air from a jump that I didn't see until last minute. Luckily I've been trained in a Airborne tuck and roll because I wasn't sure how to land the jump so I just tucked and rolled. While all this was going on I forgot to tell Uncle Kirk that when he came to the trail junction of Edelweiss and Blue Bell to take Blue Bell because Edelweiss is starting to form moguls right there. Ooops. So when I caught up to Uncle Kirk he was sitting in a mini mogul field with people zooming past him. I'm sure he was cussing me out. We finished the run and headed back to the top so we could get to Snowasis for lunch. We had lost Tarra and Troy because all of Colorado had found it's way into that back section. We relaxed and ate some lunch. The day before I had noticed a beginner terrain park and told Renae that I wanted to do some practicing. So after lunch Aunt Debbie and Uncle Kirk sat out on the deck while Renae and I along with 10 five year olds went to go practice the features. I made Renae go first, lol, so I could see how it was done. Of course I was trying to film video and take pictures at the same time so neither of them really caught her falling of the feature. Then it was my turn, I was a little bit more sceptical about doing this after watching these little kids catch big air (5 to 10 inches or so) as they got on the ramp. I strapped in and started off and made it all the way across the ramp but then fell because I didn't have a lot of speed to make the second feature. So that was the terrain park on this trip. Tarra had called and said that Troy had left already and that she thought she was done for the day. We thought we'd make one more run down, but as I was standing in the lift line I told Renae I didn't think I could make it down one more run as my legs were burning. So when we got to the top we decided just to get down. Of course the fastest way down from where we were was down an advanced blue and we didn't think we could do that. Uncle Kirk and Aunt Debbie headed down Village Way and we decided to hit Cramer. Now the interesting thing was is that we were hitting Cramer in a different spot than the last couple of times and we came to the top of the run and it was basically a jump off a cliff into a mogul field the size of the flipping moon. Renae says to me go ahead and I'll follow, lol. So I jump off into this massive thing and fall so she goes further down and starts out, so much for following. After my fourth or fifth trip to the ground on my butt I see that it is flatter over past Renae and try to make my way to the left. We finally get to the Cramer part that we have been boarding down the last two days and make it to the junction of Village Way where I stop to let my feet uncramp. Low and behold Uncle Kirk and Aunt Debbie ski up. I can make it I keep telling myself. I shot along Village Way to hit a blue called LaSal and take it down to the base.
I had a lot of fun and worked my legs and my skills pretty good. I wish we'd had more time so I could spend some time with Tarra, but it will be a good reason to talk her into coming back to Colorado. I can say one thing for sure is that I've never gone to bed earlier than I did these three days. I was beat.
