Early Bird Gets It
4:25am alarm.. only one snooze allowed on ski days.
4:30 – get up, shower, pack my gear into the truck, and head for the mountains by 5:20.
The AM scramble to the mountains has become one of my favorite commutes. Actually “ritual” seems like the right word. While most of Denver sleeps, the ski enthusiasts trek the winding mountain roads in the pitch-black night (not a peep of sunlight yet so it’s still night in my book). There’s a unique bond amongst the people on the road, a flock of skiers anticipating the day on the slopes. The people who committed to a low-key Friday night in exchange for the first tracks on the mountain Saturday morning. The ones who truly love skiing. My people.
7:00 – Arrive at Keystone parking lot. I intentionally leave Denver early to beat traffic. Leaving a half an hour later can result in an extra hour plus of stop and go driving from Denver to the to the ski hill. Now I have an hour to burn, so I crawl into the backseat of my truck and take one of the best naps in recent memory. I should consider exchanging my queen bed at home for a 25 year-old sleeping bag and Carhart jacket pillow. Seriously, what a great nap.
8:00 – Eat the peanut butter, jelly and banana sandwich I made the night before. (again, trying to reinforce my pride in commitment to the early morning). Put on my gear and head to the lift.
8:45 – First run of the day. The sunrise luminates this east facing snow covered peaks, basically a screensaver background. Yep.. so worth the 4:30 wakeup call.
Painting the Mountain
The warm day prior followed by a cold night made for somewhat icy and slick conditions on the slopes. Not a bad thing, just means it’s a blue groomer carving day (easier runs, wider turns). A fun experience in its own right. Not every day needs to be a black diamond mogul day. Blue runs allow me to channel my inner artist.. the snow a canvas and my skis the brush.
Standing at the summit of the mountain..take in the view, visualize your run, then drop in. Straight lining for the first 30-40 yards to gain momentum and feel the adrenaline. The wind feels as if you’re a dog sticking its head out the window. You feel alive. Then transition to utilizing the whole width of the run, I take wide swooping turns coming feet from the natural forest boundary on skiers left, then carve to the boundary on the right, then again to the left. Ebbing and flowing down the mountain in complete harmony as if a swinging pendulum on a grandfather clock.
Tree Skiing
Did I imply it was going to be a “take it easy” day? After several runs of painting the blues I ventured to the Outback lift. I decided to take a left off the lift into the “expert only” mogul tree runs. Expert only is a stretch, but you gotta know what you’re doing in the trees. The snow coverage was less than ideal which puts your ski bases at risk of damage. Only one run through the trees today, but I got my fix.
Skiing trees is a unique experience because it requires total focus. The high consequence terrain forces you to shut off all other thoughts and be 100% present. Often referred to as “locking in”. I’ve found immense mental benefit from this form of mediation, achieving a calm and peaceful state in intense moments. I’m excited to write a sperate blog solely analyzing this the psychology of this concept.
The Noise in my Head
A noteworthy moment from today was opportunity assist and young skier… A boy (8ish years old) wiped out and needed assistance getting his ski back on which landed about 20 yards from where he stood looking back up the mountain. Excited to help, I grabbed his little ski, clicked the binding back, and held the ski in place as he clicked back in.
Skiing away, I had the distinct thought, “Damn, I’m excited to be a Dad”. A topic that’s been at the forefront of my head as I think about this next chapter of my life. The idea of parenthood has long been a dream of mine, but recently the topic brings more fear and paranoia than optimism. Anyone with a basic concept of biology knows that genetics are passed along to offspring. Genetics include characteristics of athletic ability and appearance but also traits of genetic makeup of the mind. To be expanded on at a later time.
Another interaction was on the chairlift with a guy of similar age, maybe a few years younger. Of course he was from Chicago, of course he went to Indiana University, of course he lives in RiNo district of Denver.. All the same prerequisites of the girl I’m trying desperately to forget. Since the all too familiar “I think you’re a great person but..” text message, seemly everyone I’ve met is from Chicago and went to IU. Okay seriously, why is this happening? Enough is enough. Pull the curtain up, this has to be The Truman Show. Is this some sort of sick science experiment to see how much a person take before they completely shatter?
Allow me to vent for a minute…
I’m 30 years old. I’m single. My back hurts. I’m finding more grey hairs when I look in the mirror. I’m scared. I should be in Denver right now doing 30-year-old stuff with a committed partner and clear path to adulthood instead of sleeping in my truck. But I’m not, and I guess that’s okay. It’s okay right? Right? Anyone?
Okay vent over. I needed that.
The past 3 months has been a challenging season of life. I’m at a crossroad and I have a choice to make..
Option 1 is to give in and accept the low state you find yourself in.. make this low spot your new baseline for the reality of life. Admit you are past your prime and settle for less what you’ve previously valued for yourself.
Or you can take ownership and use adversity to show maturity and growth. Subscribe to the truth that things happen for a reason, and set sites on a higher peak.
I choose the latter.
Peace in Perspective
I think we all fantasize about how perfect life will be once we get what we’ve been working for. In my case, a committed relationship and eventually a family. Recently I’ve found peace in understanding some challenges the next phase of life will bring. I will likely look back at my current situation and think of it as “the good ole days”. Young, single, low financial stress, free of dependents. I get to run and ski all the time. Using the unknown as a motivator to get up and get after it every day.. Actually, can this period of life last a little bit longer? Perspective is a tool I use to “rewire” my brain. Still very much working toward the next phase of life, but making a conscious decision to be present and enjoy right now. Another topic worthy of its own blog.
Here’s to now, the good ole days.
Song of the day – “Where is the Love?” – Black Eyed Peas
