Sick Day Saturday

I woke feeling good around 720am. Mindy didn’t budge as I brushed my teeth and eventually slipped out of the room and downstairs. I prepped a pot of Starbucks, but had to grind the beans first. It was cloudy and cold – only 13 degrees, and -1 with windchill. Fairly stiff breeze blowing. Enjoyed coffee and internet until about 845am when I left for a run. It was cold, but I was dressed for it. Like most Saturday’s, I ran 3 just miles.

Mindy was up shortly after my return from a run. While I whipped up a spinach, chicken and cheese omelet, Mindy carried our ski gear up from the basement. Texted back and forth with Tommy, working out arrangements to meet at MRM. He was bringing Wally for his first snow skiing experience.

After breakfast and clean-up, I headed up for a shower. Mindy opted to skip one. By the time were ready to head out the door it was 1150am. As fro she and I, we had no time clock. Plus, we hoped to stick around and see the band, which wasn’t slated to play until 9pm. We did, however, need to be to give Tommy the Adventure Park pass for Wally, and he needed to be there, geared up and at the A.P. building by 115pm.

We were in the middle of Marysville when Tommy sent a text sharing that he was just getting onto 33 from 270. He’d be pushing it time-wise if there was any type of crowd at MRM. The drive was easy and went really fast. We called my mom and dad during the drive up. Mom shared that the cardiologist called and wants to see her Monday at Adena. Called dad asking about Uncle Kenny, who was in Riverside with potential heart issues as well.

Couldn’t help but notice how much more snow there was on the ground in Marysville and beyond. Where in Columbus we had little more than a dusting, looked like as much as 4 or 5 inches by the time we arrived MRM. It was pretty cold and windy, too. Lucky for us, we managed to get a premo parking spot just outside the lodge in the 2nd row. And as luck would have it, the spot right next to us vacated too. I thought I spotted Tommy circling the lot and tried reaching him by call and text. No answer! Boom – spot gone! Again, we needed to give him the Adventure Park pass as well as Bella’s ski helmet for Wally.

While walking up we spotted Bob & Mary Ann, Scott & Zach, Tommy & Wally. Good timing. The park, by the way, wasn’t as crowded as we feared. No significant lines either. I gave Tommy the pass but then waited with him just in case they needed to see my membership pass, too. They didn’t. He was behind only one person but that person took forever getting passes or whatever else he was doing. God lord!!!
Meanwhile, I was chomping at the bit to get on the hill with my brand new Sick Day’s!

After Tommy got the passes worked out, told him that we’d meet him at Four Star once he had Wally in his lesson. I still hoped he’d have a little time to work with him on the bunny hill conveyor belt ahead of time, but it would be close.

Lines weren’t too long at all. Clicked into my new skis around 1pm and headed up Four Star. Bob I. made some comment about my new Ohio powder touring skis. In reality, though, they’re more than that. I didn’t respond. The snow surface was packed powder after Friday’s cold snow fall. There was snow in the evening’s forecast but I wasn’t counting on it. First run was just slow and steady, just to get used to the new boards. They’re 9 cm’s longer than my Mantra’s coming in at 179 but any fear I had of it skiing too long was quickly banished. Didn’t look or feel too long at all.

After a couple of runs all the ski peeps asked how the new skis felt. I gave the most honest response that I could. I dunno. Need more snow and more runs. The lines picked up in a hurry, but nowhere near the crowd of the prior Sunday. Tommy finally hooked up with us around 140-145pm. That it was quite the ordeal getting Wally ready and settled for the class. We skied 3 or 4 runs together before Mindy and I opted to take a break. And actually, she and Mary Ann headed in well ahead of me. I did a couple more runs with Tommy and the others. Neighbors were all there too. It was full-on ski peep day – The Gardners, O’Connell’s, Imber’s, Cubra’s, and the Tabor’s. Of course, my work buddy, Chris and his girlfriend, Tammy were there too.

Tommy, I think, did a couple more runs before joining us in the lodge. Mindy &Mary Ann already had drinks (Bloody Mary’s) by the time I found them. Mindy had bowl of beef stew too. Like most ski days, I was starving. Definitely churn through the energy stores fast. Mary Ann offered me half of a homemade deli sandwich that Bob made. And Bob’s makes a mean sandwich. This I know from traveling with him a few times. It hit the spot.

Once Tommy was on board, I went for pitcher of beer. Sadly, they were out of both IPAs they had on tap this month. Opted instead for plain old Sam Adams Lager. Enjoyed a pitcher of beer, sharing it with Tommy mostly. Bob popped in briefly but was quickly back out. We were inside for about an hour. Tommy set out ahead of all us to fetch Wally from his lesson around 330pm. He met us back in the lodge. And after Wally had some food and drink it was time to display his newly acquired skills. Before heading out, I headed to the Pilot to fetch our clear goggles. Smart move!

Like Olivia, Wally was eager to ride the main lift up the hill. He rode up between Mindy and Tommy. We planned to take him down Mary Ann’s backside just as we’d done with all the kids past. For some reason, Tommy got poles for Wally, which is a bad thing for beginners. Think balance. He struggled perhaps a little more than Olivia but never gave up and never cried, though there was a time or two when I thought that he might. We took him down Sundowner which is a flatter hill, but even that was a lot of work. He was struggling with the pizza concept for stopping or controlling his speed. But still, not too bad.

At the bottom, I suggested Tommy take him back to the bunny hill and work on turns and stops. He agreed. The two of them peeled off together while Mindy and I headed back to Four Star. We skied with the others into dark. About that same time it started snowing and accumulating in a hurry. Within an hour the runs were turned into something more akin to my new skis. I was like a kid in candy store. Man, was the snow ever fun! I was more than pleased with the snowy conditions, especially with the new boards.

We took a 2nd break around 630-7pm. For the first time all season, I had cold fingers and couldn’t shake ‘em on the hill. Heck, I was warmer at HV in subzero temps. This time my gloves got a little damp from the heavy snow fall and then using them to scrape snow away from under my butt on the lift. Kenny came in about the same time. He bought me a beer. This time I tried a New Belgium Fat Tire. Had just the one, as Mindy made sure that I knew that I was driving home. No more beer and no more George Bailey for me. Mindy ordered us a pizza, too, which we shared with the neighbors.

Tommy & Wally stopped in the lodge around 7pm sharing that they were done and heading out. Wally said he had a good time, which is all that matters. Hopefully, Tommy will get him back up where he can work on his newly acquired skills soon. We headed back out around 740pm. My gloves were still a little damp, but I decided to just deal with it. Heck, I had two other pair in the Pilot, but didn’t bother going for them. It was still snowing and coming down at a really good clip. The snow on the hill was ideal for my new skis – powdery but mucked up. Anymore, I love it like that. For the next 45 minutes or so we tore it up. Next to no lines. As much fun as we were having, come 830pm, Mindy and I collectively decided to call it a night. Word had it that the roads were bad and slow. We’d been there for 8 hours and were both tired.

After stashing our skis in the Pilot, we headed inside the lodge to bid farewell to all our friends. We also picked up Bella’s helmet that we left inside with Chrissy, who had called it a day much earlier. By the way, this, I think, was her first day on the slopes since tearing her ACL Last winter at Snow Shoe.

I got out of my exterior layer and ski boots before hitting the road. Route 33, it turns out, was even worse than I imagined. Only one navigable lane all the way into Columbus with the brief exception of Marysville proper, which pretty much had both lanes passable. Bottom line, took 75 minutes to get home (normally 45 minute drive).

Got home at 10pm. It was snowing hard at home too, but judging by the ground, nowhere near the total snow fall as MRM. While I carried all of our gear inside, Mindy walked the pug, who was more than ready and waiting. For one reason or another, I was hungry all day long. Couldn’t seem to satisfy it. I woofed down a few snacks and even made a sandwich, but not matter how much I ate, I still felt hungry. I envisioned arriving home and having a few beers or drinks, but in the end settled only for a Diet Coke and ice water. Nothing sounded better. Mindy and I headed for bed by 1040pm.