I thought I'd start a blog to keep track of the 2009/2010 ski season - nothing overly exciting but so many different experiences that if I don't jot them down they will be lost to the recesses of my puny brain.  Some is skiing with my crew and new people, some is skiing with my son, and some is about the fun of mountain life.  Without further adieu - the truck is all geared up and we are ready to roll!  

Day 1 - Saturday 10.10.09 - Loveland Basin:  Austin and I headed up to check it out - we strapped his harness around and sure enough - just like riding a bike for him - "pizza pie" and "french fry" came right back!  The Basin was a bit steeper for day one than I would have wanted for his first day but that's OK - the Valley will open up soon enough.  A couple of good hours of sliding around and then we headed back to Denver - didn't want to wear the little guy out on his first day!  I'm really impressed with how much he remembered and also how happy I was that he had so much fun rattling things off like "ski big or ski home" and "epic dad" - who teaches him these things?  :)  Weather conditions were good to fair - not quite a bluebird, but still worthwhile of course.  

Day 2 - Saturday 10.17.09 - Loveland Basin:  I headed up solo to try out my tele legs - a bit ambitious but gave it a whirl and had a good, but challenging time.  I just need lots of practice to amount to anything.  Lots of practice.  Amazing bluebird day though - this is why we live here.  

Day 3 - Tuesday 10.20.09 - Loveland Basin:  Parker and I play hooky from work and head up to Loveland for a day of decompression and first tracks.  All things considered it was pretty good for the two runs that were open - but hey - we weren't in the office!  No one found out because of Parker - he kept mum - I was the dodo that posted the pictures on my Facebook page!  That's OK - I'm the boss!  

Day 4 - Saturday 11.14.09 - Keystone:  Alex, Jeff Funderburk, Millie, and a few others headed to Keystone - spent the weekend in Frisco at "club Funderburk" and had a great time chilling at the cabin, hot tubbing, and of course Johnny G's + cricket darts on Main Street in Frisco - oh wait - skiing.  Not much to write home about - blue bird day and a couple of runs.  NASTAR course was not open yet - actually a mini terrain park was in its place temporarily.  

DAY X - This day didn't happen - you'll have to ask Funderburk about it - enough said (typed).  

Day 5 - Saturday 11.21.09 - Loveland Valley:  Alex and Austin head up after traffic passes rocking out in the truck getting fired up!  

We hit the "football field" at Loveland Valley (that's what I like to call the area served by lift 7 - its wide, short, and an easy pitch - we had an amazing father / son day.  We did close to 15 runs up and down the little hill - harness stayed in the car and we just worked on "french fries" and turning with a "little pizza."  

The mini terrain park isn't built yet but I can't wait for that - Austin loves to "jump" over the rollers.  Still have the tip ties on but hopefully not for long.  Epic!  :)  

Day 6 - Monday 11.23.09 - Loveland Basin:  I headed up solo for the day to give my new Mantras a proper break in finally with some decent snow and just free skiing by myself - it was SO cold though.  Definitely negative something or other at the top of chair two (which just opened), near whiteout at one point (snowing is good, cold cold cold is bad bad bad).  Skied with some random Denver guy for a while - pretty comparable.  

Day 7 - Saturday 12.5.09 - Breckenridge:  I rented a condo for Friday and Saturday nights at the Tannhauser in Breck and headed up with my buddy John Pitts for the weekend.  Left after work on Friday and drove up - truck loaded up with the Thule box and some enormously  long skis inside that didn't fit in the box that belong to Pitts...198s I think!  Met up with my friend girl Ari in Breck and went to an 80s band party at Salt Creek.  Patagonia jacket and sweater were ganked from the bar ($500 worth of stuff) and your blogger was thrown out of the place while sifting through piles of jackets looking for mine.  Walked home cold and had to go shopping the next morning for a new coat.  Had a great day of skiing with Pitts, ran the NASTAR course for a bunch of sally bronze runs (lame) and finished up some good skiing a the Maggie restaurant at the base of Peak 9 and then an amazing steak that night at Kenosha  Great weather - not quite a bluebird but "acceptable."  

Day 8 - Sunday 12.6.09 - Breckenridge:  Just a few more runs with Pitts plus some NASTAR lame bronze runs - seriously?  That typed - it was SO cold and windy that it was NO fun (if skiing can be no fun this was it).  We bolted early to get back to Denver for the Broncos game but stopped in Idaho Springs on the way home for some duck wings and a pint at Tommy Knockers - great stuff!  

Day 9 - Saturday 12.19.09 - Keystone:  Woke up early and drove to Keystone - arrived at 8 am and watched the temperature in the car move from negative 9 to zero while I waited for Pitts and some of his friends to show.  Hit the slopes around 9:30 with a ridiculously large group (10 or so) but everyone managed to hang together and have a good time.  Weather was great - really great and the group was fun.  Started hitting silver on NASTAR today so I'm a bit happier.  Got some tips from the pace setter - definitely like the Keystone course better than the Breck one.  I've gotta think that the pow pow skis are slowing me down but Mantras are pretty stiff... hmmm... may have to demo something sometime soon just to check it out.  After NASTAR Pitts, a couple of folks, and I did 4 passes through the Area 51 terrain park - a few small jumps and worked on the boxes/rails on skis - heck Pitts threw up a super fast super low "iron cross" but gotta give the guy credit - he threw it!  Afterwards had a beer at the Kickapoo with the new crew and then Breck bound.  Crashed at Ari's place overnight.  

Day 10 - Sunday 12.20.09 - Breckenridge:  Skied solo for a few hours today.  Was hoping to ski with Schlaht or Ari but neither could make it so I just cranked up the iPod and tore around for a couple of hours.  One silver NASTAR run so I'm not entirely unhappy.  Not a long day as I headed back to Denver to pick up the little guy, watch some Broncos, and longboard / scooter (guess which of us does which) at Wash Park.