Awesome Experience

I know I havent blogged for a while, but I will get back to it soon, I have some ideas written down, so hopefully soon....

This past week I had to opportunity to go to BC to Panorama to ski. For the end of March, the conditions were pretty good. Most of the time, I would let my wife and her mom go out first thing and I would stay back with the baby. They would come back around 11 sometime and I would then go out, either by myself or with my mother-in-law. The first day I was feeling pretty good about what I had accomplished. I was feeling like I was getting the hang of it. The one green run that I went down is one of the highest ones I have been on. The second day, I didnt do as well. I mentally froze while going down a green run, I eventually chickened out and took my skis off and walked through the woods to get down the steep part. (Steep for me at least!). I almost got to the end, and it looked even steeper, so we took a different way. Later that day we realized that the last section is a BLACK! So, I was glad we avoided it! The third day I felt really good again about my skiing. I even went down 3/4 of a blue run. So, I felt pretty good about my skiing this year. I didnt get to go out as much, but that is how life goes sometimes.

It was so warm on Wednesday that the snow was melting pretty fast. When we were in the hot tob, I noticed the groomer was moving a LOT of snow to the base of the hill. I wanted to see what he had to do, so after supper I walked over to the base of the lift and saw what he had done. I noticed he was coming down the hill. I am very interested in watching machinery, especially big machinery like the cats that groom the ski hills. He came down, and backed right next to where I was standing on the stairs, and he opened the door and he said: "Hey, you want to ride?"

I said, "Are you serious?"

He replied, "Yeah, come on in, there is a door on the other side."

I was like, "Sweet!" So I ran around and hopped in. He took me straight up the side of the mountain and showed me how the thing works. He is in charge of the terrain park and so we even backed up to the edge of a few jumps. We drove straight up the side of the mountain, then we turned around and drove straight back down the mountain! It was such an awesome experience. I dont know anyone who has been able to ride in the Grooming Cat like that! I was so excited I had to run back and tell my wife and mother-in-law. They were surprised I was able to do that! I thought that it would be cool if he would ask me, but didnt think he actually would. That was probably the highlight of the trip!