Sharon
New member
I almost didn't bring my skis. We have a wedding on the Olympic Peninsula and Bubba's grandchildren to visit. We had to bring all kinds of gifts as well as camping gear and windsurf attire.
I called the airlines regarding baggage and they said since I bought my plane tickets in March, I can take on 2 bags (incluing skis and a boot bag!) for no charge. Since this may be the last time I will be able to do this, I decided I should bring them. The prospect of skiing in the morning and windsurfing in the afternoon was a reality that I was reminded of here by Schubwa viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6931
Still on EST I was up at 4am, wide awake. So I got up and headed out. I got to Timberline around 7 and was on the lift by 7:30.
The slopes were bustling with ski camps as well as the US Ski Team. I had the pleasure of sharing a lift with one of the coaches who recently relocated to SLC and we both reminisced of those super powder days of this past season that I was so lucky to experience.
The skiing was much more extensive than when I was there last time. There was a lot more snow. The consistency was mostly creamy sweet corn, though where the gates were set up it was much firmer due to the salt they put down. I stayed in the non-racing areas and carved deep troughs and felt like a hero all morning. Boy, it was sure great to be sliding down the mountain in August again!
It was pretty warm up there. Probably 70 degrees. When the sun was out it was downright hot. It felt good when the clouds came over. By 11am I was feelin it and decided that if there was any chance of windsurfing I should save some leg. 3 1/2 hours of non-stop skiing with high speed lifts on increasingly thicker snow was plenty for this old lady in August. Clouds were thickening and it looked like rain. As I left the mountain the sky started leaking. The locals say the weather has been unusual this summer. There was a warm northeastern wind on the mountain. I was concerned that it was not the right kind of wind. I drove over to Hood River and the winds were only 8mph...just not enough, and thunder and lightening were in the forecast. So, when the going gets tough, the tough go shopping. I went into Big Winds to buy some fin screws and washers and a few uphaul cords. While the guy was finding the screws and fixing my fin, somehow a $40 purchase turned into a $100 purchase. I bought a pair of sailing gloves and an "old guy" t-shirt for the old man, who stayed in Vancouver with his grandkids, while step-granny went skiing
I oogled some of the new gear, but that was way out of my budget.
I stopped at a cafe that served Absinthe and Salmon Burgers. Never tried Absinthe, so I felt it was necessary. Wow, that stuff gets you high! After a delicious salmon burger I headed to the Event Site to see if any wind was coming. Only a small amount and there were a few beginners out. I eyed the Stand Up and Paddle boards. If there is no wind tomorrow I may just rent one of those pups and try it out.
I called the airlines regarding baggage and they said since I bought my plane tickets in March, I can take on 2 bags (incluing skis and a boot bag!) for no charge. Since this may be the last time I will be able to do this, I decided I should bring them. The prospect of skiing in the morning and windsurfing in the afternoon was a reality that I was reminded of here by Schubwa viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6931
Still on EST I was up at 4am, wide awake. So I got up and headed out. I got to Timberline around 7 and was on the lift by 7:30.
The slopes were bustling with ski camps as well as the US Ski Team. I had the pleasure of sharing a lift with one of the coaches who recently relocated to SLC and we both reminisced of those super powder days of this past season that I was so lucky to experience.
The skiing was much more extensive than when I was there last time. There was a lot more snow. The consistency was mostly creamy sweet corn, though where the gates were set up it was much firmer due to the salt they put down. I stayed in the non-racing areas and carved deep troughs and felt like a hero all morning. Boy, it was sure great to be sliding down the mountain in August again!
It was pretty warm up there. Probably 70 degrees. When the sun was out it was downright hot. It felt good when the clouds came over. By 11am I was feelin it and decided that if there was any chance of windsurfing I should save some leg. 3 1/2 hours of non-stop skiing with high speed lifts on increasingly thicker snow was plenty for this old lady in August. Clouds were thickening and it looked like rain. As I left the mountain the sky started leaking. The locals say the weather has been unusual this summer. There was a warm northeastern wind on the mountain. I was concerned that it was not the right kind of wind. I drove over to Hood River and the winds were only 8mph...just not enough, and thunder and lightening were in the forecast. So, when the going gets tough, the tough go shopping. I went into Big Winds to buy some fin screws and washers and a few uphaul cords. While the guy was finding the screws and fixing my fin, somehow a $40 purchase turned into a $100 purchase. I bought a pair of sailing gloves and an "old guy" t-shirt for the old man, who stayed in Vancouver with his grandkids, while step-granny went skiing
I oogled some of the new gear, but that was way out of my budget.
I stopped at a cafe that served Absinthe and Salmon Burgers. Never tried Absinthe, so I felt it was necessary. Wow, that stuff gets you high! After a delicious salmon burger I headed to the Event Site to see if any wind was coming. Only a small amount and there were a few beginners out. I eyed the Stand Up and Paddle boards. If there is no wind tomorrow I may just rent one of those pups and try it out.