Friends are Here!

I am stoked beyond words to have some snow in the forecast, great friends out visiting me, and NYE just around the corner. Plus - snowboarding tomorrow after an AM training session. Life is good.

I had a great time with my family - already miss you Mom, Dad, and Papou.
Happy New Year's everyone - my time is limited over the next few days, and I'll be unable to update. But rest assured I'll be building content that will be included in the first of 2010.
Keep your tips up.

Family is here!

And I couldn't be more excited. I just need to dig myself out of all of this work I've been putting off til the last minute. But I'll get it done, and then get to enjoy a night with my mom, dad, brother, and grandfather. What a Christmas holiday. It's going to be awesome. I'm one lucky guy....

Currently reading: Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

Currently listening to: Lights - The Listening (it's good, I don't care what you think)

New Pictures, Crested Butte Ridiculousness

I front flipped off of a second story balcony into a snow bank last night (sorry, Mom, but I had to). And I stomped the landing. Crested Butte is a little bit ridiculous. The coolest part: my roommate Anna followed suit. She's rad.

More radness to come, I'm sure. I'll keep you all posted.

Winter, Friends, and Family

I've added a snorkel to my Christmas wishlist (not really, Mom - please don't buy me a snorkel). 40 inches in the last week - that's waist to chest for the average person. Living here sure is fun. I had probably the best riding day of my life yesterday, with the exception of every day on the MMC2P4 (the Mighty Mighty Coast To Coast Peak To Peak Pow Palooza) trip (that will NEVER be duplicated), and am looking forward to raising the bar with CB3 (the Crested Butte Boarding Bonanza) in LESS THAN 2 WEEKS (!).

Winter seems to be here (lots of snow and subzero temperatures), and I couldn't be more thrilled. Every day I ride here I'm finding new lines, crazy new features, exiting new zones, and some of the coolest glade runs I've ever ridden. This whole mountain is below the tree line (almost), which means when the goods open up in the coming weeks that I'll be playing in some sweet stuff. If you're coming to visit - get excited. If you're not - get out here.

My family is going to be here in less than a week, which is the coolest feeling ever. I'm incredibly excited to show all of them this place, and to celebrate a (hopefully) white Christmas with them here in Colorado. I've got the town pretty mapped at this point, and have a nice collection of things to do and places to go with the fam. I think they'll really like this town - there's something for everyone for sure.

Exciting news: Lila and I (she's the lovely girl I've been playing music with the last few weeks here in town) landed a house gig at the Princess (the historic wine and coffee bar here in CB) every Thursday night, which is going to be a lot of fun and a great way to spend a night each week through the winter. She's got an angelic voice (she'd hate me for writing that) and a very god sense of songwriting - I'm really enjoying playing with her. And the free wine doesn't hurt.

Here's to friends and family coming to visit in the coming weeks.

Things to do with the family when they're here:

- show them the gym and all the plans I've got in store

- dinner at Maxwell's (definitely my bar here in town), where my dad (the cyclist) and my grandfather (the Marine) can talk with Peter, the owner, who is a cyclist and Marine

- a Christmas Eve show at the Princess

- riding with the dad and brother (first time in way too long)

- a martini with my Papou (still one of my favorite things in the whole world)

- spinning with my Dad (I'm hoping to take advantage of the altitude and hammer the old man)

- (maybe, if I can shelf my ego for the sake of my mom's company) some Nordic skiing with my mom

- teach a core and flexibility class with my mom in attendance (I can't wait)

- coffee at Camp 4 with the whole family - I know my dad has been looking forward to that one

Things to do with the CB3 Crew and my brother (the PG rated list):

- ride like crazy on Mt. CB - I'm going to show the east coasters what's what

- build a gnarly backcountry booter and spend a low key bluebird day hucking ourselves into the white stuff. The less adventurous of the group can play in the snow and watch us get reckless

- get some legit backcountry riding done up at Monarch or Kebler. Again, show the east coasters what's what

- hot tub party at Le Chateaux

- a show at the Princess

- midnight hike up to the Ice Bar follow by some true night runs in the moonlight down to the base. So excited for this. The best part? The moon is full on December 31. What a way to ring in the new year.

- compete in the New Years Eve Rail Jam. Amped.

- dinner at Slogar (you can't understand unless you've been)

- Canadian Polar Bears at the Ice Bar followed by a ride up to the High Lift and some ridiculous turns first thing in the morning

- adult tubing on the CB tubing hill

- adult sledding on the ridiculous hill right behind my house. We may even build a jump - watch out

- whatever the team decides is the next rad thing we all get into. It's gonna be good

Keep your tips up.

Currently listening to: Tegan and Sara - Sainthood

Currently reading: The Hedonism Handbook: Mastering The Lost Arts Of Leisure And Pleasure by Michael Flocker

Snow is Here

It's puking snow out here right now, and 1 foot plus is expected before tomorrow. I've got to get my powder stick out. Up to 3 feet before the weeks end. I've got to find my snorkel.

Thanks to the Powers That Be for granting me such a great birthday gift.

Thanks everyone for the best birthday yet - I have great friends and family.

All Good Things

For a lot of reasons, I'm very excited for my current situation. I'm surrounded by a town I like, people I enjoy, and an atmosphere and culture that I'm in love with. It's college football championship weekend. There's a parade going on outside. I'm playing a show tonight, for the first time in a new town. It's my birthday tomorrow. A whole bunch of snow is in the forecast. And I'm involved with something that I love here at the gym, and building a new business. Training and fitness is an industry I can see myself staying in for some time, I'm just not sure in what capacity and in what location. Some great opportunities exist here in Crested Butte, but my travel itch and addiction to mobility are (for better or worse) raising some internal questions. I've got a lot of thinking to do.

It seems that since February I've been doing a lot of self-analysis and mulling over some fairly consequential issues - I look forward to the day when I'll be able to live in the present for a little bit. Knowing what I want to do with my ambition and when, where, and how to apply it are some issues that require a lot of introspection. I'm very fortunate to be in a situation where I can apply my thoughts in full to these challenges, and hopefully to arrive at a solution I can stand by. Whether that comes this week, before May, or at some point in the (hopefully not too distant) future remains to be seen.

On a slightly less weighty level, I'm having a blast out here. Having the season start was cathartic, and it's been great fun getting a board back under my feet (Sorry, bike - I'll spend time with you again soon.). This mountain is RIDICULOUS - some of the terrain is absolutely intimidating, and I'm excited to get a look at some life-changing runs in the coming months. I cannot wait to have my friends and family out and show this place off. I'm proud to have the opportunity to do so. The next 6 weeks of my life are shaping up to be incredibly intense and exhilarating.

I have a lot to think about. I have a lot to think about. I have a lot to think about.

But tonight I'm going to watch football, play music, have a drink (today is the 76th anniversary of the end of Prohibition - thanks, Matt, for the heads up), and look forward to a white birthday. Bring on the snow.

I have some new photos, but I left the camera at home so those will be up soon.

Thanksgiving

Today I am thankful for a lot, most recently the terrain park team at CB putting in the hard work to supply me with some jibs for a few morning laps on Thanksgiving. The only thing finer is a powder day Christmas. Which is hopefully on the menu this year.

Yesterday was opening day, and was a blast. New friends, a jib park, and a big costume party (I rode part of the day as a big orange M&M, and the ladies loved what I was putting down - I was a finalist). Unfortunately, I was having to much fun (or is that fortunately?) to make it down for the finals, which were won by a guy with a bottle of whiskey in his hand and a sledding saucer strapped to his back wearing a neon one-piece. I never had a chance. I had a great time yesterday, and cannot wait to share some of the fun to be had out here with my friends and family in the next month. I start work tomorrow for the mountain, and have a training client in the afternoon. I am very thankful for the ability to work here and make a living in this town - I plan on working to do just that for some time to come.

Other things I am thankful for (in no particular order):

- my family (all of you, from my brother to my godsisters)

- Chris Bell's "I Am The Cosmos" (thanks, Adam)

- mountains, oceans, and long empty roads

- coffee

- my friends (obviously the very best in the world - come visit everyone)

- football (the foundation of Thanksgiving before the pilgrims showed up)

- Tim Ferris (for the wakeup call)

- Apple products

- bikes

- boards

- Nutella spread

- the RIDICULOUS weather in Crested Butte (bluebird or snowing EVERY DAY)

There's a lot more I am thankful for, but I'm going to show my thanks by living a little bit and not spending too much time in front of a computer. Ask me sometime.

Here's to my family and friends with whom I could not be with today, either due to measurable distance or due to the fact that you have moved on to another life. I love you all and am thankful for every one of you.