The 100% organic bird from the far north west of the United States, stuck in his log cabin for 5 months now, deprived of alcohol and only a chickadee, the Internet and a pair of skis for friends, relates a day in his life in the isolated North Cascades- way out there in the sacred, mysterious mountains of extreme America.
Winter has arrived at the end of the road, and that we get to ski is something.
Some days are like a flow where everything just clicks and you go, Whoa!
Other days are like this one, a day to learn something.
It is Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, and darkness hung over me.
I woke up at 05:15, so disturbed, that dream i had, something about the world coming to an end and my old girlfriend. Ughh
The forecast calls for sun, and with all the fresh snow today it could be a special one.
I should be stoked, but my mood is black. Normally I put the kettle on, start the fire and stretch. This usually grounds me, gives me time to wake up and let’s the universe know that I appreciate. Today, already I need distraction…damn dream! I go straight for the espresso, and open FB, and Instagram, knowing it’s a sure way to make my peaceful morning fly away. Any more likes, any new friends? Is there snow in Cham? Not another post on Trump. jeezus, it’s unreal, what’s going on to create more separation? It’s all going down, anyways. Unless we stabilize our population, this is as good as it gets.
Everything speeds up, its time to go. Shit, where are my ski socks? I pick up my bag and put my boots on.
Do i have everything? Spinning, I go back and forth 3 times into the house to get the things that I had forgotten. Then I realize that i still needed to hook the trailer up. ARGHH!!!
Coming into our sleepy town, I get to the stop sign, jump out to check my sled and trailer, and the damn strap had come undone. An angry big ass diesel truck throttles around me, so Loud , obnoxious! I immediately think, what a fat Trump loving fuck. Whoah man, get ahold of your thoughts. Im driving a V8 pulling a sled, and that big diesel driving guy might be the one who pulls me out of the ditch if i were to get stuck.
Driving up valley the sun lights the way sparkling off the river and I feel the first glimpse of appreciation for the day.
How lucky am I to have this as my home place, one of the last wild frontiers of the lower 48.
I pull up to the parking lot and its all a buzz. I feel clustered. Where did all these skiers come from? My fleeting positivity is gone. That guy on his sled, that cost’s more then my truck, trailer, and snowmobile, whipping by with his big helmet on, doesn’t even say, hi.
I remember years ago when I first started skiing up here. It was me and a few friends, following the old skinny skiers with our securafix / alpine trekkers on . They thought we were aliens, clunking around following their skin track. They took time to say hello and we learned, not just the way into the mountains, but how to relax, free to be ourselves.
I pull my sled off the trailer- its an old 1998 Polaris RMK, left to me from my friend Scott who passed away . Turning the key, if fires right up. It is loud and leaves a trail of blue smoke, but it gets me up the road, carrying his memory to the mountains.
The earplugs muffle the whine of the engine, and the cold blast of air return my thoughts to the old boys, thinking about how they made a way for us. Maybe its time for me to step up, accept the new ones, and show them the way we play.
It is ok to say hello. It is ok to care and be friendly.
Up and up, I arrive at the corner.
The track from yesterday almost covered up . 15 minutes , and with the rhythm of the walk, the endorphins kick in and I start to feel at one.
There’s that peace flowing in. I realize my judgement this day has more to do with how I feel myself. There is so much more that is right. I get to ski. I am able to go up and receive from this high energy zone, still so wild and free.
There’s pow turns to be had and friends around. The sun is up. It’s the Soulstice and with the return of light,
the recognition that it’s time to give back.
