If you thought my email about skiing on April 1st was an April Fool's Day joke, it wasn't. Myself, Ratboy, David, and Don went out and skied West for the afternoon. I even tried out my climbing skins and skinned up ChipmunkII to the top of West. Everyone else went up on Dave's sled. The skiing was sticky and we did lots of laps. A good time was had by all. We followed the skiing with brats grilled on the deck. Next time believe my email. Just a reminder that we will continue to have patrol meetings the first Monday of the month at 6:30 PM at Merit Care Clinic. I will send out reminder emails. Please try to attend and bring any prospective candidates. Have a great off-season...Q
Bridger Bowl had just received the gift of 14 inches of freshies (powder). Again, not to be out done, we opted to head for the top of the mountain in ski gear we had just started using the previous season on said sortie. You guessed it, the road down was closed. The sign on the lift said "No Easy Way Down" and "Experts Only". Angie was real concerned when Jesse forced her on the chair lift. With no practice run, this black diamond would be a perfect way to storm the hill.
Tired, wet, and completely pocket packed with snow, the entire team followed the falling fools down the North Bowl. Some even led. I think they just tumbled a little further. This kind of reminds me of the Pied Piper thing (good job team). Anyway, to make a long story short, we skied (telemark) black diamond hills all the way to afternoon coffee.
Snowplow Boy was tired (not whiney) and ran for his hard heels. With an hour left, we were all together, tired and looking for easy running. We opted to do the Alpine lift runs for the rest of the day as a group. Bunny Hill as compared to the previous runs of the day.
Again, not to be outdone by such easy terrain, I tried a little ballet move by gracefully crossing my tips and turning half of myself backwards. Like they say on TV, don't try this at home. I hit the ground in the same manner an NFL quarterback would, when sacked real hard. Instantly I was descended upon by 13 of the most qualified ski patrol in the entire country. They examined my right lower leg and suggested that the Ski Patrol be notified. Get the Ski Patrol? Excuse me, but I brought my own Thank You! Didn't I just say these guys (and girls) were the best in the country? Your diplomatic skills need a little work though. Anyway, Not To Be Outdone, I with lots of help, put my boot and skis back on and skied down the 3 mile long bunny hill to the lodge. Thanks to all who participated in block checking those 328 skiers who might have knocked me down. My wife looked like a hockey player with an attitude (kinda scary).
Next was the trek to the Bozeman hospital ER to ride the proverbial morphine roller coaster. I think Rosco wanted to be there for me, but the nurse said no, just Gloria. The surgery went just like an episode of "ER" (I was prepped in the hall). The only thing that was really neat about being glued and screwed was after surgery, returning to the room the nurse woke up Gloria (patiently waiting in the room) and apologized for waking my girlfriend. We both felt kind of cheap. Kwel huh. I then had to be bored and non weight bearing for eight weeks. This trip deemed yours truly as...Bad Patient, Bad Patient.
MORAL: DM Ski Patrol IS the best, listen to them , they care. Joe
Photo by Dave
Managing Member
Brewers of "Cold Smoke"
The official beer of the
Montana Assault Team.
X-rays by hospital
Photos by Gloria
Ratboy says: Great! But I feel bad for Joe because he broke his leg on a "green" hill. I skied the Lone Peak and only crashed once. My uncles Jay and Steve drug me and my dad all over Bridger Bowl even down the double black diamonds under the lift at Pierre's Knob. I also learned to ski powder on the first day out.
Ratboy, Don wants to know when you are going to start pedaling with the big boys?
Ratboy says: When Dad buys me a road bike or at least one with gears. All I have now is my Redline BMX bike and I can't keep up.
Dad says: Get a job, buy your own bike!
Bridger Bowl, March 2001 Photo by Joe
For the first time in many years I was sad to see the season end. I wish it could have lasted a few more weeks. Don, Dave, Ratboy and I even skied April Fool's Day just to extend the season. I'm already excited for next season.
To be sure, this year had some ups and downs. We had a theft of some gear from inside the patrol shack. Big down, I don't think that has ever happened before. Things have been ripped off from outside, but never from inside. I hope the thief burns in ****. We had a little friction between some patrollers but I think it worked out ok. And of course Joe breaks his leg. Huge downer for him and it did put a damper on the rest of the Assault Team. On the positive side our little band of patrollers got the job done. The shifts got covered and the wrecks (not that many this year) got picked up. The Assault Team still got to ski fresh powder on day one, and the surviving members hit it hard the remaining days.
I personally had a great year. I skied my tele gear every day I skied this year. Even out West I only skied the bondage gear two half days. I had to try and keep up with my bros for a little while. I think I am converted. I'm not going to get rif=d of my alpine gear but I think it will get awful dusty.
The other high points were skiing with the goons. Ratboy made great progress this year. I got to see him ski 14 inches of powder, double blacks, and Lone Peak in Montana. All at eight years old. He will kick my butt in a couple more years. Spike is doing great too. Much better and stronger this year. He is not too far behind. I have even started training for next season. Don, Dave and I started bicycling to get in shape for next year. We ride after work weekdays, everyone is welcome to join us. Give one of us a call. Have a safe and exciting summer. Think Snow...Q
D.O.B.: September 14, 1981
Age: 19
Grade: Freshman at North Dakota State University
Years Skiing/Snowboarding: Skied 4 years, Snowboarded 5
Other Disciplines: Resident Assistant 2001-2002, Floor Representative 2000-2001
Board: Limited
Boots: Northwave
Bindings: Burton
Hobbies: Water skiing, Hiking, Mountain Biking, Softball, (anything outdoors!!)
Significant Other: Don't have one!!
Favorite Food: Pizza
Favorite CD: AC/DC
Favorite Movie: The Lion King
May Your Tracks Be Long
Why start with a quote you say?
I had a few ideas on what to write in this article but had no idea where to start, and the quote related to what I was trying to get across. It's been just over a year since the Three Amigos embarked on a new expedition, and quite a trek it has been. We have started a trail with others to follow, we have doubled our number of free heelers with more on the way, we have expanded our quiver and opened our minds to another side of recreation. I started snowboarding back in 1991, yes a decade ago, because I had reached a plateau in my skiing, now I have turned to telemark not because I have reached a plateau, but because it offered me another challenge and something to do with my friends. When we look back to our past and reminisce where we started, I'll remember standing in a pawn shop looking for my first pair of tele skis, finding out that my $5 army skis are better than my Blanck Diamonds, cutting first tracks in 14 inches of Bridger's fresh 'cold smoke', watching Jeff huff and puff as he skinned up Chipmunk and making last tracks on April Fool's Day.
So you don't like doing a thousand knee bends, well how about cross country. The advantage of cross country is you don't need a lift, you get all kinds of exercise, meet new and interesting people.............and then there's the Birkie, but that's and article for nest time.
Have fun this summer, and before you know it we'll be one year older, and hopefully a little wiser when the snow falls next time. David
Jimmie B's Deck
Bridger Bowl, 2001 Photo by Ratboy
April Fool's Day 2001 Photo by Q
Photo by Dave (his camera anyway)
