Day 11, Smuggs
Uh, oh, there's already two other cars in the upper lot. I guess I'll be third chair again today. Maybe one day I'll be early enough for first...Gear up, slide down to the Sterling lift. What's this? No one in line. I did it! Finally, I made first chair! M1 is scehduled to open soon. I'll make one run and head over.
Dip into the woods just before Smuggler's Alley. Steep, silent, solo...shredding powder in the forest forgetting life's, well, everything except my line...focused, in the zone, in the moment...leg's burning but gotta keep on moving toward the fresh lines that lie in wait on Madonna.
Get down, get up. I wonder what those glades off Doc's are like. No time better than the present to find out. The top is soft. That's a good sign. Keep your eyes peeled. Where's the line? Ahhh....there it is, poof...soft and silky...oops, needed more speed, well, a breather's good, too. Get up, get going down the path less traveled where tracks are sparse...so much fresh powder and no one around...nice, wide open lines...sail through smiling and race to the bottom riding hard in the back seat through the pow on a side trail...f the crunchy groomed stuff littered with death cookies...poppin' over water bars, back leg burning. Rest on the lift, baby, there's powder everywhere.
Robin's Run is open. It's hardly ever open. I shout to a patroler..how's Robin's. It's good. Everything's good. It's day one (officially) on Madonna, and there's untouched everywhere. Thank you, hikers/skinners, for leaving some for me. Lift line looks good. I've never done the whole thing. Most, but not the narliest of the headwalls. Always have dipped onto Freefall and hooked back up with it from Drifter. Today it looks doable...I feel confident...today's the day. Man, the view on the way down sure is steeper than on the way up. That's cool...I got it...jump turns galore...no wimping out, take the drops...EXPLODE! Cartwheel...once...twice...gotta stop this...three times...back on my feet..still moving. Can't breathe for a moment. Gasp! There's the air. Don't drown on the snow, Rachel. Pay attention...stop talking to yourself...shut up and ride! My wax is fast today. Hoots and hollers from above. Do I look good? Chicks rip! Uh, oh...drop, explode, cartwheel...gotta stop that...keep going, take it easy? No such thing today. Pound the pow, stomp the landings, stick 'em, ride away (I'm bound to at some point). Dip into more newly advertised glades...two tracks, I make three...keep those knees bent and eyes wide, fresh lines and powder everywhere! Where is everyone? Oh, there's so much mountain to be had! Hey, there's more...Norweigan Woods...reminds me of the Beatles, of my dad, only for a moment. There's no room for thoughts, just ride.
Breathless at the bottom, load up for another. I have a newfound appreciation for the long, slow ride up. Sips of water, a granola bar. At the top, I'm ready again. They've dropped the rope on Drifter. Guess I know where I'm going. Drifter to Three Mountain...pow stashes...back onto the lift line to get the bottom piece I skipped out on last run. No wimping...take the drops, stomp, stick, ride away...I did it! Raise my arms above my head in trimphant glory! Pump my fists! YES!
Meet a friend at the bottom. He's new to the sport, rides blues, parked in the upper lot, needs a guide back to his car. I'll be nice. I slow down to check on him. Whoa, he's right there...slow down, dude, you're gonna miss your turn...I shout..left, left, left! There he goes...missed it. He stops at the top of Exhibition. I eye it. He says he's gonna walk back up to Black Snake. Have fun, dude, just stay left. Secretly, I'm glad. Now I can bomb down the lift line. Knees bent, flying, stick the turns in the puffs of pow...stay left...hit the steeps, the drops...air off waterbars at the bottom. Legs are toast. One more. Should I hike out back? I'm solo and spent so not today. Long, slow cruiser back to the car. When I finally stop, I realize it's snowing...correction, puking...again! Alas, I've had my fill. My legs are noodles. Tomorrow is another day...another powdery promise. I'll keep my end of the bargain. See ya' for first chair. Thank you, mountain. Thank you, Mama Nature.
2 comments:
Keen perspective Here. I wish I were there to photogragh the cartwheels, how many times was that again...arf, arf.
Work those leggs dam it!
That would be three times I went head over heels. Do you photographs other's blow-ups regularly? I think a video would really be necessary to do justice to the snowy acrobatics. I'll get a pic of this line I rode and post it. Then you'll understand. It's steep! Good training for Tuckerman's Ravine on Mt. Washington.
Are you really in the Netherlands?
p.s. I yelled at my legs, too.
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