The Beaver...Creek

5 days down and Beaver Creek is still here but more importantly I am still able bodied. Since my last installment my Aunt Margo and cousins Bosque and Emily showed up. I was tasked with the job of teaching Emily how to ski and in the process decided that if I had any dreams of becoming a teacher…those have been quelled. I don’t want to go into the details but suffice to say the picture below shows Emily walking down the mountain and her mom Margo skiing. After that little exercise in patience…Emily turned around actually enjoyed skiing and was better than I expected. Overall a success…I learned that I didn’t want to teach and Emily finally figured out how to ski.

If there is one thing that skiing can do, it can connect you to the rich and powerful. While on the lift I exchanged business cards (yes…I carry business cards with me on the ski slopes) with the former CEO of a company that was bought out by HCA (Hospital Corporation of America) and a venture capitalist that has ties to many people that could help me get into the type of law I am interested in down the road. However, those are boring stories that really don’t bring the smiles to the face of D&F readers. The stuff you want to hear about is me spending most of my Tuesday morning hitting on a high school chick. Now, before you crucify me…let me tell my side of the story.

It all started on a beautiful Tuesday morning. There wasn’t a cloud in the ski and my face was getting burnt to a crisp. While loading on the Birds of Prey lift, a girl came from behind me and snuck on the lift. Now, there is one tried and true way to determine a person’s ability on the ski slope…the color of their boots…the brighter the color the better the skier. Her boots were orange…enough said. Anyway, while on the lift, I started a conversation and that led to us taking a few runs together. My theory of the boots was correct. She was able to keep up with me…and that is pretty, pretty, pretty good (not to toot my own horn or anything). Anyway, it was about time for lunch and she needed to meet up with her family. As we got to the lodge, she asked how old I was. I said to myself, “that is a weird question.” After telling her my age she responded that she was 17. After that…I quickly bid adieu and went on my way.

I don’t tell this story so that you have ammunition to make fun of me the rest of my days (there is already plenty of ammunition) but as a public service announcement. Ski clothes are baggy and hide a person’s real age. Obviously if I thought she was 17 this wouldn’t have happened. But it did…I just hope to God that it doesn’t happen to anyone else.

To totally switch the subject…tonight was Belmont University’s coming out party. The 15th seeded Bruins of Belmont were pit against the 2nd seeded Blue Devils of Duke. We decided to head over to our favorite watering hole in Avon, CO…Bob’s. We sat at a table and the staff at Bob’s was kind enough to switch the channel on one of the 30 TV’s to the game. At the start of the game no one in the bar knew who Belmont was and thought we were idiots for cheering on a 15 seed. By halftime we had the people next to us cheering and by the end of the game…two thirds of the TV’s in the bar were tuned to the game. The underdog effect went into play and the entire bar (except for 2 Dukies) was going for the Bruins. Unfortunately, we were unable to pull it out (that’s what she said) but Belmont put its stamp on the tournament. For the discerning viewer of the game, you might have seen Sean at the game. He got more face time than Vince Gill and that is saying something.

Other than that…not much has happened. Except that I conquered the Talons Challenge (doing the 13 hardest runs on the mountain) and everyone on the Sawyer side and Uncle Tommy have done a black diamond. Also, I was able to commandeer a few Ritz Carlton chocolate chip cookies the other day…they were awesome.

Beaver Creek Day 2

After the crap way our trip started…things have gotten substantially better. I was not too optimistic, however, when I was seated next to a guy on the plane that loved to talk. Not only that, he was a low talker. So I couldn’t understand what he was saying and basically had to assume that he was saying something funny therefore I laughed every time that he paused as not to make him feel bad. I really hope that he wasn’t telling me of the awful death that his 3rd cousin twice removed had to endure and there I am in seat 19E laughing it up because I think he is telling me a funny story. Anyway, as we are landing he tells us of a little promotion that Beaver Creek and Vail are putting on that if you fly into Vail airport you get a free half day lift ticket the day you fly in. Not only do we get to ski free…but as we land there is bright sunshine and about 30 degrees. Our trip was back on track.

After a cab ride from Cowboy Bob (that is how he introduced himself…pretty sure he was a 1970's porn star complete with a mustache) we met up with Racecar at the condo and suited up. Daddo and I saved $77 each because of our free pass and Racecar had to pay. We got out ski legs back under us and had a great half day of skiing.

Uncle Tommy showed up and completed the foursome. Day 2 started out early and for some went well into the wee hours of the afternoon (like 1pm). To their credit…they skied incredibly hard and a certain boy named Racecar did his first Double D. Oh yeah. The weather was unbelievable…it was in the low 40’s and sunny. It had snowed about 3-4 inches the night before and left us with some great light powder skiing. Racecar and I opened it up with an easy green to a black diamond and then onto the Double D. A good way to wake you up. One thing that I love about Beaver Creek so far is the fact that Vail is the big mountain that most people flock to leaving Beaver Creek with wide open runs.

Tommy did not disappoint. He broke out the backwards skiing (surprisingly peach schnapps were not involved) and was sporting the George Costansa puffy green jacket. After a marathon of a drive the day before from Dallas to Beaver Creek…he was impressive on the hill.

Overall an incredible first full day on the slopes. We got some great pictures, had the most expensive hamburger I have ever eaten ($15/hamburger), had some great snow to ski on and above all…didn’t die. If that isn’t success I don’t know what is. Please to enjoy a sampling of the pictures:

Beaver Creek Day 1/2

Looking out over the Rocky's.

Racecar farted as I took this picture...it stayed with us for the entire chairlift.

Oh yeah...Double D's...(I am talking about the double diamonds not boobs).