Day 32: The Last

As I sit here watching 'point of view' ski lift footage running over...and over again in my boxers, snowboard boots, and goggles, I've realized that I have a problem.  It's not easy for me to say, but I guess accepting is the first step to recovery: the doctors have diagnosed me with a severe case of skier's withdraw.  Over the past week, my dreams have become filled solely with powder days, I still wake up at 7am (mountain time) to check snow reports, and I sometimes find myself leaving my apartment with my hydration pack instead of my backpack.  Rehab may be my next step, a nice facility back in Colorado, Utah, Cali, or even a log cabin in British Columbia's backcountry would probably be ideal to slowly lean me off my cravings.  Video after the jump....

Day 31: Upper Stone Creek Chutes

After five days of being coped up in our ski hut, I was getting antsy and beginning to experience skier's withdraw.  It was only 5 days ago that I was diagnosed with mono and the doctor told me, "you shouldn't be doing any strenuous activity for 6-8 weeks, and definitely don't even think about skiing."  I jokingly asked her, "not even if the snows good?", knowing that there was no way in hell I was going to listen to her.  For my last day of skiing, I met my Dad in the late morning for one last hurrah at Beaver Creek.  I wasted no time worrying about my potentially swollen spleen & liv, and hit the trees and moguls with fresh legs.  The mountain air was refreshing and my body felt great, all symptoms were masked by adrenaline, dopamine, and whatever meds I decided to eat for breakfast that morning.  After a quick lunch break at our spot of choice, Red Tail Camp, Dad and I decided we were done messing around and headed to the double black 'extreme' terrain...

Day 26-30: South African Fever

My apologies for not posting in quite a few days, but during the second half of the vacation Doug & I have been feeling under the weather. The sickness intensified during Doug's last couple days for both Doug & myself. When Doug arrived home, he was so sick that my parents wasted no time taking him to the doctor. Tests were negative for swine, flu, and strep, but positive for mono. When I heard this, I tried to squeeze a couple more days of skiing and drinking in before getting tested. Of course in the beginning of the week I also tested positive for mono. As much as it has sucked not to be on the slopes the past five days, I have had a surprisingly relaxing 5 days watching movies and tv shows. My greatest achievement has been finishing four seasons of entourage. Early this week Vail had a storm that delivered about a foot and half of snow....I came very close to hitting the slopes. Today is going to be our last day here before heading back, and I plan on getting one last half a day of skiing in, completely disregarding the doctor's orders.  My body's saturated with meds and I'm ready to hit the slopes. After several intense brainstorm sessions, Doug and I have pinned the source of mono:

Day 25: Doug's Sign-Out

The epic season has finally come to an end for me sadly.  It has definitely been one of the most incredible experiences of my life.  Brian and I took advantage of something we might never get a chance to do again, which was ski bumming for a month.  We did nothing besides wake up, eat breakfast, ski the best mountains in the world all day, hot tub, dinner, sleep, and do it all over again the next day.  We were living the skier's dream out there and I wish it never came to an end.

Day 23 & 24: Caaab's Heere

The last two days, Doug & I have been feeling under the weather forcing us to take Friday off in hopes of getting better.  The ski conditions were great on Thursday: blue bird skies, warm weather, and groomers.  We covered a majority of the mountain from the Frontside to the Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin.  After the ski day, we headed to Vendetta's for an apres-ski special, a beer and pizza.  Over the past few days, we had been preparing for the Jersey Shore premier by watching Season 1.  After arriving home, we hopped in the hot tub with a couple of apple juice cartons and polished off the rest of Season 1.  For the premier, we cooked a classic Italian pasta dish, definitely approved by the Situation.  Unfortunately, Friday was Doug's last ski day and he'll be heading back to Bmore on Saturday morning.  I would like thank our viewers: we've had over 1,500 hits all time and viewers from 5 countries.

Best of Vail compilation's video link after the jump....