Ski Snowy Range!

This past weekend I headed up to Wyo to hang with the usual suspects and go snow boarding at Snowy Range. Snowy Range is the place I learned to ski...ah, memories! We stayed at Cabin de Walker in Centennial and I have to laugh at how "Wyoming" Jolea's directions were: just past mile marker 26 and before the deer sign, turn left on a road called dinkydiddle or dumbwiddle or something...if you cross over a cattle gate, its the right one...oh, and don't cross the river!" Considering the wind was blowing about 400 mph its amazing I made it there on Saturday morning.

JW2, Mitzi, Abe and myself took snow boarding lessons. Our instructor wasn't too motivated so we spent about 2 hours unstrapping the board and walking up a mini hill because the training hill's people mover was frozen (you'd think they'd have a way to prevent that considering its a ski area for pete's sake). We learned to shimmy on the board, toe turn, heel turn, "stop" and FALL. All of us had some pretty significant wipe outs...one of which I landed smack on my tail bone, my stomach ended up in my throat and the wind got knocked out of me. Jolea did the same thing a few minutes later and her hat flew off her head...classic! Apparently your 2-hour lesson does not include a trip up the ski lift...just a few words on how to do it (thanks buddy). We breaked for lunch and all decided we could handle the chairlift and a run down the mountain...

Let's start by saying that the chairlift at Snowy Range is a bit "unsafe" feeling...but we all made it on just fine. Well, Mitzi's glove got stuck in the fence so an empty chair had to go by...but other than that ;-) I think everyone fell getting off, but that's to be expected. Now came the fun part! Let's snowboard down the mountain! That enthusiasm lasted for about 12 seconds. We all tried our hardest but I basically walked down most of the mountain...Everytime I would get my confidence up I'd biff it good...Jolea and Jess definitely get the gold medal (Jolea for sure...I'd like to see how Jess would fare if he wasn't using a surfboard). But we all get A for effort. At about 3 we headed back to the cabin to assess the damage...

We cooked dinner at the cabin and played games...the boys didn't get the answer to a Cranium question to unscramble a state and the state was...wait for it...WYOMING! What state has a w...and a y...and a g?!?!?!?!!? I still think Lindsey Lohan was a good answer for "author" in scattegories...but whatever haters. I still won. There was some Wii too.

The best part of the night was turning on the TV and seeing Obama kick Hillary's tail! Obama 08!

I was up all night listening to wonderful WINDY wyoming at its finest, planning what I'd do when I woke up and the Prius had blown away. Seriously, the wind was unbearable!

All and all it was some serious good times! My knee is currently fabulously bruised...and I'm starting to walk relatively normal after being SORE to the max. Can't wait to cut some edges (or some cool and hip snowboard slang) again soon!

Pics here