Not a Grooming Report: November 25, 2020
As the holidays swiftly approach I have to ask if either of you have been to an event I like to call, “forced sitting”. If not, you have likely hosted one; but more on that later.
In recent years we have had the great good fortune of skiing on Thanksgiving. Although the above picture appears to show good coverage, one could not even perform “to-win-a-bet” skiing on this surface.
Shoulder season is always interesting and variable. In the middle of a given season patterns are easy to follow. In high summer, one can put on shorts and a tee shirt for an early morning bike ride followed by water sport. In mid-winter one layers up and the only question is, snow bike, skis, skates or snow shoes.
With bare ground in late November I expect some struggle to find life’s pattern. The default autumn/winter shoulder season sees biking most days with surfing when possible and firewood cutting on the off days; simple, right? After skiing starts one typically puts the wet suit and chain saw away. This year’s October skiing messed with the order of things. Surfing and Firewood took a hiatus. So, with the wood crib light I have been enjoying bare ground in the woods. A forest feels quite different now than in early autumn. All the ferns are down. Even the Oaks are bare. The ground is hard and cracks under foot. The woods are magical in winter when the ground is bare.
I bring this up because one or both of you may be somewhat stressed by this comparatively late start to the ski season. I am reminded of an interview with Kelly Slater. He tells how the big wave surfers get twitchy when things are flat for a few weeks. Granted, I’m sure at the top of a given sport’s world one has few outside activities. For the rest of us its different. We can enjoy any number of activities. Half the fun of skiing, alpine or cross country, is being in the elements.
So, this brings us back to the holyday event I like to call, “forced sitting”. We’ve all been there as a competitor or, worse yet, a host. To avoid hosting such an event I suggest having conversation with your guests to properly schedule proceedings. For example, you should ask “What time of day do you plan to ski?”; or “Should we all go for a bike ride while the bird roasts?”. Its not too late. Tell your guests to bring sensible shoes and a hat and go for a walk. Don’t let your only sports event be watching over weight men chase a pig skin on TV.
See you out there,
Sondo