great day

because it was superbowl sunday, almost a national holiday, we decided to get out of town and head up the hill. we stopped at the local target to buy nick new snow boots, get some snacks and water, then with our own snow gear in stow we went out to look for snow.

problem is that it hasn't rained or snowed for what three or four weeks? to top it all today and yesterday the weather is [i'm singing now in a joyful falsetto] gorgeous! very like spring with the temperature hovering in the mid '70s. days like these and most people get sick, struck with spring fever. there was, i swear, dancing in the streets. maybe it was because of the football game, i don't know, but i say its because of the weather.

it was bone dry, warm, and clear all the way up toward tahoe. a few light patches of dirty snow littered the shoulders of the road. we persevered because we knew in the higher elevations there had to be snow. lo! we found some at a place called strawberry lodge, a little hotel and restaurant located in kyburz just about 20 miles from lake tahoe. there were patches of cleaner snow and just across the street from the lodge was a sign that read, park and play. pay 10 bucks you can park your car and sled down a pretty steep hill.

that's what we did. the snow was pretty icy, hard and very fast because the area hadn't had any precipitation in a few weeks. and because it is superbowl sunday the slope was lightly packed. there were people just not that many. it was a blast. we let our hair down and slid like kids on a snow day. our good friends b., s. and their son j. joined us too. damn, that was the most fun i had in some time. nick was addicted to the sled and wanted to go higher on the slope to go down faster.

problem being was that our sleds are these relative cheapy things made by a company that calls itself body glove. these sleds are fast but impossible to control. fucking things but i couldn't help it. using these sleds is like eating a bag of chips. you can't not do it only once. you get addicted. so i slid with nick and fell as many times as i went. tossed off really. there were also a lot of mounds on the slope that acted like ramps. going over and getting air backward is the biggest rush this old dude could handle.

now i'm aching, my butt is sore and my knees feel like they've pounded thru the boston marathon. my leg muscles feel like they've been kneaded into doughballs. oh, and i have a sunburn on my cheeks. i forgot about that one, that you can get sunburned easily in the snow. in short it was not a good day. it was a great day. i think nick and anna thinks so too. we were almost the last to leave the slope. when we left we dropped back into the valley tired and happy and entered into the last of this spring-like day. and there was still dancing in the streets, but this time i think it was because of the football game. who won? i don't know and couldn't care less. what matters to me was that for this day there was genuine joy to be had all around.