C0rk.W0rd

Back From the West

After attending the 1st week of classes, I informed my professors that I would not be available the following week (week 2), and split for the mountains (the Rocky Mountains that is). Week two is typically a light week with little work, and even fewer tests and quizzes, so I was confident there would not be too much trouble… I only had to submit 2 assignments while in Colorado.

My family and I returned to Vail, CO for the 1st time in about 6 years. It’s spring time, so the conditions at the base of the mountain were slightly shotty. Luckily the elevation of Vail Mountain leaves its peaks snow covered, and in good condition for skiing. It snowed a few nights during our stay making for some pleasing powder conditions up top. Blue Sky Basin, Vail’s newest expansion area is enormous and breathtaking to say the least. I was amazed by the amount of extra slope/glade space that Vail was able to add. Hopefully I will have occasion to revisit the Blue Sky Basin during the peak season over the next few years. The skiing aspect of the trip was superb with a few minor exceptions that I won’t mention.

Another highlight or should I say, highlights of the trip was the several visits made to Ernst’s Swiss Hot Dog shop. Although we have mail ordered brats from Ernst in the past, and prepared sandwiches at home, the authentic sandwich prepared by Ernst in the confines of the “small shop” atmosphere are superior. His soup was also voted “Best of Vail” which is not nearly as prestigious of an award as it deserves. (I'm not sure that last part makes grammatical sense, but you know what I mean)

I’ll try to mention other aspects of the trip that were not quite as sensational including our trip to the Coors Brewery. Though, I would like to mention our visit to the University of Colorado at Boulder. All I’d really like to say is that it is an amazing campus with remarkable esthetics and that I’ll be making frequent trips, should my sister decide to attend. I was amused by the fact that the University had a large display in its student center commemorating national sexual assault awareness month. Anyone else demented enough to laugh about that? --- Of course I have pictures!

Having Arrived In Colorado

We made it to Colorado around 8:15pm (Mountain Time)… only to learn that ½ of out bags had been lost in transit. My skis are here, but that’s about IT when it comes to MY stuff. US Airways claims that our missing bags will be delivered to The Wren (our hotel in Vail) sometime tomorrow afternoon. Needless to say, I’m thrilled to be wearing the same clothes for a few days.

Tomorrow morning, we’ll be heading over to the University of Colorado @ Boulder so my sister can tour the campus… I hope she likes it cuz that’ll mean some Colorado trips for C0rk. And with Frontier Airlines coming to Philly, I can make this pretty stinking affordable.

Anyway, I have a long day tomorrow, and I could use some sleep… Skiing will commence on Sunday… can’t wait… apparently the snow is rolling in, so I think the skiing will prove better than expected.

I’ll try to get some more posts up over the week. I’m staying at the Courtyards right now (w/ free Internet) and I can only hope the Wren offers the same. Signing off for now…

Finally... The Ireland Photos!!!

It's been almost a month since I was in Ireland, and I just got around to publishing the pictures of the trip. With over 400+ snaps from various cameras, sorting then out took time, and some problems with TypePad (my host) didn't help the matter. Regardless, they're up now in my Ireland.2004 photo album accessible from this post, or from the Photo Album Menu on the right. There are 128 shots, which have all been scaled to fit 640X480 resolution. If you want a higher resolution copy of any of the photos, contact me via e-mail or AIM. Most of the original pictures were shot between 3-4 mega pixels. Enjoy!

Click Here For a Direct Link to The Ireland.2004 Photo Album

UPDATE: From Killington, VT

It has been a great couple of days up here in Vermont. Snow has been falling since our arrival on Friday night, and the powder is piling up. We skied in blizzard conditions today, and the snow is predicted to continue through the night with chilly temperatures on the horizon. Stilling in the hot tub not an hour ago, I could seen the lights of the snow-cats on the mountain, working furiously to groom out some awesome conditions for tomorrow.

Click Here To Download A Short Video Clip of A Small Ridge Jump I Took Today (322 KB - Windows Media) - Right Click & Select "Save Target As..."

Rob, Raja, and I stayed at the Mendon Mountain view Inn over the weekend, and relocated to the Killington Grand this afternoon. Having to work, Rob departed after skiing today. It's just Raja and I, up for two more days. I have some things to take care of at Drexel on Wednesday, so that plan is to leave after skiing on Tuesday.

I've uploaded a few of the pictures taken on the trip so far... so check them out in the photo album section.

You can HAVE your beaches... I'm heading for the slopes!!!

Winter is making its last stand, and C0rk is heading to Vermont. Killington has received over a foot of snow since Tuesday, with additional accumulations in the forecast for this coming weekend. Raja, Rob, Eric and I will be cruising in some nice powder by tomorrow. I'm not exactly sure about our lodging arrangements for Fri-Sun --- Rob and Eric secured a reservation someplace in Mendon (b/w Rutland & Killington)... should be cool. I've managed to reserve a place at The Grand (space-a) for Sunday-Wednesday. My boss was kind enough to let me take some time off next week, so I’ll more than likely be out of the area till Tues-Weds night.

I'm currently working on a few things, and since the Grand has wireless Internet for owners, I should be able to provide you all with some posts over the weekend and into next week. If you’re lucky you might even get some pictures.

C0rk In Ireland

As some of you may or may not know, I spent 5-days in Ireland last week into last weekend (Feb. 26th - March 1st). I returned home on Monday, and I am anxious as hell to return. It was only a matter of time before I got to writing about my trip, and you're just the lucky bastard that found it... so rather than bore you with a forward, lets just go right to the trip... I've tried to break it down as best I can...

The Group...

The group we traveled with was comprised of 19 men, most of which were friends of my uncle. Raja, Chaz, and Me were not only the youngest of the pack, but considered newbies, as it was our first time in Ireland. My dad and his friend Bob were also part of the group, and had gone a few years prior. The trip runs once a year and attempts to hit a variety of spots throughout Ireland.

Departure...

We arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport around 6pm. We made our way through security, which I found to be surprisingly lax. The flight was scheduled to leave around 8:50pm, so once the group has assembled at the gate, we made our way to the nearest Airport bar for a final taste of American Guinness. A few short hours later we were airborne on our way across the Atlantic. I had a middle seat and was VERY uncomfortable for the entire ride, though I think I was able to sleep a few winks. After a brief stop in Dublin, we were flown to Shannon International Airport --- Finally, we arrive.

Arrival...

I need to mention that I saw 4 different advertisements for alcohol before making it to customs. Customs and all that was quick and simple. After securing our luggage, I made a point to tap-the-wall (ATM) for some Euro (European Dollars). My dad, Bob, Raja, Chaz, and I were all supposed to ride in the same vehicle. Our vehicle was a Mercedes Minivan. It was a boxy green thing that looked like a monster when compared to anything else gracing the road.

Adare Manor...

Bob was the designated driver for the trip, since he had more international travel under his belt than the remaining 4 of us combined. Adare Manor was where we were to eat Breakfast (the local time of our arrival as 10am). We approached the doors to the manor house and were greeted by an older chap wearing a tuxedo complete with tails, as well as a tall top hat. I was a bit worried considering that the manor house looked like a castle and we were all dressed in jeans and t-shirts. Initially he told us that we were mistaken, and retreated back into the manor house. It was very OZ. He emerged again, extremely apologetic for the mix up and ushered us into the dining room, where a breakfast buffet was setup.

The First Guinness...

After breakfast was done, several of us relocated to the Manor bar where we ordered up our 1st Guinness of the trip from a delightful young female barkeep. After a small toast, we took our first swig of the magical stout (for more discussion of the Guinness read this). After a few more pints, we left Adare for Dingle.

The Drive...

I had always heard that Ireland was GREEN... really GREEN. The drive from Shannon to Adare was oddly BROWN. However, the drive to Dingle in the south showed me where all the GREEN talk was coming from.

Dingle...

We arrived in Dingle in the late afternoon. Everyone was pretty tired and wanted to nap, but we knew it was simply not an option at such a late hour. Dingle is a quiet little fishing village which seems to embody the word "quaint." We had dinner at a tiny seafood place recommended by a group member who had dined in Dingle before. Because I cannot eat seafood, I was forced to order the Pork. I had my fears about Irish cooking, but this dish was superb.

After dinner we wandered around the town a bit, and took a boo in Murphy's Pub, which was surprisingly dead. Later we found another bar that featured traditional Irish music. After a few more pints and a PADDY (Irish Whiskey)... I could begin to feel the hours wearing on me... Raja, Chaz, and I escaped to the hotel bar.

We stayed at a hotel called Benner's which included spacious accommodations and a plush bar. The deal with most hotels in Ireland is that the bar must remain open as long as the residents are there. Most stand-alone bars in Ireland close between 11-1, so those wishing to drink well into the night are out of luck if they do not currently reside in a hotel. A few of the older chaps thought my friends and I (being newbies) would be prime targets for overachievement. Meaning... lets drink these young lads under the table. It was just about this time Tequila was brought into the picture. I was amazed when the 2 shots calmed my stomach and gave me a nice second wind. Slowly and steadily the ranks of the veterans were picked off with the help of a little drink I like to call the Twisted Jack. Chaz, Raja, and I ended up talking to a couple of Irish lasses from Cork until 5:45am.

The Peninsula...

The town of Dingle is just 1 part of the whole Dingle Peninsula. We piled into the van around noon, and drove a good long while around the perimeter. The Irish coast was remarkable. The drive was as pleasant and scenic as one can imagine, despite a nights worth of drinking churning up ones stomach. Bob did a good job navigating the road, but I have to say I was still a bit nervous. The roads have no shoulder, and barely enough room for two cars to pass. There are even 2 way roads that have only 1 lane --- they require that one motorist survey the road ahead or behind and pull-off in some way to allow the oncoming car to pass. Quite interesting when you consider that many of the roads are dug into the sides of hills and/or lined with large stonewalls. You may want to fold in your side-view mirrors next time you're driving in Ireland.

Conor Pass...

A narrow windy road out of Dingle led us up the side of a mountain. With sheep adorning the green/rocky landscape, we grew nervous as our driver's room for error decreased rapidly. At the apex of the road was Conor Pass. It was a high point between two low areas, one being the town of Dingle. The wind at the Pass was brutal. I estimate gusts up to 100mph. Being literally blown off-course while running is something I never would have imagined.

To Killarney...

We arrived in Killarney in the late afternoon, and checked into our respective rooms at the Best Western International. Having only accrued 3 hours of sleep the night before, I snagged myself a nice 45min before venturing into the city. Killarney is considered to be quite a large town in Ireland, which would explain why I was so shocked by its miniscule size. Granted, I didn't survey every inch of the city boundary, but from what I did see, the "city" only had about 3-4 major streets. Raja, Chaz, and I spent some of the afternoon wandering around, checking out pubs and other establishments. There was even a convenience store called CORKERY's... and it had a little lounge (mini-pub) in the back. After some meandering we stopped in an Internet Cafe, where I took care of some business, and poked around for any stateside happenings. After that it was dinner at Foley's, a very fancy establishment, where I had the peppered steak. It was a fantastic meal.

The Grand...

We went to a pub called The Grand. Just inside the entrance were 3 young Irish lasses playing various instruments, filling the bar air with traditional Irish melodies. A few Guinness later, the trio stopped and another band began to play. This second band was more of a rock-Irish fusion type band. It featured 5 members playing Accordion, piccolo, guitar, bass, and drums. They treated us to some originals and some covers, and a good time was had by all. Chaz even ran into some exchange students from American University who he proceeded to dance with.

Towards the end of the night, Raja demanded that we check out the dance-club that the Grand had tucked in a rear section of the building. It was perfectly Euro-trash, and was a very "out-of-element" experience for me. The bars in the Grand stopped serving drinks around 2am... so we quickly raced back to the International where we tied a few more on with the older gents. Chaz, having taken a liking to the PADDY, and a young Irish chap, needed to be told to stop yelling "TO IRELAND" repeatedly in a very poor Irish accent. I think it was all the doubles Adam bought him during the last hour. We retired shortly after 3am.

First Travel-less day...

Being in Killarney for a full-day, many of the group decided to sleep-in. After waking up around 2pm, Raja, Chaz, and I searched out some eats. We had spent quite a bit on our previous 2 nights dinners, so we opted to sample the Chinese food in Ireland. My opinion --- pretty good. After shopping for gifts unsuccessfully, we ended up eating dinner at Mulligans. For me it was the first mediocre meal of the trip, but we did get to sample a stout besides Guinness called Beemish. I described it as tasting like American Guinness. The people around me laughed before shaking their heads in agreement.

Oh the Pubs...

We tried a few different pubs before heading back to The Grand. I think Chaz was hoping to run into his lass from the night prior. No such luck. The energy from the previous evening seemed to have been sucked from the place. I'm not sure what was different, but the crowd just seemed a little off, and the cover charge made me a little resentful. Having finished a few drinks we decided to make our way back to the International, where the bulk of our group was well on their way to a state of pure inebriation (flashes back to Family Guy episode & laughs). We drank our way till 3am again, and went to bed.

The Cliffs...

The next day each car went it own way with the assumption that we would all meet back at Adare Manor that evening. Our car made for the cliffs of Moher. It involved a large number of winding roads, and a ferry boat ride that almost did me in. The Cliffs were incredible. Nothing made me happier than being back on solid ground, and having oodles of breathtaking scenery stretched out in front of me. We walked up and down the cliffs for about an hour, and I can't say the thought of jumping didn't cross my mind a 1/2 dozen times. I got an adrenaline rush from exploring the edge where the difference between life and a wet/rocky death was literally a matter of inches. It was exhilarating and liberating all at the same time. I think the beauty of the scenery had some effect on my ability to make sound judgments. Hanging ones feet over the edge of a 900ft drop while wearing slip on shoes is a little stupid.

Back to Adare...

After the cliffs, we headed back to Adare Manor, where we spent the last night of our trip. While some members of the group opted to dine in the Manor House (100 euro a head), a slightly more money conscious group of us opted to dine in the club house which served MANY fine dishes. I ordered a burger which was pretty sub-par but was easily forgiven considering the quality of the other dishes and appetizers. Following dinner, the two groups united for one last drink at the Manor house bar, where it had all began not 4 days earlier. With an early flight to catch, and plenty of drinking under our belts, nobody drank to any level of excess, but in a fashion that allowed us to best savor the experience, and the flavor of Ireland. Bed time was early, though I did stay up a bit to watch the Oscars which were shown at 2am (Ireland Time). The next morning, after breakfast in the Manor House, we split for Shannon Airport.

Duty Free...

The International Terminal in Shannon Airport had an expansive duty free shop. I was glad I hadn't plunked down too much on souvenirs before this point. Paddy, Cork's Gin, and Bushmills were the items on my list. Raja and Chaz followed suit picking up their own supply of Paddy and assorted spirits (most not available state-side). I also purchased a few shot glasses, a "Guinness for Strength" poster, a Rugby Jersey, and a few other assorted items. We each snagged our final little trinkets from Ireland and boarded the plane, back to America.

Farewell Friends...Hello Guinness

Arriving back in Newark, we said our goodbyes to the crew and headed back down the Turnpike. Bob was still driving my dad, Raja, Chaz and I, and we were all surprised when upon exiting the Turnpike (exit 4 btw) he made a hard right into the Bennigans parking lot. He insisted that he buy us a round of Guinness so that we could again taste the difference. You must keep in mind that I was still wearing the pajama pants I has worn on the plane. Entering Bennigans at 2:10 in the afternoon on a Monday was on odd feeling. We pulled up to the bar, and Bob ordered up 5 Guinness from the 23 years old female bartender who grew nervous when Bob specified that he ONLY wanted them if they were poured properly. I was little embarrassed by his insistence. She had obviously never been taught how to properly pour Guinness, but seems amiable as Bob coached her through the process. After receiving our beer, we all took a big swig and commented on the difference. It was at this point that Bob asked to see the manager. I cannot accurately explain to you how bad I felt for this poor girl. Having seen enough, I grabbed Bob and demanded that he be NOTHING BUT NICE to these people. We knew the Guinness wasn't going to be the same, and we can't go breaking skulls over it. Bob explained to the manager how the Guinness was too cold and was not the same as the Guinness in Ireland. The manager (having probably been questioned along these lines before), explained that the Guinness was kept at the same temperature as all the other draft beers because it was more attuned to the American palette when served colder. Having been to Ireland himself, the manager agreed with Bob, that they were two completely different drinks, and thanked him for his input. We stopped at 1.

More Guinness...

When we pulled into Bennigans, my father and I had insisted that Bob go to the Main Street Pub instead, because they were sure to serve a better pint there. Un-phased Bob bought us the round at Bennigans ANYWAY. We were shocked again when Bob neglected to turn into my neighborhood, and proceeded in the direction of The Pub, exclaiming, "we just have to try it there too". I was not about to be seen in The Pub (my regular watering hole) in PJ's so I threw on my rugby jersey so I appeared more eccentric than slovenly. Pulling up to the bar, my father ordered the round. Bob kept his mouth shut as the bartended tapped 5 Guinness all "single-step'ed". Taking a grand gulp of our improperly poured pints, the five of us all realized that The Pub served the superior pint. It was no Irish Guinness mind you, but the mild temperature and lack of bite was closer to the real thing than Bennigans. We complimented the bartender on the quality of the Guinness. She told us that the Guinness was kept in a separate cooler, and kept at a different temperature. I knew there was a reason I named this, MY "bar-of-choice".

Take Me Home...

After enjoying our pint at the Pub, Bob finally dropped us at home. The trip was over, and an experience I had waited half my life for was over. However, I didn’t leave without declaring my intentions to return the following year. I have already begun to save in anticipation of next year. I could go on to thank many people for making this trip such a success, but most of you reading this don’t know them, and they already know how appreciative I am of their contributions. We spent a little more money than we meant to, but Raja, Chaz and I all agree, the time had, was worth every penny… or euro.

Next year… I want to see CORK!

Greetings From Killarney

Good day all...

I'm writing this entry from a cosy web café in Killarney. We spent last night in drinking and well, sort of sleeping in Dingle. Waking up around noon, my father, Bob, Chaz, Raja, and I took a drive around the peninsula and saw some absolutely breathtaking sites. Pictures will be published shortly. We drove up over O’Connor pass and endured 75+ kph winds to take some choice shots of the valley. (at the moment, raja is taking a picture of me typing this so that he can mock me later)

Anyway, for those of you that care, I’m having a wonderful time. I’m also pleased about the older gents I’m drinking under tables. But they’re all doctors, and have certain ways of medicating that may move my ‘day of reckoning’ up a little.

We’ll be spending the remainder of tonight and tomorrow in Killarney, before moving on to the Cliffs of Moore, and Adair Manor on Sunday. For those of you wondering… I’m already planning my return trip. Ireland is great. I just bought a 7UP from a convenience store named CORKERY’s … Pictures coming of THAT obviously. Thanks for reading ALL!!!

Talk to all ya’ lads later

Ski.Weekend.February.2004

This weekend's ski trip was one of the most enjoyable we've had in years. It didn't start out to grad though. We were about 30min down the New Jersey Turnpike when I realized I had left my season pass at home. It took us an hour to double back and retrieve it, but my Dad said the roads were easier to travel at the later hours. I'm not sure if he was just trying to keep me from feeling bad, or if this was actually true. We arrived in Killington around 1am, shared a few post drive drinks with Rob and Raja, then to bed.

Skiing the next day was cold but fantastic. We were concerned that the sleet and freezing rain on the ride up may have ruined some plush snow from earlier in the week. Luckily, this was not the case. We took some top-to-bottom runs, and spent some time on Bear Mtn. It was cold, but not nearly as bad as the last trip. The temperature hovered around a manageable zero degrees. We skied the better part of the day before quitting to make a Long Trail run.

We arrived at the Long Trail about 20min before the kitchen is slated to close (5pm). We were a little panic stricken. The place was mobbed, and the likelihood of us securing a table for 12 in time for Yaki Wings and Onion Rings seemed grim. I secured a few pitchers of brew from the bar and we were fortunately squeezed in at the very last minute. The yaki wings were AWESOME and the Onion Rings were the very taste of beer battered perfection. Combined with some Hibernator, some Hit-The-Trail, and some Long Trail Ale, these delightful eats were the 'perfect' après-ski treat. We managed to get back to the condo, made for the hot tub, and enjoyed a nice soak before a little dinner/snack and sleep.

Sunday was an awesome day of skiing. Rob, Raja, and I woke of reasonably early and were out of the slopes a little after 9am. Not stopping for anything, we managed to ski 6+ hours. Eating on the gondola made things a little easier, and meeting up with the rest of my family on the mountain helped keep things at a workable pace. Raja was kind enough to capture a few videos with his new digital camera. I will be sure to post them as soon as he sends them to me.

Sunday was also my mothers Birthday that meant plenty of festivities for the evening. After packing in the ski-day we dressed and headed for the Goombay capital of the world "The Grist Mill". A few rounds of Goombay goodness had us all feeling really groovy. The Happy Hour beef ribs, and the 3 orders of nachos also helped to remove any edge that dared to rear its head. The Grist Mill was followed by another two hours at the Back-Behind. This restaurant/bar was the 1st place I had even been served a beer when I was a young 13. 14 of us filed in for dinner, and ordered up another round of drinks (beer & wine). I distinctly remember my 4ft tall cousin looking me in the eye and saying "YOU'RE TRASHED!!". He might have been right. Dinner was good, but all the alcohol in my belly made it hard to put any 'quantity' down. Toward the end of the evening my aunt and Kelly began putting away quite a bit of wine - They "overachieved".

When it comes to drinking - "ACHIEVE and MAINTAIN --- do not OVERACHIEVE"

Everyone predicted a slow moving c0rk for the next morning, but I was my eager, energetic post-drinking self. I was up around 8 and ready to ski around 9. Aside from some body fatigue from the previous days of skiing, I didn't get the sense that the alcohol had any effect on my head. --- no hangover. Monday was a sunny and reasonably warm day of skiing. The wind, however, kept a significant portion of the mountain inaccessible. No worries though, we found other ways of amusing ourselves. My uncle, my oldest cousin, Rob and I tackled some glades and other wooded ski elements in search of moguls and tight-turning powder in steep spots. A run down big dipper glade had plenty of moguls and a nice patch of ice for me to fall/slide down. We visited Lowrider, and enjoyed the trees along with the powder which made any mistakes just a little less painful. I finished up the day with a few sweet GS turns down Rams Head. The ski day was followed by a quick tub a shower and a little grub.

:::::on the road:::::

We arrived back in Voorhees around 11:15 last night, and despite getting to bed at a reasonable hour... I'm feeling pretty whacked today... dragging anchor as it were... Not to worry... There are a lot of interesting things coming up for me to write about, and some more political discussions ahead... ;-)

Bitchin' Cold Weather, but SWEET Skiing

Skiing this weekend was awesome, despite the harsh weather conditions. The temperature on Saturday was -24 @ the peak without wind-chill and -16 at the base - Again, without wind-chill. I think this is the coldest weather I have ever successfully endured while skiing. While blazing down Needle's Eye (trail name) my eyes began to water, as they often do when I am cruising at high speeds. I made the mistake of blinking, which resulted in one of my eyelids freezing shut. Attempting to ski without depth perception is super FUN! Staying out for more than 2hours without a gondola run was pretty impossible, so we made an effort to time our gondola runs to help maximize our ski time.

Raja and I drove up in Thursday night. It was about -8 I'm told, and unless I used re-circulated air, my car refused to stay warm. Only a few of us, including myself skied on Friday, due to the extreme cold. Friday night, we went to dinner at the Wobbly Barn to celebrate my father's birthday. The Soup & Salad Bar was superb as always, and my end cut of Prime Rib was juicy and delicious.

Rob arrived late Friday night, and the despite the cold, Rob, Raja, and I skied for about 4-5 hours. We got out early and quit early. Aside from some spotty ice, the snow was nearly perfect. Saturday night was the annual Killington Grand ASC Owners Party. We raced down to the banquet room (located in the condo complex) and made for the bar. My family is always excited about the Owners party since it features an open bar. Rob, Raja, and I managed to fill an entire catering table with empty cocktail glasses, and I was harassed by just about everyone, since I was apparently turning a dark shade of purple from all the booze. We capped the party off with a few beers, raj and I sampled the hot tub, and retired.

My aunt, uncle, and sister departed early Sunday morning to attend the Eagles game. The rest of my family enjoyed some MORE skiing with slightly warmer temperatures Sunday morning and early afternoon. Raja, Rob and I quit around 2pm, and headed for the Long Trail Brewery for some Yaki Wings. After 3 orders of Yaki's 2 orders of Beer Battered Onion Rings 2 beer Samplers and 2 Pitchers... we retreated to the Grand's Owners Lounge for the game. We drank another case of beer during the game and ate a few pizza's while cheering the Eagles to victory over the Packers! E-A-G-L-E-S Eagles!

The rest of my family departed after skiing on Sunday to attend my sister's Honor Society Induction Ceremony thing, but Rob, Raja, and I stayed for some more skiing. Monday was the BEST skiing all weekend. The temperature was hovering around 5-10 degrees, which felt like beach weather as compared to days prior. The snow was nearly perfect which allowed me to really let my K2 Axis Mod X's really ride and carve. We're talking sweet-ass GS turns baby, the edges just turning over and riding like a champ --- smooth, fast, and sure.

We departed around 330 Monday afternoon. I drove through about 4 hours of snow, and then another 2 hours of poor road conditions home to Exit 4. Pulling in the driveway between 930-10, I drug my gear into the house. I was spent.

I have a few pictures and videos from the trip (nothing TOO amazing) that I will be uploading shortly, when I find the time. Regardless, I had a kickin' ski weekend despite the cold temperatures.

No Skiing Pics?

For someone who skis and punks around the net as much as I do, it's amazing how few pictures of my ski outings are available online. I did have quite a few photos and some videos posted on my old site @ Comcast, but they were all deleted along with the site not too long ago. I'm going to do my best to get some more ski related media onto THIS site soon. The Plus account I have with TypePad only allows me to house 100MB of data on their server, but I am going to look into housing the bulk of my data elsewhere (Drexel or Comcast) and linking to it from here. Either way, you can expect some more ski related content to be uploaded here shortly. I have a ton sitting around on my hard drive from previous years, and with 2 digital cameras floating around my family, I'm likely to have many more quite soon.

In lieu of any SKIING pictures, feel free to checkout the existing photo albums linked to in the left-side menu.