Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Day 262

the wind was sharp and the air freezing this morning, but last night's snowfall was the first in about a month. these are the canadian rockies. how does that even happen?

our entire house emptied after breakfasts, except for one who had to work, and hitched to the slopes. the sun was out and signs everywhere warned that icy conditions still rested just below the fresh powder. we did some soft tree runs and a natural half pipe and a few times the powder would be thin over a certain patch of ice and i'd find myself sliding down a black on my back until i slowed enough to pop back up on the board and continue shredding the deep soft. hours later the blue bandana that hung over my jaw like a wild west bank robber had frozen solid like an icy goatee. we were getting worn out. one of the last runs began at a peak that overlooked the entire valley. the dividing highway and a pub near our house were the only two distinguishable landmarks highlighted by golden sunspots. the mountains on the other side of the valley hung like symmetrical, blue draperies.

thank you for all this, i whispered through the icy mask and i nudged forward and felt the pull and then the deep slide.

schwoosh. schwoosh. schwoosh.

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