Well, I just completed another lap around the sun this week and I am here to tell you that at 62 years old, I have as much enthusiasm for the upcoming winter season as I did when I was a kid. 
When I was a young guy, I couldn’t wait for that first snowflake to fall. I read everything I could read on skiing and impatiently waited for that phone to ring where Bob Rose would tell me to get ready for the weekend ahead. 
As life moves on, people get busy and sometimes the passions of their youth wane with responsibilities, families, work and other life challenges. But in my mind, if you have a passion like I have for winter and the ski season, it is cherished and has been something that has lasted for 55 years of my life. My wife Janet thinks I am a little off the wall when I get all of my equipment out and make sure that the new boots fit the bindings properly, the DIN settings are correct and the skis are all freshly tuned and waxed for the upcoming season. I get the strange looks from the new neighbors when I am out in the yard with shorts and ski boots. 
I now have skis for every possible condition and whether I am skiing locally, out west, or in New England, my quiver is full and I am locked and loaded for fun. 
People ask me all the time how I can get so excited to ski at our local area and I tell them that I have been doing it for 55 years and although I have skied in 108 different areas in my life, I still have that fondness for the Laurel Highlands here in Western Pa. The other thing I tell people is that if you can get your legs locally, you can enjoy your trips all the more. Get up early, ski until noon, and you can get more runs in than most people do all day. Then when you do venture out west, you are ready to go. But there is more to skiing locally. You have the camaraderie of friends with whom you have been skiing for a long, long time. They have the passion too and we all cannot wait for the season to start so we can get together on that first chairlift ride. Rob Alarcon and I were riding our mountain bikes the other night when he looked at me and said, ” I am getting nervous” ” I am getting so excited for skiing that I can’t stand it.” His way of dealing with it is to buy more and more equipment and when we talked clothing, he said,” I have so much clothing that I could insulate my house with it.” A funny line to be sure but graphically illustrating the passion of which I speak.
Skiing is like a lot of activities where friendships are formed that last a lifetime. You don’t have to be a skier to feel this passion and excitement. There are so many activities that foster this friendship, fun, passion, and love for whatever holds your community together. So, if life is marching on, take the time to remember what fueled your passion as a young person. Maybe some of that excitement needs to be rekindled? Memories of that first ride to the mountains and how much it mattered to you, can be restored with your family or friends. Life is too short not to have passions. I love life from the seat of a bicycle or sliding down a mountain on a pair of skis. The speed, the wind, the excitement of that first turn never gets old. Just do it!! Thanks for reading. 
chroniclesofmccloskey 
lets go central catholic….i am moving back to the burg in a few months…woohoo
Awesome. A better burg now!!!
oh yes I have always into winter and beyond as you have said it many times over and over weather you are on the slops or in the mud it is all about the ride and the people !
Love it!
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Makes me excited to go skiiing😍… ⛷🎿❄️⛄️
Hi Pat Jeff Morgan like your Chronicles can’t wait to see you at the mountain
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I could go on and on about the importance of this aspect of life. What you feel for skiing, I feel for hockey and soccer. The good news for me is that I don’t have to worry about the seasons! However, the feelings you have right now of anticipation are the same ones I get on game nights. I still get nervous before every game even though they are just “beer leagues”. The thrill of competition, challenging yourself, and being surprised that you “still have it” are some of the emotions and drivers for making time for these activities. Not to mention being on a team of misfits who otherwise would not be in the same room together under normal life circumstances and competing and achieving together is pretty cool.
Since I don’t have to worry about seasons, I do have to take some sessions off from each sport throughout the year when I feel myself starting not to have fun. It’s always good to take a break and then comeback with full passion restored!!
Not sure I had a real coherent thought here, but excitement will do that to you.
On Thu, Nov 17, 2016 at 11:20 AM, chroniclesofmccloskey wrote:
> patmccloskey posted: “Well, I just completed another lap around the sun > this week and I am here to tell you that at 62 years old, I have as much > enthusiasm for the upcoming winter season as I did when I was a kid. When I > was a young guy, I couldn’t wait for that first sno” >
Side note: My wife and I were invited to a friend’s house in Vail, CO in April. Both of us have skied a handful of times many many years ago, so I was wondering if you had any tips. We don’t have any equipment either.
On Thu, Nov 17, 2016 at 11:20 AM, chroniclesofmccloskey wrote:
> patmccloskey posted: “Well, I just completed another lap around the sun > this week and I am here to tell you that at 62 years old, I have as much > enthusiasm for the upcoming winter season as I did when I was a kid. When I > was a young guy, I couldn’t wait for that first sno” >
It could be a good season for the east and that’s great for the local areas here, hope also that Colorado is strong like last year. Thanks for your introduction to the sport so many years ago Pat. As you know I share that crazy enthusiasm too, and the anticipation in November of the upcoming season takes over leading up to that first turn. You’ve created a monster! Thanks
Pat! Thanks for juicing me up for the season!