Tag Archives: Peak Ski and Board

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Neighbor Joe

My neighbor Joe

This past fall, my new neighbor Joe and I talked about skiing. Imagine that! Anyhow- he told me he used to ski and wanted to take it up again. Well, when someone says that to me, I light up like a 100 watt bulb and shine brightly. I told him about my friend Jim Jacobs who would take care of him from Peak Ski and Board and that his old equipment would no longer fit the bill. He had purchased some new boots but was in sore need of some new skis seeing that his were around 20 years old. He and his wife Chico went to see Jim and he bought a new pair of Volkls. He was happy and wanted to show me his purchase. I gave him a pair of straps to that he could avoid edge damage when traveling and he was excited to start after so many years away from the sport.

So, I took him during the week to Laurel Mountain which is a great place to ski here in the Laurel Highlands about an hour and a half from where we live. I ski there a lot and consider it my home area. I beat poor Joe’s ear all the way up because when the subject of skiing comes up, again, I go into high gear. I told him things he should know, and a lot of trivia that perhaps he did not need to hear. I also told him a lot of my stories from my skiing past and present and when we pulled into the lot at Laurel, he was ready to ski and not just listen to me anymore. LOL!!

Bluebird Day looking into the Ligonier Valley

It was a great day to ski, very scenic with fresh snow and a beautiful view into the Ligonier Valley. Joe loved it and after he got his feet under him again, he started to ski like he used to ski back in the day. He loved his new skis and all in all, it was a great first outing for a guy who hadn’t been on the slopes in quite some time.

Joe is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force( as is his wife Chico), and also a retired Delta Airlines pilot. Needless to say, Joe and his wife travel a lot and it was a little bit of time before I got him out again, back to Laurel, this weekend. Again, another bluebird day, and Joe loved it. I introduced him to a lot of people that are my friends and he asked me later if I knew everyone at Laurel. I said,” when you ski there a lot, you get to know people as the atmosphere at Laurel is conducive to that”. It is like a private ski club, in a way, and has a totally different feel from the other two resorts that Vail now manages and owns.

Sunset at Laurel Mountain- photo by Rob Slater

He skied mostly by himself as he wanted me to enjoy Wildcat like I usually do. (the steepest slope in Pa.) We connected from time to time but for the most part, Joe was enjoying all that Laurel had to offer, on his own terms without any interference from me. After a slice of home- made pizza at the Pie Shoppe in Laughlintown, ( he treated), we drove back through the scenic Ligonier Valley, talking about skiing and the possibility of him skiing with his buddy in Park City now that he has all his stuff, a military season pass from EPIC, and two days under his belt getting back into the swing of things.

I guess the thing I like the most about my time with Neighbor Joe, besides him being a good guy and enjoying his company, is that I could help him get re-acquainted with skiing. One of the things that I like to do most is just that……….get people into skiing,or back into skiing. When I used to teach, the greatest joy I had was to see someone “get it”, or improve, with a big smile on their face. I try to go out of my way to see that people get a good start, get the right equipment, and realize what great things the winter can provide. I also like to introduce them to my friends and people that I know in the sport that can become their friend too. Skiing is not only great sport in which to partake, but the people, the atmosphere of a great little ski area, and the whole feeling is something that one just has to experience. It is wonderful to see fresh snow on the ground and on the trees as you drive into Laurel. You park, walk across the street to the lodge and people are smiling. They greet you and everyone is excited for another great day. Everyone’s troubles, worries and concerns, melt like snow on a hot sunny day when you show up at a ski area ready to hit the slopes. It is an escape from politics, pressures of the job, and personal troubles. No matter what ski area you visit, there is a positive feeling that abounds. Laurel Mountain has a special feel and even though it doesn’t have the vertical of out west areas, or New England areas, for an hour or so from your house, it is a good place to go while you get ready to take your western or New England trips.

Joe not only got a chance to get another day in, but he also saw why I like Laurel Mountain so much. Not just the skiing close to home, but it is the people that make the place tick. The employees are really friendly, happy to see you, and work tirelessly to make the experience great. The regulars all greet you and you feel in a way that you are in your own private place of enjoyment. Joe found out what a wonderful place Laurel is, and he will be back as soon as possible. Think snow, go to Laurel Mountain, and thanks for reading.

Laurel Mountain buddies.

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Overload

Have to tell you folks that no one loves the anticipation of ski season more than me. When that first frost comes or the leaves start to change and I smell the fires burning, I start to think about when the first turns will be made. Buy typically, I show some restraint. When the Ski Magazine comes to the mailbox in August, I set it aside because I don’t want to start reading that until maybe October especially if I am in no need of equipment for the upcoming season. Which is where I am right now. I have all my skis tuned, Janet’s tuned, and am in no need for further ski apparel. So in those years, October is fine for opening up the mag and seeing what is new and perhaps read a review or two. I start to look on the Outside channel and Netflix and Amazon for some ski flicks but only start those in maybe November. But have you noticed how we have been bombarded with social media all summer long and the hype for the 2019-2020 ski season began almost as soon as the old season ended. In many cases this past season, the end was much later than usual with the Beast and western areas like Mammoth closing well after Memorial Day and into the Fourth of July.

Now again, don’t get me wrong. I love skiing and talk about it all year, but this year, the media hype began in July and didn’t stop all summer. While I was into the mountain biking season and enduring the early season rain followed by oppressive heat and finally some nice September weather, the videos, clips, emails,and more videos all came rushing in on Facebook and Instagram and kind of confused me a bit. Is this summer or is it just an extension of a year long ski season defying the global warming discussion? I mean come on? What was once a great flick about guys sending it in far away places in steep terrain and endless powder, became commonplace. I was not impressed because of the overload of visual eye candy almost to the point of me thinking I could do all of what Mark Abma does or Sage does, and not even blink an eye. I can ski like that, right? It is not sensational anymore because there is just so much of it. We are desensitized and duped into thinking that we are those heroes and we can do all of that and better sign up for it for 2019-2020. Which is what I did. I fell for it hook, line and sinker and bought Ikon, Epic and the local Highlands Pass all before the last turns were made on Superstar at Killington in May. I didn’t want to miss out, made the ski plans with my friends, and signed up per all the savings and media hype.

I even bought my wife some new boards at the end of the season sale at Peak Ski and Board here at home and put them on the shelf freshly tuned and waxed for the upcoming season. If they did a survey on the typical skier who buys into the media frenzy, my face would appear front and center and as much as I complain about seeing ski flicks and clips all summer, it got to me. I needed to be ahead of the game and I was the perfect victim of advertising and promotion by the equipment manufacturers, the resorts and their passes, and even the FIS who enticed me with stories of the superstars on the World Cup of whom I am a big fan. I am complaining but yet I am the poster child for the ski consumer that they all want.

Last night I dreamed I was having a conversation with shop guys about ski equipment. The strange thing is that it was old equipment. I suppose in my subconscious, my fear was I was not up with the latest technology and was far behind for the coming year. I dreamed I saw perfect conditions but for one reason or another, I was not able to get to the hill and make the first turns. I woke up in a cold sweat thinking I was going to miss it and be out of the loop or out of touch. The promoters have even invaded my sub-conscious. What is a guy supposed to do? I will tell you what………relax!!!. It will come soon enough and there is a lot of fall weather to enjoy still on the bike and some hiking with my wife in the meantime too. The chairs are not spinning yet so relax. Enjoy what is now and not what is coming soon enough.

Did you get sucked in too? Tell me about it. We all need to take a deep breath. LOL!! Thanks for reading.

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It’s the little things that matter.

I don’t know about you, but the older I get, the more I think time is flying by. The days, the months, the years, all seem to advance so quickly. I seem to be on a rocket ship flying through the universe with planets, asteroids, stars, whipping by the body of the rocket at a rapid pace and I don’t even have the chance to observe them in detail. That is why I am making an effort to hit the reverse thrusters and try to enjoy the little things that matter. When you value the little things, it slows life down a bit. Take for instance these mums in front of my house.img_1082 I have taken notice each day of their blooming pattern. I take the scenic route to work and instead of taking the major state route, I take the road less traveled which allows me to enjoy the changing of the leaves which happens before my eyes just like the blooming of the mums. jilllake
I don’t go to the store and get the plastic bag of apples. This time of year, I go to the local farm market and get what is fresh. I look at the apple that I am about to eat from the farm and value the crisp, juicy, taste instead of the dried, tasteless bag of apples that came out of the cooler at a refrigerated distribution center warehouse.
My wife gets a kick out of me running out of the house at night to see the space shuttle fly across the evening sky. I get my notice from NASA each day and make an effort to see the shuttle. It is the fastest thing in the heavens on most evenings and its path intrigues me. Similarly, I get my telescope out to view the planets and get excited to see a little white sphere in my lens with smaller white dots that are the moons surrounding Venus or the ring around Saturn. I text my son to come out and see and he says to me,” Dad, I see it ten times better on the Internet.” They say little things amuse little minds but I think little things are what slow things down a bit. Looking at the stars on a night ride on my mountain bike. Whenever there is a break, I look up. night-ride-october-2-of-1

While I am on the subject of little things, lets talk about little kindnesses which we are afforded or afford each day. Things are hectic now and there is a lot of pressure just to get through life for most people. But when you slow down, and appreciate the little things that people do for you, it enhances your life experience. When my wife gives me a hug, a kind word from a friend, support when you are down. These are the little gems that make life easier. People do nice things for me all the time and I appreciate them. Patrick Dahlkemper did me a huge solid on a root canal. Barry Jeffries always takes care of me at Dirty Harry’s Bike Shop. Richard helps me out with a recent ski boot purchase at Peak Ski and Board. They don’t have to do these things, they do them because they like me. Go figure! I tend to have the Irish National Curse and always want to pay them back immediately. But I need to slow down and appreciate the kindness that they give me just because. On the “pay it forward” path, our lives are enriched when we afford little kindnesses to those we deal with on a daily basis and to the ones we love. I need to hold Janet’s hand more often. I try to always be there to help friends whether they are in need or just support them daily. The Golden Rule is sometimes lost today in this self serving world of ours. We are compelled to be kind to others not because they did something nice for us, but because we are all in this together. At the risk of being cliche’, ” All lives matter.” And as a believer, I know we are compelled to behave this way. So, as the seasons change, try to hit that reverse thruster, and enjoy the small things in life. That red oak leaf on your entrance mat that ushers in the fall season. That first sip of apple cider. The crackling of a fire, paying it forward. Even a little donut. img_1083 Thanks for reading.