Day 24. No Knee'd to Panic

Wednesday, February 1, 2023.

Wow to wake up in such a gorgeous home with snow covered mountains all around...just incredible! I was able to do a little blogging before heading upstairs for an egg breakfast whisked up by Dave. Our plan was to hit the slopes by about 10:00am and they had all the gear I would need. They even hooked me up with a half price lift ticket! Which, would you believe, was still over a hundred bucks!?

Patty n Dave also own a slope side condo which gives them parking in a heated garage and an onsite locker to store all of their gear. Now this is the way to ski! No humping gear all over the place from a parking lot a thousand feet away. I feel like VIP.

A friend of theirs Nate joined us for half the day and we hit the slopes by 10:15 ish. Totally wondering if my knee would survive not just the boarding stress but what if I tumbled in an awkward way? Would the metal that is now my knee stay together lol!? Would there be parts flying all over the place? Maybe I'd be asking other skiers to help me find some of the shrapnel... "Dude have you seen a #8 Phillips screw?" It'd be like the 'Garage Sale" was more of a hardware display.

Geez have you ever been down one of those aisles in a hardware store? You know those aisles where they have those little drawers with a thousand different nail types and washers? Like do we really need all those anyway? How would anyone know if the one I need is metric or standard? Geez the stress.

I can see the rescue sled coming to get me too, the 'sled of shame' as Dave put it. You know the one where the injured dude slides down backwards staring at the clouds saying "I knew I shouldn't have done that" to himself over and over? Wow actually that might make for a good blog though...

They'd probably also send a metal detector guy to scan the snow for metallic knee hardware. You know one those guys that hang out at the beach after everyone leaves and they walk up and down waving that thing back and forth looking for watches n stuff? Seems pretty boring actually. Old retired guys like me usually. They probably have one on staff here too since I'm probably not the only age challenged dude that thinks he can still hit the jumps in the terrain park.

No such thing happened thank God! Dave and Patty started us off on these incredibly wide trails that built my confidence and soon the knee was an afterthought. I have sno-boarded here before, maybe five years ago? But to see this view like you do from 11, 12 and thirteen thousand feet is just breath taking I don't care how many times you've been here. Or maybe it's the altitude that is breath taking. Like taking my breath away. Literally. Like the air gets kinda thin here ya know? Maybe the view looks better cuz I'm like hypoxic!? I mean isn't this Mt. Everest Base camp three levels? Shouldn't I have an oxygen tank by now? I haven't seem my Neapolitan Sherpa Guide yet either today...what gives!!?

We literally went run after run for over four hours. Only once did I cartwheel end over end (Ha true!) but I don't think any stainless steel washers or screws hit anyone on the slopes and the knee still seems to work so at least I got that goin' for me anyway.

Most trails were impeccably groomed and some even had some fresh soft powder still from the snowfall days prior. Spectacular! And what a workout! I am definitely going to have that awesome post workout soreness tomorrow. Luv it.

We left the slopes closer to 3:00pm and headed home for showers and prepare for the evening. Patty and Dave were hosting a Bible study around 6:30 so there would be couples coming over soon and Dave wanted to fire up an awesome dinner for us before that happened. Think I'll come back to this resort. Did I give Rob and Ashleys place a good review? Hope so. It must run in their family genes because everything just keeps getting better!

I have a group of buddies at home that do a Bible study every Wednesday Morning and though I haven't attended in a bit I totally enjoy reading, talking over and gleaming wisdom from scriptures. So I felt right at home when the friends poured in and they couldn't have been more welcoming to me as a surprise guest. We talked and chatted into the evening...

Inside

A mix of euphoria and fear lol. The pain I was in nine months ago post knee replacement was something I wouldn't wish on anyone. To be here now, with a thigh muscle burn after descending four thousand feet in one run is just mind blowing to me. Mix that with the fear of blowing a gasket in the knee or even spilling off these side of the trails and wow what adrenaline pumping through these veins!

Outside

Hypoxic or not - the all encompassing, eye widening, mind stretching view of mountaintop after mountaintop from thirteen thousand feet - as if I can see into forever - is a humbling, loving embrace of the Universe.

Upside

Can anything top a couple that lays down whatever they had planned to entertain the whims of a recently retired acquaintance? Everyone has things on their to do list, be it even simple routine things like shopping or a doctor appointment. Not once did I ever feel less than Dave and Patty's most important priority...

Grateful for you both!

downside

I forgot to get pictures of the Bible study folk! What a wonderful evening sharing some of God's word and meeting genuine loving friends. Thank you all for your input and genuine interest in my journey...you welcomed me into your group instantly and without hesitation. Much like the One we we're learning from would've done...

Every Which Way but East

Well, I have to head east...but just a little bit! I have a friend up in Boulder I am hoping to

connect up with if it works out. Boulder is just a little bit back east. Hoping to get a road ride in up a little climb while I am there too...

Then it's westbound to Utah!