Gaper Day 2010

Traditionally, on Gaper Fools Day, everyone gets dressed up like a completely clueless touron and skis like an idiot. This year April 1st was a 16inch powder day and it was still snowing! But that didn't stop everyone from acting a fool (after getting in fresh pow turns early in the day).

Jordan and I were posing for a picture just when a bottle rocket went flying past- hence the serious stoke on my face!

And as per usual, we all gathered at Nick Wilson's for Aprés.

And drank beers, danced on the deck and welcomed more snow for our last three days of ski season!

Everyone's a Meterologists...

When you hear the saying "talk about the weather," you generally think of someone making small talk. right? Well, here in Jackson talking about the weather is a serious conversation. No one relies on a single weather source, many are armature meteorologists with barometers and tools to predict weather patterns on their own.

On my bookmarks bar, for instance, I have three different weather sights. The Weather Channel (is quite generic), the Jackson Hole Avalanche Sight and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association). the JH Avie sight updates twice a day with all kinds of numbers about pressure and jet streams etc etc. Everyone has their own take on the weather.

With the drought we've had here (and ONLY here it seems!) the weather has become one of those things that if you bring up, you may end up in an argument... Snow is something we, as a ski town, rely on! The conditions on the hill are sub-par and people (i.e. Josh) are starting to get very frustrated and antsy. Tourists have booked their condos/rooms and flights and are not getting the prime ski vacation they had hoped for. What little poweder we do get is skiied up quickly. Locals are getting frustrated because we've been having days with temps as low as 22 BELOW with no snow to insulate our pipes. I never thought a winter drought was that big of a deal, being from Alabama- but snow is how we fill our rivers in the spring and keep fresh water in our wells throughout the summer. This isn't the first time in Jackson Hole's history this has happened. In 1976-1977 only 128 inches fell at Rendezvous Bowl (summit) all season (jackson averages 450 inches annually). Right now we are recording 142 inches fallen, with a 32inch base at the summit. But only 79 inches total mid-mountain (where I'm skiing) and a 25 inch base, most of it man made. Because of the lack of snow, we only have 45 or 116 trails open!

Luckily, today, we have experienced a steady stream of light snow. Two to three inches expected to accumulate. Apparently there is another system on its way, hopefully blessing us with another four to six inches by 2010.

SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

snow snow snow snow snow!!!

I experienced my first *powder day of the season today. (For my southern readers that means the first day with lots of fresh snow on the hill.) And now I totally get it! The combo of my new snowboard (pictures to come very soon) soft, fluffy pow and a bit of a daredevil attitude got me up Apres Vous (a lift that only services blue trails).

I rode by myself with my iPod blaring K'naan (check him out!) and took it very easy, just cruising. There was so much soft snow that I wasn't as afraid to make turns. Being on my toe-side edge was not nearly as scary because when I fell it was like falling into a ton of pillows! I caught speed, I floated and I LOVED IT!

I rode until noon, ate some food, cleaned the house, then took Elu on a walk, then went climbing at the gym. I'm pooped, that's all I can give you for now. Pictures and more details to come.

Redlodge Montana

Jeff and I, along with our friend Chris took a little adventure up to Montana for the weekend. 

We did a little Snowmobiling...

Saw some pretty sights...

Did some bowling... (which rocks because we can't do that here in the Hole)

Drank some beers... 

Saw old (to them, new to me) friends... 

had a snowball fight in the bar... 

and dealt with some chilly weather... 

overall good weekend!!! Happy NEW YEAR!!!!

(new post below)

snowboarding!!!

My friend Sarah is a snowboard instructor at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

She offered to teach me how to snowboard in exchange for a couple of beers... sweet deal! I'm in! So off to the village we went. Here's a few highlights of my first day riding!

Me and Sarah upon arriving...

After about an hour I was able to link a few turns! 
I almost look cool here... 
I made this face a lot...

Overall it was a successful day! I will definitely be returning to the mountain many times this season.  Maybe by the end of the season I'll be able to ride more than the bunny hill =)

Winter-improv-izing

Today was a loooong day!! 6:30 to 9 am I covered part of Sarah's shift before heading to Jack Dennis from 10 to 7. But feet hurt and I'm very sleepy, but for some reason am unable to fall asleep, even though I know that I have to work at 6:30 tomorrow morning as well.  So this evening when I got home, I went to my room to have some alone, quite time making (I can't tell you what, because some of you may be receiving such crafty items in the mail for Christmas).  But upon getting settled into my bed/office/studio to work on said crafty items, I noticed my room is too cold to be in without being under mass amounts of covers.  Don't get me wrong, the large amount of blankets and sleeping bags on my bed sure are cozy when you're asleep, but not so conducive for using two hands.  SO I set out to make my room a little warmer. 

Here is how an outdoors woman can not only insulate her room, but also finally find a spot for all that gear that's not being used again until spring.  

That crash pad that won't get used until spring?? A little duct tape and a spare sleeping bag... 

Simply cover with window dressing...

And voila! you have yourself a padded headboard that doubles as a window insulate!!

Stay tuned for more installments of "Tricia's First (Real) Winter" 

not too much to report...

The jobs is good. I'm working four ten hour shifts this week, and my feet are paying for it. But I like the people I work with, they are all fun kids, and most are from the south, which is pretty neat. The job itself is pretty standard retail: open, vacuum, dust, fold, unpack boxes, help customers, answer the phone, dust, fold, vacuum, close. But it's a good work environment and I like it.

I start job number 2 on Monday, working for the Jackson Whole Grocer at the juice bar. Making smoothies and whatnot. That should be cool, I'll fill you in on that after I start.

This weekend was alright, I went out Friday night to celebrate the gettin' of a job. There was a touch of drama, but no biggie. Saturday night I went out with Shane and her man du jour. Met up with a guy friend of mine and had a blast!! Then said friend and I went to a movie (date?) Sunday night and also had a blast. Monday I worked ALL day, so I was pretty beat but managed to rally for a beer and dinner with Christen and Audrey, said cutie pie came out for that as well. Tonight I went out for a minute after work for my friend Michelle's little brother's birthday (22) and now I am home, at 11, about to go to sleep. But realized I haven't updated in a while and you guys might be interested in the goings on of life since the I HAVE A JOB post.

In other news...
FROST! lots of it. I forgot to check and see if I needed to defrost my car before getting dressed this morning (lesson learned, always start vehicle BEFORE you're actually ready to leave. SO I had to scrape ice from my windshield before leaving the house.

Better get used to it, because Friday, Saturday and Sunday, we're supposed to get SNOW and the high is going to be 38 or so. Lows of 17. Wish me luck with the cold.

Okay all, I'm sleepy and going to bed. I hope all is well where you are living. Let me know.