I’ve been negligent in updating my blog, so here is a combination post.
I left San Francisco, with it’s beautiful weather, and headed to the Sierras for a few days snowboarding with friends. We stayed in Melanie’s Aunt’s cabin, a quaint little shack with a fireplace difficult to master, and skied for 3 days at the local Sierra Summit. I played the neurotic chef at night, making favorites like mulled wine and cheese fondue, while my friends looked on in surprised amusement before asking for seconds. I don’t think they have ever bought a shallot in their life, but they are lovely people.
After a night in San Francisco at Lev’s new pad, sleeping on my (Thermarest camping) pad, I drove north to Oregon, purchasing chains and driving over the pass in thick snow, arriving in Salem thoroughly exhausted. I helped James’s business parter with their computers at the office of Wandering Aengus Ciderworks. I got a case of the best hard cider I have ever tasted as payment. The ciderworks is in the heart of Oregon Wine Country, and I took some pictures I am vey happy.
I also traveled to the Oregon coast with James and McRae and their two children, and was amazed by the rugged coast. Compared to NJ beaches, strewn with hot-dog stands and gum-chewing girls with attitude, Oregon was a beautiful change. Here I stand atop a giant dune.
We went snowboarding at Hoodoo and Mt. Bachelor, in thick wet snow and the next day drier powder. I ate and drank my fill at Deschutes brewery, which was a wonderful place, and slept in a renovated/converted old Catholic school which is now a nice hotel.
James’s sisters were arriving, so I spent a few days at Breitenbush hot springs (vegetarian hippy spa with naked outdoor rock pools). It was very peaceful and idyllic, and the sound of the rushing river, the snow-covered landscape, and the friendly and usually naked fellow guests was an unusual combination.
My trusty car broke down on the way back, so AAA towed it, and 5 days later I paid $750 for a replaced timing belt and a number of other things. The second it was fixed, I drove East at high speeds, as I felt I had exceeded my stay at James and McRae’s, who had been invaded with too many house guests for too long.
I spent the night at a run-down Motel 6 in Idaho, and picked Lev up from Salt Lake City airport the next evening. Hungry, we stopped at a large supermarket in Provo, UT. Lev laughed at my hope for finding sushi, but I did discover “Precooked Sushi” in the frigde section, which was about as good as could be expected. My hopes of finding Cambazola (cheese) and good bread were in vain, so I snarfed the sushi in the car. We drove to Grand Junction, Colorado, and spent the night in a decent hotel, before driving to Copper Mountain Ski Resort.
I spent that day on skis, and hung out with Lev and Mike (Lev’s friend) on the slopes. We ate well, spent the night at Kate and Mike’s and went to Winter Park the next day. Winter Park was frustrating for a snowboarder, as there were so many flat spots I had to hop or unclip, but I found some beautiful runs up by the peak. My boots fit great, and I think it was the best technical day of my snowboarding life. Saturday morning (when I type this) we slept late and lounged, and made plans for going to a Rodeo, where we’ll see mutton busting—kids riding sheep.
