Montana Stories-2012

Stories from the Road
February 23, 2012
Big Sky, Montana

Last night we had the prime rib special at the Hummer’s. It was excellent as was the pale ale that accompanied the dish. The wind is still blowing, and the conditions are deteriorating very quickly. As usual I will be asleep early in hopes of a big day tomorrow.

The computer report from the mountain this morning says conditions are good, but we’ll see at 9:00, when the lifts open. I was thinking yesterday how different ski gear and clothing is compared to when I began skiing. Formerly we wore wool and cotton, laced up our boots, and skied on wooden or metal skies. You expected to be wet and cold.

The modern day skier uses side cut, light, composite skies. They turn fast and hold an edge. Wool is out as pile is warmer, less bulky, and less expensive. Synthetic materials are used to make long underwear warm, even when wet. Helmets are the norm now. They are warm and don’t fly off like wool caps, and they provide skiers with a degree of safety. Old goggles, an essential piece of gear traditionally fogged up. This doesn’t happen any more, a relief to skiers on stormy days. The new boots are custom fitted with orthotics and made of hard plastic. These boots are more comfortable than those of old, and they unite a skier with his boots more efficiently than in past years.

A major change for all outdoor sportsmen was the invention by a chemist named Arnie Gore. He found a way to chemically coat clothing so that it breathed but prevented water from penetrating the garment. Gore-Tex or products like it now are embedded in parkas, gloves, and shells. In raging storms skiers can keep dry and warm with current gear. I remember hiking once in New Hampshire in the late Fall, when crossing a summit; we encountered a raging windstorm and dropping temperatures. I was warm and comfortable in my Gore-Tex suit, which covered layers of pile and micro-fleece.

Peter talked with the Hawaiians last night and found they went boarding in Japan last year. These guys are high energy! This afternoon is the martini challenge, and I hope Wendy is on her game.

The ski day turned out to be excellent once we found the trails that weren’t too windblown. It snowed on and off the entire day, and Pete and I skied our last run through a blizzard. There was no one else on the trail, and we had a terrific run.

Stories from the Road
September 24, 2016
Rome, Italy


On the way to Trastevere we passed a building on fire. In the states you would see a large crowd gathered, but the Italians kept moving. The smoke was intense, so that was probably part of it. In Trastevere we cruised churches, museums, and places for cappuccino. It was a good morning for seeing and being.

As I was walking I passed a priest having a morning glass of red wine. He was a large man-Orson Wells like-with a fedora and a big beard. I thought that if you gave him a steamy confession, he’d probably say, “That is a good program, my son.”

Later we had lunch near the Parthenon. Vicki had an insalada mista, and I had pasta vongole. Both dishes were excellent. Though it was hot out, we were cool in this outdoor restaurant. The Romans built their structures close together, so that there would be cool shade in the alleys between the buildings. This engineering strategy worked.

Last night we ate near the Spanish Steps. We had good pasta dishes before heading back to our hotel. We got lost on the way. Unfortunately the Roman officials apparently don’t understand the physiological needs of its tourists, as I haven’t seen any public rest rooms. Finally I saw a bike taxi man, and he pedaled us to the hotel. I told him we were lost, and he asked if it was our first time in Rome. I said we had been there many times, and he said,” You know the city well, huh?” Vicki and I both laughed, as we watched the way he skillfully moved in and around cars and people on the busy streets.

Today we fly south to Reggio Calabria for phase two. Have a good day.

Travel Safely

Paranoia probably doesn’t create a pleasant vacation atmosphere, but some degree of alertness makes sense, particularly when traveling in foreign countries. In third world countries one needs to be particularly careful. There are exceptions. We traveled in the wilds of northern Pakistan.  Usually crime was not a problem, since the strong Muslim influence kept crime at a low.  There were few prisoners in the regional prison, when we were there. On the other hand in Lima people chained their handbags and attaché cases to their chairs in restaurants and took off their watches when driving, since thieves often reached into cars and took valuables of the arms of drivers and passengers. In Europe I have been cheated a few times by cab drivers and tollbooth collectors, and once we had a cat burglar in our room at 4:00 AM. In Milan a group of gypsy women came at me, but I fended them off by swinging my backpack. Here are a few common sense tips. If you have others, send them to me, and I will circulate them.

1. Don’t wear expensive jewelry or carry Gucci bags, etc.
2. Try to blend in, though in certain countries it is impossible to do so.
3. Don’t park in isolated spots.
4. Don’t rent a high-end car. A friend had her rented Mercedes vandalized in Italy on the autostrada, when she and her husband stopped for a break.
5. Lock up or hide at least your valuables. The cat burglar got my wallet, though we were on the fourth floor. He walked along an 18-inch railing and went into 8 or 10 rooms.
6. Keep your eyes and ears open and listen to your intuition. If some place or situation doesn’t feel safe, leave it.
7. Keep copies of all your documents in your luggage.
8. Don’t carry large amounts of cash. When he was a child in New York, Rob Schannon’s mother use to give him mugger money. The muggers got the money in his pockets, but the real cash was in his shoes.
9. One advantage of staying at a sizeable hotel is that you can use the concierge service. You can learn where and where not to go.
10. Know the customs and legal systems of the country you are visiting. Amanda Knox was naïve, when she first went to Italy.  She acted with the police as if she were in Seattle. In Dubai a recent rape victim was sentenced to 18 months in prison, after she reported the crime to the police. It was only the intervention of government officials in Norway, her home country, and Dubai’s sensitivity to world opinion that resulted in the eradication of her sentence.

Tsunami

The view from Hotel Miyako is stunning. I am on the 11 TH floor, and LA is sprawling in front of me. Soon I will head out walking on an exploratory trip to parts unknown.

So what am I doing here anyway, when my golf courses, friends, and health club is 100 miles to the south?  We arrived yesterday in preparation for the showing last night of a documentary made by Austin Auger Jr. about the after effects of the tsunami in Japan 5 years ago.

Austin had traveled to Japan; shot film ad interviewed 6 survivors.  Their stories were sad but reflected the resiliency and courage of the Japanese people. Austin and his father, who helped with the project, wanted people everywhere to remember the tragedy of the tsunami, which took thousands of lives.

Following the film, two Japanese musicians, a pianist and a flutist, played a musical tribute to the memories of the victims. These were serious, talented musicians, who moved the audience though their playing and connection to their music.

The program ended with a live interview with a survivor of the tsunami. She was witty, intelligent woman, who captivated the audience with her wisdom and story telling.

As we walked back to our hotel in Little Tokyo, I remembered that years ago Austin talked bout being a history professor. As he spoke on stage about his film and his experience in Japan, I thought he was teaching history in a most meaningful way.

Brookline Stories

Stories from the Road
July 7, 2015
Brookline Village, Mass.


The hospital reminded me of the old communist structures in Slovakia. It sat high on a hill overlooking Boston with an enormous waiting room and wide corridors. In its heyday New England Baptist Hospital was the place to go for orthopedic surgery.  Now all the hospitals have orthopedic departments, and it’s hard for a specialization hospital to make a go of it economically. The doctors and staff there are still excellent, but the hospital has perhaps seen better days.

We went to this hospital last night to visit out friend Steve Valle, who had a knee replacement. In hospitals I am always struck by how friendly and professional the nursing staff is. Of course, how a patient treats the staff is a variable in their treatment of him or her. I saw a number of examples of bad patient behavior, when I was at Scripps. Demanding, rude, and entitled behavior is not good! The staff not surprisingly responds to positive, appreciative patients who put forth effort at getting better.

I had lunch today with a high school and college classmate, Brian Thompson. He was a French professor at The University of Massachusetts in Boston for 40 years. He married a French woman, and spends a month in France every year, whether at his apartment in Paris or at his wife’s family’s country house in Normandy.  Brian, who was bi-lingual in English and Finish at three years of age, never took a French course. He has a PhD from Harvard in comparative literature and learned French through his wife and time in France.   Many years ago Brian and his wife started a camp for economically disadvantaged youths from the Boston area. The camp has twelve co-ed adolescents at a time at its location in Vermont. During the school year volunteers provide tutoring services to campers. In recent years 100% of former campers have attended college.

Have a good evening.

A sample of one

A Sample of One


Most social scientists want numerous samples before they claim to have made a case. However some samples are so rare that they stand by themselves. For example on the Rorschach Inkblot Test there is a certain type of response that only occurs one in ten thousand times.  It almost always is indicative of a one type of problem.

Mr. Trump’s mocking of a disabled reporter is an example of behavior that is extremely rare in public life. Can you think of another example like it? Public figures may look down on the disabled, but in 2017 no one makes a public display of their contempt. Think about what that behavior says about Mr. Trump. Here are some ideas.

1. It is impulsive and reflects a lack of insight..
2. It shows his disdain for those he perceives as weaker than he.
3. It shows a lack of empathy.
4. It reveals a glaring prejudice.
5. It demonstrates a weakness in leadership.

Is this the kind of behavior that will make American great? I don’t think so.

Seattle Story

Stories from the Road
July 22, 2016
Olympia, WA

They say there is a lot of traffic in Seattle, and they are right. Luckily as we drove south, all the cars were coming north into the city. After a baguette with butter and jam in the bistro within our hotel, we checked out and got our car from the valet. The drive to Olympia was pleasant, and it is always refreshing to see all the spruce trees.

Lunch was at a restaurant above the Tumwater falls with Marle and Lucas. It is refreshing to hear the rushing sound of whitewater. After a short hike in the river park there, we cruised a couple of shops, before returning to Ken Lake.

Lucas works for a nearby fire department. It is very difficult to get hired by departments as the applicants far outnumber the number of open positions. There were 6000 applicants for positions with the Seattle Fire Department.



I am looking out over Ken Lake as I write this blog. There are kids swimming here and there but no ducks this afternoon. Apparently they move on once the ducklings can fly. They will be back in the coming months.

Lucas and his girlfriend Jaime will be coming to the Lake for dinner tonight. . Both are outdoor people and are comfortable camping and hiking in the backcountry for extended periods of time. They are competent people, with whom it is fun to talk. After a nice dinner on the patio overlooking the lake, we played bocce ball. Marle and I fell to Lucas and Maria 11-4. Tomorrow Marle and I play golf at Tumwater.

A thunder and lightening storm rolled in late last night. It reminded me of being a camper on Lake Winnipesaukee many years ago. We would watch the storm coming across the lake bringing sheets of rain which fell on us soon enough. There was always an excitement accompanying these storms, which often were accompanied by thunder and lightening.

A Good Martini

Martini

Use a high-grade gin like Tanqueray 10, Hendricks, or Bombay Safire

Put ice cubes in a shaker; add gin, and a touch of vermouth. Put it in the freezer next to chilled glasses. Make sure the ice in the shaker is the cube type. Chips melt too much and dilute the drink. When ready to serve, take out the shaker, shake, and pour into the chilled glasses. Add three olives on a toothpick. The Spanish olives need to be of high quality.

The key issues are:
1. The drink must be ice cold.
2. It can’t be diluted too much
3. There can’t be too much vermouth in it.

Montana Updates

Stories from the road
March 16, 2017
Whitefish, Montana
Del Mar, California

My computer stopped sending emails before we got to Whitefish. Here is the final update of our adventure. Even computer guru Michael Gold doesn’t know why!

We had a clear driving day for the five-hour journey from Big Sky to Whitefish, an outdoor community 50 miles south of the Canadian border. Dennis, Vicki, and I saw 4 or 5 deer on the road to the home of Carole and Roger Spragg, neighbors in Del Mar. One ran in front of our car and jumped a snow bank in dramatic fashion.

This morning Roger, Vicki, Dennis, and I drove to Big Mountain to ski. Dennis decided to read in the lodge, while the three of us headed up the main lift, after taking a practice run on shorter trails off lift 2.

At the summit we found several inches of new snow, which was heavy with moisture but fun nevertheless. Roger took us to a new part of the mountain that featured narrow, twisting trails that were a challenge. We all did pretty well and later met Dennis for lunch at the Base lodge.

After lunch we made a couple more runs. By then the tails were slick, and we decided to drive back to the Spraggs. Roger and Dennis had left earlier. The Spraggs live on 12 acres in a gated community. Wildlife is abundant. We have seen wolf tracks, and Roger’s outdoor camera captured a mountain lion on his deck a while ago. Deer roam in his backyard, and Vicki and I saw 4 black bears one summer on the road from the Spraggs to the main gate.

Probably twenty-five years ago Vicki and I skied at Big Mountain before we knew Roger and Carole. The town was just beginning to transition from a country town to a resort community. There were few restaurants and shops in the main part of town. Things are different now with lots of eateries and shops. Only thirty minutes from Glacier National Park, Whitefish is becoming an increasingly popular place to vacation and live.

Day 2 on the mountain brought fog and almost zero visibility. I went up alone, but came in after one run, as I could see nothing. On the way down the mountain I used the definition provided by the pine trees to guide me, but the going was slow. The next day, Dennis, Roger, and I found only ice. The skiing was treacherous, and we stopped early.

On our last night we ate at the Golf Course Restaurant, my favorite in Whitefish. My martini and prime rib were perfect, and the price was right. The next day I went to return my Jeep Cherokee to Enterprise, only to find there was no Enterprise office at the Kalispell Airport. With some scrambling I found out what to do with the car, and then we were off to San Diego, via Salt Lake City.

Snowmass Memories

Stories from the Road
January 20, 13
Snowmass, CO.

The sun has begun its journey from the east to bring light to the Snowmass Ski Area in beautiful Aspen, Colorado. We will be on the slopes in an hour and a half, when the lifts start running at 8:30.

Last night at the Artisan we had a wonderful dinner. Our Louisiana born waiter served me a Tanqueray martini, and glass of Malbec to go with my rib eye steak. Vicki had roast chicken, and we spilt a Caesar’s salad. Our desert was a piece of chocolate we keep in the refrigerator in our hotel room.

On the way to dinner at the Snowmass Inn pool a group of college students about 50 strong were frolicking in the pool and Jacuzzi. Coeds in skimpy bikinis were dashing from the pool, rolling in the snow, and then leaping back into the warm pools. I told Vicki that I thought it was time for me to take a swim, but she didn’t back me up on that one.

We rode up the lift yesterday with 30+ guy from Washington, D.C.  He was totally “out there” about expressing his ideas about skiing and travel. I silently disagreed about most things he said, but I found myself liking him, and I was sorry, when the lengthy lift ride ended, and we all skied off in separate directions.

The Patriots play today. My friends Steve Valle and Bonnie Alcott will be in Foxboro for the game. Steve typically goes to the Super Bowl, if the Pats win. He has been a diehard fan for years, and has a Sunday routine in place for each game. It is a fun ritual for him and his east coast friends.

Kevin O’Grady was a ski partner of Vicki and me years ago. He had a great attitude and would go down trails with tremendous energy and enthusiasm. Our ski club had a race every year in New Hampshire, but we had to put an end to it because people kept spraining and breaking legs. We were a competitive group. Kevin passed away a year ago after a long struggle with brain cancer. I wrote him this poem.

Time and Kevin

I heard you above the rushing waters of the Ammonusic,
I saw you through the mist of Lafayette,
I walked with you through the golden pastures of Twin,
I called you name on the rocky slopes of Madison.

You were there in Galway and Limerick too,
You followed the worn paths on the Aran Islands,
You swam in the blue of the Adriatic,
You ran through time in ancient Rome.

I saw deer in the meadow,
I longed to join the soaring hawk,
I ran toward the storm,
I embraced the falling snow.

Washington Tales

Stories from the Road
July 24, 2016
Olympia, WA.

Nisqually preserve is not far from downtown Olympia. It is the home of herons, ducks, falcons, eagles, and more. We walked through it today viewing wildlife-taking photos, and generally trying to be part of the ecology.

Later we toured the farmers market, where I had crab cakes for lunch. This is a fun weekend activity in Olympia. In addition to live music and numerous lunch opportunities from fish to Indian cuisine, there are stalls with fresh fruit and vegetables from local farms. If you like fresh blueberries, peaches, and grapes, you’ll like the market.

Tomorrow we play at Sallish Cliffs. This is a tribal course a sort distance from Olympia. Fairly new, the course has lush fairways, multiple tee boxes, and well-maintained greens. It is not unlike Maderas, another 5 star course in Poway. The track winds through pine forest with no houses in sight. I thought if I could package the early morning aroma of pine and crisp air, I would be a wealthy man!

Today Marle and I played an executive course a few miles from Marle and Maria’s house. A large deer at the first tee box greeted us. A few holes later Marle stepped to the elevated tee box, and a small fawn bounded away. We saw one more deer after that. Though I have seen thousands of deer in my lifetime, I never get tired of sightings.

The man, who worked at the golf course this morning had one arm and slurred his speech. He seemed somewhat slow in understanding how we were paying, but he eventually got it, and all in all he did a good job. It was good to see that he had a job, which he liked and had mastered.

Idaho

Stories from the Road
February 20, 2014
Sun Valley, Idaho

Ketchum, Idaho is a small town, but there is a lot of traffic here. Locals parade their SUVs up and down the street all day long it seems. Every block on Main Street is a four-way intersection. Half the intersections have traffic lights for pedestrians, but they are slow, necessitating a long wait, if you don’t hit the cycle correctly. The other half don’t have lights but feature stands with red flags on both sides of the road. The idea is to grab a flag, walk across the street, and stop traffic.  Then you leave your flag on the other side of the intersection. Very cool.

Last night we ate at an Italian restaurant that called itself “authentic”. That was a tip off I guess. Our salads were great, but Vicki’s eggplant dish was poor. We had a very nice waiter, and when he saw she didn’t eat much of her dish, he took it off the bill.  Every day someone does something like this here. It is a very friendly place.

The skiing was good this morning with excellent snow and lots of light. We skied hard all morning. Our new acquaintance from Brooklyn, Aaron, joined us. We all had a good time. Aaron has 4 kids, and when he said his girlfriend was flying out for a rendezvous, we all looked at him with raised eyebrows. He explained that he called his wife his girlfriend sometimes, and I complimented him on keeping excitement in his marriage.

London Stories

Stories from the Road
June 12, 2015
The West End of London

The Palace Theater rocked last night. Swaying and singing to the pulsating beat of “Mustang Sally”, the packed house was in unison with the multi talented cast of the “Commitments.”  The musical tells the story of a group of Irish working class youths, who start a rock band. They find some success, but they can’t get along, and eventually the band breaks up.

The story line was somewhat weak and superficial, but the music was terrific. The energy of the cast was high, and they gave 100% of themselves in the performance. It is fun to see a show in which you know the songs. I had seen the movie years ago and bought the CD.

Last night we ate in Chinatown, which isn’t far from our hotel. Our waitress was efficient but hostile. I could tell she didn’t want to bring us water, and we had to ask twice. We paid in paper pounds, and she said, “thank you”, but never brought the change. On the plus side the noodle dish I ordered was excellent, as was the beef and mushroom dish that Dennis ordered. Our spring rolls were also very good.

The West End of London was crowded and vibrant again last night. The warm air seemed to bring even more people into the streets. The pubs were filled and pints were flowing. I am looking forward to seeing what the area looks like on a weekend, since all this action is taking place during the “work” week.

The train to Oxford was crowded today. A misty rain cloud covered this old, renowned city. The hop on hop off bus gave us an overview of the different colleges that make up Central Oxford.  The buildings are very attractive, and one would need several days there to explore the area. We had a light lunch in Oxford in a tearoom. I had a bagel with salmon and cream cheese while Vicki had a scone with cream and jelly. Dennis had a club sandwich. All our food was excellent.

Our cabdriver to Paddington Station was an interesting man. He had an understanding of English and American politics and the different cultures. He pointed out that the current PM in England had lost a child and was compassionate about certain social programs. It was fun talking with him.

Tonight we are going to the show, “Let it Be”, featuring songs of the Beatles. Have a good evening.

Snowmass Stories

Stories from the Road
February 1, 2017
Snowmass, CO.

At breakfast the tall man with the melodious voice told me hew as an artist from Santa Fe. He was an interesting guy, and we talked photography for a while before his wife sat down. She had dropped out of high school after the tenth grade and come to Aspen to ski bum. Later she went to the University of Chicago, graduated and then went on to get a PHD in animal physiology. I felt like I had walked into a David Lean movie.

At the Mountain Chalet the Peg Vernon Syndrome seems to be in operation. Peg, a retired psychologist from San Diego, is a natural therapist. Whenever I see her, I want to tell her everything. Here people are feeling good about things and share a lot in a short time. It makes meeting people fun.

Today we skied hard all morning. The snow was good, and the sun was out, and we ran a couple of runs on upper and lower slot, where we saw the dog sleds. Later we ran a number of runs on the Burn, before skiing to lunch. I accused Vicki of taking a couple of ski lessons behind my back, when I took two days off to heal my leg.

We rode up with a man whose stepson, a physician’s assistant was embedded with the Navy Seals in Iraq. Another man was a retired head and neck surgeon, who had skied Tuckerman’s Ravine in New Hampshire three times. I skied there around 1970 or rather rolled down the ravine, when I fell at the top of the run coming over the headwall.

Last night Vicki and I had a drink at the Westin, before ordering take out submarine sandwiches and going back to our room. Later I watched a couple of episodes of a show about Maine Game Wardens before turning in.

Ski Tips

Ski Tips

1. Ski the sides of a trail for the best snow.
2. Ski early. The best skiing is between 8:30 and 10:00 AM.
3. Keep you edges sharp.
4. Helmets, yes.
5. Be aware of young, fast skiers. They can be dangerous.
6. Never stop in the middle of a trail. Go to the sides.
7. Try to ski with a buddy.
8. Watch out for ski club groups. They pump each other up.
9. Don’t drink and ski.


1. Boarders like to flop down all over the place. Be alert.
2. Don’t get overtired.
3. Skiing is an athletic event. Be in shape.
4. Get good sleep.
5. Stay away from terrain parks, unless you are skilled.
6. Slow down on ice.
7. Report out of control skiers.
8. Stay on marked trails.

Fairbanks in the Rain

A mist filled cloud hung over Del Mar this morning as I eased my Subaru out of the garage and headed for Fairbanks Ranch Country Club. My tee time was 7:10, but no one was around, so I drove off the first tee on the ocean Couse at 7:00 AM. It was good to be back on the course, and the mist and light rain gave the fairways an eerie feeling. It was like paying in Ireland or Scotland.

I kept looking to see other players, but I saw none. Later head of golf Dan Russell told me that I had been the only player on the course. Can you imagine having a whole course to yourself? It’s like skiing in Aspen and being the only downhiller on the Big Burn.

It was raining heavier by hole 9, and the combination of the weather and travel weariness guided me to the dining room for coffee and eventually to my car. It was an enjoyable morning.

Glacier

The air was cold yesterday, and we realized the slopes in the morning would be a sheet of ice. Roger drove us to Glacier, where we cruised a gift shop with the work of a fabulous Japanese photographer after we took pictures of an ice covered lake. We had lunch at one of the restaurants that was open year round and had a great waitress from Russia, who was leaving to hike in South America the next day.

Big Mountain

The air was cold today at Big Mountain, Montana. Roger, Dennis, and I went up on Lift 2,when it opened. The slick run was a foreshadowing of what was to come. The backside was icy with little snow on which to turn. After coffee we decided to head down Tony Mac. It would have been a fine run, if you hadn’t wanted to make turns. We slid most of the way down and wisely packed it in for the day. On the way home we ran into Martin and Eleanor Hale, friends of the Spraggs. Martin is a “rock star” in the area as is Eleanor, who was an Olympic skier years ago. Martin ran the ski school at Big Mountain in addition to coaching many well-known skiers.

Montana Diary

Stories from the road
March 14, 2017
Big Sky, Montana

Vicki, Dennis, Janet, and Franck

Though the light was poor most of yesterday, the snow was decent, and we all skied a lot of runs. Eventually Dennis and Janet spit to make some runs, while Franck took the tramway ups to the top of the mountain. Vicki and I ran some steep trails before skiing in for the day. Lunch for all was at Jack’s, where Vicki and I had chicken soup.

Big Sky

At dinner last night Franck, who lived his first years in Europe explained his business philosophy at the company he owns in Massachusetts. It was interesting to hear him outline the progressive philosophy he has developed. His employees have 100 % dental and medical coverage for them and their families. The company engages in profit sharing with 50% going to employees. All company books are open to the employees. Franck pointed out that his business philosophy was more like that of Northern European companies than those in the United States.

Tomorrow we’ll bus to Bozeman, pick up a rental car, and then drive for 5 hours to Whitefish, Montana, where our neighbors Roger and Carole Spragg live. Dennis, and Vicki, and I will stay with the Spraggs and ski at Big Mountain for several days before going to Boston and San Diego respectively.

It is raining at our lodge right now, though it will be ok higher up.  We will figure out what to ski, once we get up on the mountain and see what the conditions are.  Tonight we’ll eat at the local Italian restaurant, which is very good.

Montana Diary

Stories from the Road
March 12, 2017
Big Sky, Montana

Big Sky

The day was cold as we made our way across the ski area to Moonlight Basin, a vast ski area annexed by Big Sky a few years ago. Janet and Franck wanted to see all of the area, so we made the traverse. The snow was better there than at Big Sky, and we had some terrific runs. Janet continued to make great progress and enjoyed the trails.

Vicki, Dennis, janet, and Franck

At one point I took a side trail, which turned out to be a narrow, icy run. Everyone met the challenge and did well. We stopped for delicious burgers at Moonlight Lodge, before making a last run.  Then we headed back on the catwalk towards Big Sky. One part was very icy with pumped up, speeding skiers. Dennis labeled the section, “Suicide Alley.”

A few years ago we stayed in a cabin on the slopes at Moonlite. I skied by it today with fond memories. It was set back about 5 feet from the slope, which was always groomed. In the mornings we would ski down to the lift and head back up to Moonlight or ski over to Big Sky. At night we would cook dinner on our outdoor gas grill. It was a rustic home.

Buck'sT-4

Last night we went back to Buck’sT-4. Dennis had the pheasant and rabbit pot pie, which was excellent.  Janet’s pheasant quesadilla was very good as was Vicki’s short ribs. I had a steak and Franck the game quesadilla. My friend Nancy Leonard from Michigan had told me to listen to the ski workers because they knew a lot of good information. She was right.

Our driver was a retired man who worked part time for the ski patrol. One vignette stood out. A youth with a golf parker jumped off a lift as a stunt. The ski patrol found him and took his lift ticket, as not only could he have been hurt, but also he could have dislodged the chair lift.

He also gave us information of the 5 star Yellowstone Club, which adjoins Big Sky. People like Bill Gates own homes at the private club, which features a ski area and golf course. On the way home we saw a herd of elk near the road. That was a treat.

I see where Trump fired “the sheriff of Wall Street.” It reminds me of Nixon’s political firing of Archibald Cox and Elliot Richardson. That didn’t work out so well for Mr. Nixon.