east village idiot

Killington was among the first ski resorts to open in New England, so I figured, eh, the novelty of October skiing is worth the 2-hour trip behind some hippie who smoked himself retarded going 30 mph all the way down route 7 (this, I remember now, is why I never go to Killington). Coming out of Rutland, I start to get nervous about just how crappy conditions are going to be.

12 miles from Killington: well, there’s snow on the mountaintop. But there is NOTHING on the ground.

6 miles from Killington: okay, I’ve climbed a good 1,000 feet in elevation, and there is still pretty much nothing on the ground.

4 miles from Killington: this looks a little more promising. Now let’s climb the road into Killington and see what awaits us…

SNOW! SNOW! And tons of it. And even more near the summit… enough for even some glades to be open.

Bottom line: I skiied through crud all day. But I did it at Killington, I did it for $39, and I did it in October.

Of course, coming down nearly-bare trails and hearing a deafening scraping noise below me was definitely entertaining… there are several inch-wide crevasses now in my old Dynastars, but this was their going-away party. I figure, I might as well ski them for the last time on a memorable day… and wreck them in the process. New skis are coming, and at least now I have almost a month to make a decision and get them ready to go, since I’ll be in Florida when everything reopens again.

Also, today was a good way to discover I am not even CLOSE to being ready for the season. Every run was excrutiatingly painful because my legs are so out of shape. I have a feeling I’ll be joining a gym this week.

Near-blizzard conditions.

Tonight
Rain changing to snow this evening. Snow accumulation 2 to 5 inches. Breezy with lows in the lower 30s. North winds 15 to 25 mph.

Pictures tomorrow morning, provided they don’t blow it.

Up in the mountains? Even better news.

The National Weather Service in Burlington has issued a Winter Storm Warning… which is in effect until 12 PM EDT Wednesday.

Any rain mixed with snow across the lower elevations will quickly turn to all snow this evening. The snow will be heavy at times through the night. Total snowfall accumulations of 6 to 12 inches will be possible with locally higher amounts.

Ski season needs to start NOW. I’m getting antsy.

I broke out the ice scraper this morning. Here comes winter.

It snowed in Vermont last night. Yes, it’s a stretch, but I highlighted the snow-capped peak of Mount Mansfield, taken this afternoon.

I’m buying my season pass to Sugarbush next week. This miserable in-between period is almost over.

I couldn’t resist taking this picture… right in front of my office, no less. For anyone who didn’t think Vermont was pretty much a hick state before, here’s your proof.

In other news, Halloween is just around the corner. I have no idea what to be yet, but here’s a great suggestion from Lauren:

lvberrigan: Looking for a great Halloween costume?
lvberrigan: Bring your mom’s friend and go as Ashton Kutcher.

Holy crap! A hole in the clouds! This is the closest thing we’ve had to a sunny day in 12 days. California, eat your heart out.

It’s gonna be a rough day at work. I’ve been sipping 7-Up to calm my stomach. Something led me to drink last night, for the first time in almost a week.

Maybe it was the 99 cent drafts at Molson Mayhem.

Maybe it was Crosby’s victory in the frozen t-shirt contest.

Maybe it was the porno DVD that Rob got to take home to his girlfriend.

Maybe it was the run-in with two kids from my high school.

Maybe it was the MONSTER JAM TICKETS I WON!!! SAMEDI! SAMEDI! SAMEDI! STADE OLYMPIQUE!

And to think, it will be repeated again tonight. Happy Hour at 5. Without the Red Sox losing. Without a movie to rush to. But plenty of free wings and beer.

Today, Rob’s Handicapped Parking Permit expires. Oh, the memories. The sweet spot rigt in front of the the Flynn and Kountry Kart. The spot closer to City Hall than the Mayor’s official spot. The spot at the marina that was only a few steps from the docks. The spot right out in front of Higher Ground. Handicapped Parking Permit, we will always remember you for making us the laziest sons of bitches in Burlington.

Seven painful miles and 2300′ of elevation later, Camel’s Hump, in all its glory. For another picture of Camel’s Hump, feel free to refer to the back of the Vermont state quarter.

Note me cleverly blocking Mt. Mansfield, the higher peak in the background. Also note the attire. It was a balmy 42 degrees at the summit this morning… WITHOUT the wind chill. The guy without a shirt may suggest otherwise, but it was freakin cold. Also, I apparently only have one hand.

Definitely worth the view. You could even see Mt. Washington off in the distance.

I had an encounter with a trailblazer today. Someone was actually painting the markings on the rocks on the Long Trail. From what she told me, it’s an involved process: the crevices in the rock make it really tough to paint, and it can take up to half an hour just to repaint one marking. And if you spill your paint, you’ve got a LONG hike back to get a new can.