Skiing

I can't think of anything I would rather do than ski. I started skiing seriously after a trip to Purgatory with my friend John Lowe in 1998. He's a true expert and while I was skiing with him I decided that I would really learn how to ski. I then purchased the first skis of my own in many, many years and started skiing with Dale, a friend from work and a good skier. On my first day with him he gave me some good advice as we were standing on the lip of a double black chute called "Devil's Crotch" at Breckenridge. He said "After this, everything else will look flat!" He was right, and I still think about that every time I ski. Now Teri and I ski most winter weekends and usually take a few special trips to find great conditions around the west. We've even skied in Chile during the early fall (Chile's Spring). Ironically, we have difficulty finding people who can ski well enough to hang with us, and I really never see people our age skiing the steeps, crud, and deep powder that we love.

We really enjoy our little hill in Los Alamos (Pajarito Mountain), and some other small places such as Monarch and Wolf Creek in Colorado. Utah is great, but we think Steamboat Springs is hard to beat. Tahoe is fun, but usually the crowds and prices are a bit much.

I've become something of a ski gear-head. Unfortunately this has led to a need for better and newer equipment, and that means $$$. Oh well, I guess there are more decadent hobbies.

Keeping in Shape

I always feel better when I'm in decent physical condition and last year my wife Teri and I trained for and ran the Las Vegas Marathon. Unfortunately, my mother died not long before the marathon date and her funeral was held the day before the race. We rushed off to Vegas, but I think we would have done a little better without the stress of a crazy weekend. Anyway, during marathon training last fall, I started to workout in the pool as a sort of cross-training idea. Now my swimming is becoming a focus and I'm starting to feel like my old self (only a lot older and slower) in the water. We're also training for the Valle Caldera Marathon on June 13th, so the running is now a major element of our day. I do some strength work too, so I think I can say that my fitness level is pretty high right now. I'm trying to drop some weight to make the running easier, but it will be muscle that I'll lose - not much fat left. After this marathon, I think I'll shift my focus on the swimming and just run on the mountain trails around here as an enjoyable cross-training activity. Teri wants to run the St. George Marathon in October, and she put our names in the lottery for that race. If my name is picked I think I'll have to really psyche myself up for the training. It's difficult to work, do the church jobs, keep up with family, and be really serious about training and working out - but it helps with my mental state.