If ever there was a post for the record books rather than for reporting, this is it.

En route to Mad River Glen for the annual Shareholders meeting, I stopped at Sugarbush for an hour and a half of skiing on Stein’s Run. Grooming machines had worked over Stein’s which was edge to edge. However, rocks and ice were lurking on the trail edges.

I banged out a half dozen runs starting skier’s left for a short bump line and then moving skier’s right for pushed around mush, irregular bumps, and thin cover. Snow conditions were soft enough that some turns resulted in a sliding ski pushing snow further down the hill, sometimes further exposing additional coverage issues.

The most important thing about today was simply being out of the house and on the hill. The skiing was almost beside the point despite being enjoyable. Riding the Valley House chair in solitude, I could feel the stress sloughing off my shoulders; falling onto The Mall’s bare ground. This makes it all worth it?

This makes it all worth it.

Three weeks ago, I road biked five times in six days during the melt down. A melt down that was followed by cool weather, firm snow, and un-spring like conditions. Snow flakes were in the air both days this weekend. Too warm to snow hard and preserve (or expand) the snow pack yet too cold for spring outdoor activities (by my standards, at least).

I am all set with winter at this point. Here is hoping for a return to spring this coming weekend. Skiing or road biking, either way.