This past week, I was not thinking about skiing. At all. I was too busy trying to keep my head on straight at work prior to a much needed vacation. We were flying to the Caribbean on Sunday and I still needed to pack. Skiing on Saturday wasn’t even on my mind.

I saw the snow making and opening day posts. And I shrugged. October skiing is great. But a few hundred feet of man made frozen sludge wasn’t inspiring. Why add stress to an already busy day? What was the rush for first turns? No big deal.

No big deal, my ass. What the heck was I thinking? Have I really lost my edge by that much? Has it really come to this? Flying someplace tropical occupied my mind more than making October turns? Of course I was going skiing at the earliest possible opportunity!

And that is how this season is probably going to be: much like last season, a constant grind against ennui. Hopefully today is a sign of future success against the listlessness that has defined my life for the past two years. An inspirational smattering of color on a bleak canvas.

October turns used to be an expectation. Every other year seemed to bring a big October storm and manmade filled in the gap years. Some of my most memorable powder days were in October. But it has been years since I skied in October. It is no longer an expectation.

But October turns aren’t something to be treasured, either. They happen when they happen. One day changes to the next and suddenly there is snow on the ground where there had been none before, it is time to ski. I used to get anxious and excited before the season began. Now I am nonchalant.

(more…)