2010-2011 Season, Earned Turns, Killington, October, Powder Day

Never Cut Your Loses: Killington

Steve on Royal Flush

The thought had been nagging me for the past few weeks: I was decidedly not ready for the season to start from a gear perspective. Nothing had been pulled out of the closet. An inventory had not yet been taken. New jackets still retained their store tags. My recently mounted new Dynafits had not been inspected for DIN setting accuracy nor tested so I could learn the features. Ready or not, the season starts now. Ready? Set. GO!

Killington or Mansfield? Reports had confirmed a foot of snow near the summit of Killington but I repeated my mantra not to bet against Mansfield. Besides, I hate the drive from Ashland to Killington even though it is twenty minutes shorter than Ashland to Stowe.

While I should usually not bet against Mansfield, I should also know by now that one in the hand is better than two in the bush. That you never get greedy when you know of a sure thing. You keep hammering the known quantity as long as it remains good because you might get skunked when you go in search of something better.

Sheets of rain blowing sideways greeted me at the Mansfield Gondola. The snow barely started near the base of the slopes and was very thin and spotty for a few hundred feet. The Front Four did not look in play from the parking lot. I suspected skiing was likely good up high but I resolved that I was not skinning in a drenching rain.

Rather than wait for the rain to stop, I opted to drive to Killington where I suspected they had top to bottom skiing, more snow, and no rain. I guess I never learn… But this was rather defaulting back to the known quantity when the greed did not pan out. Sure enough, I made the wrong decision when I left home but made the right decision in revising plans.

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Hiking

Mount Percival

Steve & Ari on Mount Percival

Without a doubt, fall is the best season for hiking (excepting hiking for turns, of course). And with that in mind, I am done with road biking for the year. Cycling really helped rehab my knee from this past winter’s use injury. But cycling does not help build strong hiking legs and my knee is not yet ready for high impact hiking. And neither is Ari since she has not been hiking this year either. So I decided Mount Percival would be an excellent short hike that is close to home with good views.

Leaf peepers are out in full force this weekend as evidenced by a completely full lot when I arrived at the parking area for Mount Percival. Two cars soon left and I was able to park and begin the hike. We passed many people on my ascent and opted to enjoy the summit views from a ledge slightly below the actual summit and the crowds.

I considered adding Mount Morgan for the standard loop but decided to stick with the plan for the sake of my legs and the pup. Descending had my quads burning with that “good pain” kind of feeling. Soon we were back where we started and heading for home. I am pleased to report that I successfully killed the puppy and she has not made a peep all night.

Squam Lake from Mount Percival

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Country Store Series

Pizza, Craft Beer, & the Country Store Series

Gramps Country Store

I used to be a skiing cheapskate. Water and brown bagging was my modus operandi for sustenance. Then something changed. As my income increased, I began splurging. These occasional rash excesses led to more frequent indulgences which became bad habits.

For whatever physiological reason, driving home after a physically demanding day has always been difficult. The eyes flutter, the chin drops ever so slightly, and then you snap erect. If only for a moment to regain your bearings before this most dreadful process begins again. How many head poppers can you sustain before you take action? My resolution has been stopping at Country Stores and buying a slice of pizza.

Much of my driving is directionally east-west. Which is to say, I drive back roads more often than highway by a significant majority. So instead of fast food stops off interstate exits, I pass by a Country Store in almost every town I drive through. I have come to have my personal favorites, my regular stops.

So I bring you this series in which I write reviews of various Country Stores in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Each series entry will include details such as a photo, location, and reviews including pizza slice availability, variety, quality, and price, service, accessibility, and craft beer selection.

Pictured above is Gramps Country Store in West Topsham, Vermont (formerly the West Topsham Country Store) on Route 25, my favorite halfway point between my house and the Mad River Valley. Just one of the many Country Stores that do a great service in reducing head poppers, keeping me awake, and providing tasty indulgences.

Philosophy

Choices

Recent posts on TheSnowWay.com have been developing a motif. That our limited existence is best utilized in an active rather than a passive role. Far too many people passively wish away their lives. Vicariously living through someone else’s reality via their television screens. There is always an excuse defensively proposed as a reason.

It does not matter what we go after as long as something ignites our passion. Everyday we are given the option of choosing how we want to self define. It can be an active or passive process. Our first choice (and some people’s only choice) is that decision: active or passive. Sometimes chosen by lack of having chosen, a choice all the same.

Sounds strange coming from someone that has accepted Determinism as fact and whose life is guided by Haphazard Circumstance. Haphazard Circumstance merely fills in the details. The path is set by intention. And determined or not, I still choose regardless of whether that choice is determined or not. Perhaps I am determined not to idly imagine a life that could have been had I only tried.

Actively choosing to choose is the most important thing we can do in our lives. We choose when to ski and when not to (and often when not to by default, by not choosing to choose). We choose where to ski. Whether we will sacrifice to ski and how much (or not at all, actively or passively). Whether to relocate due to skiing or not. There is no right choice, but active choosing is always right and should always be followed with no regrets.