Today is the first day of the rest of your life.

I'm going to make mine adventure-ful. -some. -istic. At any rate, the point is, its my life, and I'm going to have a blast. Today I made the best of an interesting trail situation and dipped off into the woods for some fresh powder. Dog and I found a beautiful beech/birch glade with nice powder, and the trees were the only witness to my latest attempt at tele turns. (Well, Dog was witness too, but he was paying more attention to sticks.) I'm going to finish out the day thinking about all the winter hikes and skis I want to get in before Spring, and then all the summer fun I want to have after the mud dries up.

This strange rock we're on, hurling through space at unimaginable speeds, just keeps spinning around itself making things forever dynamic for us. And like a stream over rocks I'm going to just flow with it, and will keep finding adventure along the way - even when you have to look a little harder.

Happy trails ~

Late night skin up Wilderness.

Meeting up just in time with friends to skin up Wilderness what a beautiful night it was.

FINALLY: Some new snow!

Oh, what a difference some new snow makes! It really lifts the spirits. As I skied through perfect shushing powder, I smiled. It was a beautiful night; you didn't need the headlamp because the moon was so bright, the stars were out but blotted by passing fluffy clouds, and the wind swirled overhead. It was just perfect. And, we got Lauren out on the skis for her first time!

Enter the couching lion.

Feb 7'th is the Camels Hump Challenge wich takes place in some of Vermonts most beautiful forests located in and around Camels hump. One of the only four thousand foot peaks that has no ski resort or facility atop or around its summit, it truly is BC skiing at its finest. I have to agree this is one of my favorite places to hike or ski after work and watch the sunset and moon rise in the Green mountains. Wicked excited to take part in this event as I wanted to last year. Bring the snow, god knows we need it!

Today's sound track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cGoDns8wTA

In the Kingdom

With warm temps, rain and snow dumping everywhere but here one can simply not help thinking about riding. Last season was a wet one especially for mountain riders. Thinking back however to all those great rides with good friends puts things in perspective. Yes it was wet, yes we complained alittle and looked forward to the winter season wich is oupon us. We love where we live and well, we live where we are because well....its Vermont. Sure vermont is cloudy, cold, muddy and challenging at times but it's also beautiful, sunnyand deep, yes we do have "some" powder days and we love it. So heres to all of you that have deep snow, bluebird skies, powder days and big lines.

I'm Tristan von Duntz I'll be happy to listen and hear about steep lines and snow as it absolutley burries you up to your waist, as fresh powder hits you in the face. I can only listen as I'm busy taking what I can get here; in Vermont. Till next time ride well and take care of yourselves and remember its not necessarily where you are but what your doing there and if its not fun give it some time or try something else.

Moonlight in Vermont.

Acouple of turns in Hubbard park after work, I wont say it.....

Heres to you cowboy Dan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgbNymZ7vqY

I think this just about says it all; here's to you Cowboy Dan.

Waxed skis..Mmmmmmmm....

Wax on, wax off!

Why are we skinning up bumps?

It was a night that included a few misadventures, like a wrong turn and an attempt to skin up a steep bump trail. Visibility was about 5 feet. And we did not have a map. It took us three hours to get up the mountain! And we forgot spoons to eat our dinner with...at 11:30pm. But I could not think of a better reason to be sore and late for work! Great times. Thanks Tristan, for being an awesome partner in adventures. (And Odin.) I love you guys.

True happiness is

So I was thinking what exactly makes people happy? Is it all the same for everyone? Is there one single thing wer'e all looking for and when we finally find it, does it just make sense and we become complacent? Or is it completley personal and unique to everysingle person? I think to many times we doubt how and what we feel true happiness is. Is life really working to much?, suffer, get a college degree, suffer more, figure out how to make a lot of money? start a family? I'll be honest, I never ever thought of these things at a younger age. I guess you could say I was pretty naive? I hated school struggled my way through it and never really bought into what everyone else around me felt wich was get ready to grow up its gonna hurt! Yes I did go to a private college on a scholarship and yes I pissed it down the drain about six months later. But by then I was simply lost and tired of listening and following what everyone around me told me I " should" be doing with my life and blindly agreeing. All the while having no clue as what I really wanted to do. So where am I today? We'll alot has happened since I awkwardly graduated high school and dropped out of college. I would be the first to admit that life is trial and error. One cannot simply bat a thousand and be lead along through thier life. It took me awhile to figure out who I really was, and where I wanted to be. Who I wanted to share it with and how I felt life should really be lived. I now find myself with one extrodinary woman, a dog who has always know how to live life from the very beggining and a place here in the Green mountains that I share with a group of amazing people who I think share the same feelings about life I do. I know I love the mountains, people, good food, that life is not about how much money you make but how you earn it. If I look at my life right now I am by far the richest person I know. I live in the best little east coast ski town where I can boot my way up to Hubbard park and make turns after work. I ski everyday, ride my bike, walk to work, conspire at work with amazing people, sew christmas stockings; who knew? I know I like to walk long distances not knowing excactly where I'll end up. I happened to meet an amazing group of people along the way that I consider family and in one way or another I think about quite often and we all stay in touch. Point is life will never just tell you who you are but it sure will help you figure out who you can be as long you find yourself doing the driving, or in my case walking, skiing or riding. So heres to us, may we all have the confidence and courage to follow our feelings and aspirations. Sure life is tough but deep down we all know it should be full of happiness and love as well. I hope you all may find or have found that happiness. I know I have.

Tristan

The moment.

Sorry Kip had to steal this photo, its just to damn good.

Friends dont let friends ski alone on a powder day.

What a monday it turned out to be! 5 inches of fresh powder at the tips of our skis. I didn't realize it until I woke up but it being a holiday weekend there was definetley some Joey cholesterol on the mountain. All in all though it was an awesome half day of skiing with Katherine; heres to us!

Epic skibike session.

Skijouring? Wicked..

Out for a usual after work ski when I noticed walking Odin on leash he can really pull me! This idea or concept known affectionaltly as skijouring sounded fun and led to this short but punctuated video, just watch the light; enough said.

On the subject of snowfall...

While looking for a Calvin and Hobbes cartoon referenced in the previous post I found this that sums up how I feel about snowfall right now and religion in general. Click to see full cartoon.

Back to basics...

Did some sledding on a college buddy's farm in the North East Kingdom this Saturday and followed it up with the aforementioned BC ski. Aside from our beers freezing as we drank them and the viciously cold temperatures, it was a blast with an amazing view. And something that I haven't done in some time, at least not since I strapped on my first pair of Karhus a couple years ago...

I was reminded of a Calvin and Hobbes cartoon as I rode the toboggan through two feet of fluffy powder. The thing appears to be designed with the goal of sending the top foot of fluffy coldness right into your face all the way down. I'll see if I can find Calvin's description. Until then, enjoy the view.

Good friends, skiing, mountains, PBR; what a time.