The Ninthlobby - Friends and Dreams: Last Ski Trip for January

So among all my money issues and court problems lately I still decided to go skiing. I went to Bear Valley with Jory (My sis's man) when he asked me spontaneously last week while I was on the BART ( I thought he was someone else for a while. You can not hear shit on the BART).

This is like my 3rd or 4th time skiing now and I think I am really getting the hang of it. Last time I went with Jory I went through Hell nearly crippling my ski's halfway down a mountain, but this time, well Fuck. Pictures are better than words.

Just take a look:

Arrival

We Just Arrived at Bear Valley after spending a night at the family cabin which is haunted with Bears (I'll get to that).

Unloading

Jory at the bottom right getting his snowboard boots on with his other two friends that came with us (Their names escape me at the moment). I was the only skier in the group.

The First Lift

Up the first Ski Lift. The place is fair in size and this particular day the crowd was light luckily.

In the second picture I Gave Jory his Myspace pic of the day as we slowly took the long lift up to the top.

Trouble Down Below

Skipping ahead an hour or two my group decides to go down a tricky trail. I had been down this very same trail before a year ago with Jory and my sister. I ended up rolling and doing 360's like I was on death row. This year It was a bit worse. We decided to go down the right this time and it was a bit bumpy. I saw a skier just jump off the cliff with ease and ride down the half pipe. I followed in pursuit. The second I went down I rolled and nearly lost myself as I took my poles stabbing at anything to slow down.

Once we reached the half pipe I cheered up and enjoyed the speed. Yet we were not done yet. Next I saw Jory take a right off trail that went up a powdered hill. Easy right?

I followed and very quickly my ski's went under the fresh powder and I crashed into a small hill of snow. I lost one ski (Thank God for the Rental insurance) and was delaying the group. I ended up digging around for the ski for about half an hour. It sucked as I had a major panic attack.

Finally I found it by back tracking and then climbed up the powdery hill to Jory to only go down another hill to the finish (I rolled some more). I thought I was going to die and I was dead tired from walking up the hill. But not from the crash or even the way down the hill. It was climbing back up the hill in ski boots that did me in. Just my luck.

Again

After a much deserved lunch break we went back up, but this time onto the the other side of Bear Valley more near the entrance.

The End

Now near the end of the day we ended up staying at this new trail. Skiing down the same hill was nice practice and it had a fun off road spot every few turns. The pictures below are us at the top of this trail. It is an epic view and made me wish we could stay longer. At least I got a semi group picture in (We never asked anyone to take it for us).

Bonus: The Haunted Cabin

Back at the cabin we relaxed for the night and left the next morning. I had fun, but was dead tired. I ended up sleeping in my ski gear on the count of me picking the coldest room in the house. During the early morning before we left I ended up taking pictures all over the God dam place. I noticed the symbolic Bear theme all over the house and the endless trees locking us into a slow death if a serial killer decied to show up. I was slowly getting Cabin fever, but to slow for anyone to notice. I swear I saw a clown before we left. You know like a bad omen or something.