So I took the girl to the ballet yesterday. On the way home, I told her that it is a real treat for me to take her to the ballet because I used to go with my mom when I was a boy. In a very dramatic voice she asked me, "you liked the ballet when you were a boy!?!" I answered, "yes, but don't tell anyone because I don't want it to wreck my street cred." Without missing a beat, she said, "you're a dad, you don't have any street cred." Ouch. Definitely worth the hit to my otherwise rugged image. More snow means more skiing. Note: skiing not avalanche attracting. Anyway, hope you are well and see you out there rolling when the snow stops flying.

Johnny GoFast

Seriously big skiing up here the past three days! So yesterday we skied Alpine Meadows and it was incredible. Possibly the best in bounds skiing I've ever had. So I was JSA (just skiing along) and the section of snow I was on ripped. The slab wasn't all that big but it definitely would be classified as an avalanche. I was able to get my ski's down underneath the slab and angle my way to my right and
towards a clump of trees. As my progress slowed, I got pinned next to a large tree. It actually gave me comfort because I knew my brother could use the tree as a reference point. He was standing just above the section of snow that tore loose. As I hunkered down next to the tree, I could feel the weight of the slide coming down on me. I was faced down the fall line and I had no idea how much was coming at me. I remember being very calm and thinking this is the real deal. And the snow kept coming. It filled up around me and kept pounding me in the back as it kept rising. I was fortunate in that my hands were free and I could clear a little space in front of my face. The snow at this point started to cascade over my head. And then as furiously as it was coming, it suddenly stopped. Only my head was out of the snow. I was able to turn my head about and I assured my brother that I was okay and started to work my way out of the massive amount of snow that had piled up about me. I was also able to see the section of snow that I had torn loose. It was probably 50 feet long and may be as wide. Small by any standard, but a perfect rip that was maybe 36" deep. As I started to get loose, my brother tried to work his way right, and then the slab that he was standing on, no longer anchored by the section I had torn loose, let go. He immediately went under and his slide started coming towards me. I figured I was safe, but had to look up the hill to try and
identify where he was. His section hit me and started moving me down the hill. It was a short lived event and when it stopped, my brother poked his head up out of the snow letting me know he was okay. We then dug ourselves out and made it down the hill with no other issues. It was the last run before lunch, and when I hit the lodge, I was shaking. So I went to the bar and ordered a beer. The bartender brought me a beer, and in the time it took him to process my credit card, the beer was finished and I immediately ordered another. It calmed me down a bit, but the slide still has me a bit spooked. Not enough to keep me from going out tonight and snowshoeing up to a peak near out cabin and skiing down under a clear sky and close to a full moon kicking off a brilliant light. I suppose I'll credit the near miss to lady luck. Still feeling a bit fortunate that the whole slide thing didn't do me in. Anyway, hope you are well and avoid avalanches. Seems like a no brainer, but thought I'd impart my new found wisdom on you.

Johnny GoFast

So back before the bike, I was a fair regular down at the gym. I liked to lift weights, work a little cardio, play a little basketball, and flash a little leg to the perverts with the hidden cameras in the bathroom/shower. Hell, I reconnected with a buddy of mine who is slowly becoming my biggest reader these days, while working out at the gym in downtown Minneapolis. I never thought there'd be a day where lifting weights wasn't part of my daily routine. But years later, it's fallen down the list of things that occupy my time. But when I'm healthy, I like to incorporate it into my base training and yesterday saw me in the gym for my first weight workout in a couple of years. Had I been blogging last year, you would know that lifting has been out due to the fact that I fell skiing (in the lift line no less) and dislocated my shoulder. Which only now is starting to feel 100%.

Anyway, I was throwing around some serious weight yesterday. So much so, that my brother came over and asked me if I needed a spot. He was kidding because at the time, I was putting up 95 pounds. My pride said I didn't need any help, but inside I actually mulled the question over for a second and concluded that it would probably be a good idea. But he was gone confirming that he was really just busting my chops. Happy to report that there was no incident other than some chuckles from some burly looking men and even some of the women. If you're going to kick sand in my face, best do it now, because in a couple of months, I'll be throwing up at least 105 pounds on the bench press and that ain't just smack talk. Anyway, hope you are well.

Johnny GoFast

So I have that bumper sticker plastered on my garage wall and it always gives me a chuckle. I grew up a skier and my kids are now growing up skiers. The wifeage is a skier, my brothers are skiers, my sister in laws are skiers, my nieces and nephews are skiers, some of my greatest friends are skiers. And up until yesterday, I used to dismiss snowboarders as those that could not ski.

For some reason, well probably the fact that he is nine years old and has a thing for the Flying Tomato, the boy wanted a crack at snowboarding. I've heard some parents say that they will let their kid take up snowboarding when the kid can pay for thier own ticket and rent their own equipment. I have a much softer stance (not to mention left foot forward) believing that it is far more important to be out there doing it, than to not be active at all. So I obliged and took the boy to the little neighborhood hill and rented him the tools. Upon reaching the Snowbird lift, the one that had long since been discarded by the kids as being "too easy", we found Mr. Oz strapped to a board. With my planks affixed squarely to my feet, I suddenly felt like a nun at a nudist colony. So I went back to the rental shop and ordered up some knuckle-dragging finery for myself and joined the fracas. I was a little behind but had no problem spotting our crew (Steve Oz, Sam Oz, my boy, Steve Griff our resident pro and instructor, and his boy Spencer also imparting wisdom) because Oz, Oz and the boy were attached to the hill like giant starfishes. Which made me chuckle until I saw that it was my turn to get off the lift. Luckily, the two directly in front of me crashed (it being the beginner lift and all), so I had somewhere soft to land. Anyway, about two hours later and three solid runs under our belts, the boy and I retreated to the deck where we sat silently sipping our Cokes. I finally uttered, "Jackson, we just got our asses handed to us." He chuckled and then we put on our ski's and vowed never to snowboard again. Oh, and to never give a knuckledragger crap either. It remains a mystery and will for some time. Anyway, hope you are well.

Johnny SnowboardSlow

Hey all. Hope you've been well. My New Year's resolution is off to a roaring start with my first post of the year coming on February 10th. Anyway, a while back, I was invited to a first communion with my son who had a buddy doing the rite. My boy was full of questions of which, in a very limited way, I was able to impart some wisdom into the practice. My basic explanation was that the first communion is when a person takes the body of Christ into their body to give them the ability to walk with the Lord for eternity upon death. Which, of course, lead to a whole host of other questions that I'm sure my answers to, were way off the mark (making it up as I went having never formally been trained in the art of religion). He asked me if I had ever taken communion and I said no. He was quiet for a while, no doubt worrying about my soul. Anyway, the kids all bring a loaf of bread which gets donated to the local food shelf and is a symbol of the body of Christ. While sitting in the pew, the boy leaned forward and spied one of the loaves that one of the children held in their lap. It was then that he said, "don't worry dad. I know where we can get some of that." I rather pathetically tried to stymie my belly laugh that only ebbed after the third rather sharp elbowing from the wifeage who sat perfectly still yet horrified.

So last night, while driving the girl home from "dance" with one of her friends, it was revealed to us that the little friend would be taking her first communion this weekend. So my girl let fly with a flurry of questions and when I was done speaking she said, "does that make them cannibals?" Classic. Anyway, I applaud all those that find peace alongside the lord. If it helps them walk the path of the righteous man, then this world can only be better. Hope you are well and look forward to talking to you again real soon.

Kindly,

Johnny GoFast