Snowboarding and Terje

Sitting in a library, I get a text to update this thang.  This'll be a good change from writing cover letters all day.  To my readers: "Thank you for your time and consideration, I hope to speak with you soon."

It's been sick living in Portland being only 1.5 hours away from the slopes.  I feel like going every weekend, and this $99 season night pass is letting me do it.  If only I had the money for snow tires.  And if only gas prices hadn't hit 4 bucks. 

I'm working on my speed now and going down steeper slopes, but it's hard when you got the fear!  The last time I went, I caught an edge going so fast I swear I flipped over twice.  But good thing I haven't been doing the "split the sphincter" fall lately.  That is an ungodly hell of pain that can't be explained.  Anyways, to psyche myself up for my snow trips, I've been watching Terje Haakonsen ChuckJesusNorris abusing (sexually) the steepest snow slopes I've seen a human ever attempt.

Sadly, the video is so epic I can't embed it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akmC6hIC8zE

The dude is a legend, I don't know of anybody with bigger, brasser, bronzer, balls than he does.  The first part is nearly freefall!  and on the rest of the face of the mountain, he's just chillin, doin jumps like it's nothing.  Just watch the video.

Camping and Casino Weekend

Who likes lists? I do.  I present to you, the highlights of my trip:

1. Dill and I hitched a ride with Andy and Lisa, but the car had no MP3 capabilities! What did we do? we serenaded the lovely couple with the roadtrip classics.  You've Lost That Loving Feeling, Baby On Board, Still of the Night, Copa Cabana (wish you could join us Henry).  It was fun and funny as hell, to hell with ipods.
2. Deciding to make a campfire without matches or lighters was very educational.  I learned some nifty techniques from Andy who took a wilderness survival class recently.  But most importantly, I learned to always bring matches with you cus if you had to build a fire from scratch you're SOL.
3. Finding out somebody was no longer in the tent.  and in his place was a puddle of puke.  I almost died laughing from the absurdness of the sight.  I'm sorry, that was probably one of the roughest night of his life... but i couldn't stop laughing. 
4. Prime Rib & Crab buffet at the local buffet.  'nuff sed.
5. Playing roulette for over an hour and only losing 40 bucks.  That's probably the best gambling session I've had in a casino and I'm not being sarcastic. Anyways the lady next to us who was going to "teach us how to play"  kept on shelling out hundreds.  She probably lost over a grand of her rich husband's treasure that night. 
6. Serenading Doug with You've Lost that Loving Feeling, Top Gun style way past the campsite's quiet hours. 
7. Watching Doug re-enact the Warriors scene waaaaay past quiet hours.  HAHA

Crack of Dawn at Farch Mountain

Last week, I was talking about where to go fishing in Portland with my Uncle and he was listing off all these lakes that I have now forgotten. Anyways, we started talking about scenic points and he mentions Farch Mountain having a great view of the sunrise. He jokes, "Wanna wake up at 4AM and drive up there? wahaha" Calling his bluff, I look at him deadpanned and go, "sure, lets do it!"... "ooh ok.. we'll go then, sure you can wake up?"

Haha when 4AM rolls by, I feel like crap and just snooze until 4:30AM. Then Wilton runs up the stairs bursting with energy, "Chad! Are we going? It's 4:30! I just ate two burritos!" The kid stayed up all night for this haha and I didn't have the heart to say no. I check out the sunrise time and it's 5:36. It takes about an hour to get there. So I'm like if we're gonna go we gotta go now!

About 30 minutes of driving, I start hitting the twisties to go up Farch Mountain. The sky is already brightening up, yet it was kinda foggy. Crap. I shrugged it off because we already drove so far. Twisties always bring a smile to my face, so I step on it. Wilton's been kinda quiet, so I look over and ask him if he's alright. He mutters that he's a bit carsick, so I dial it down a bit. I wasn't going fast just for the fun of it, I wanted to get there on time too! Apparently I didn't slow down enough. I totally forgot that he had eaten two burritos right before the trip. He ended up not going to see the sunrise at all. He threw up in the back of my car into a bag (thank god I had that bag)

I was probably about 5-10 minutes too late. When I left the parking lot, I had about a 1/4 mile trail to walk up to the viewpoint. From the parking lot the sun was poking out already...nooooooooooooo. But it made an awesome picture:

ooOOOoo, if I only had a better camera

Once I saw that starburst of a sun, I booked it.  Running like mad up the trails and I encounter the steps.  DUN DUN DUN

How far up? HOW FAR??

Luckily it wasn't that far up (but on my way down there was this heavy-set dude that was struggling so hard to get up there.  he had to rest every 3 steps.  ah man, poor guy).  When I made it to the top, I was gasping for air......

.....because the view was so breathtaking! (couldn't resist. i know, it's an illness and i believe its contagious)

Wish I was here before it rose.

I like this rock formation

Mt. Hood: Where snowboarding happens.

Above the clouds

What I saw when I first got up there, made me go Wow out loud. 

Staring at this kinda trips me out

The trees directly across from the sun provided a cool backdrop.  Yeah, I was alone, my uncle didn't wake up and my brother was passed out in the car.  But it was so awesome up there, even if it was by myself.  The sun was slowly rising, a sea of clouds below you, and five mountains in the distance all around you.  It was peaceful and quiet, I just let my mind go blank for a few minutes.  So relaxing... until the mosquitos found me.  RUN!!!!

More on Mt. Hood Snowboarding

Oh yea, I forgot to add.

I was looking at other resorts besides Mt. Hood Meadows.  And I found out there's a resort near it called Timberline Lodge. (linky1  linky2) Apparently it's got some history/legacy and lot's of pro's come to train there.  Why?

It's open 51 weeks a year.  Yep, thats right.  The only lift-accessible summer ski resort in the country just 60 miles away. 

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat...

That's pretty crazy. 

Mt. Hood Snowboarding

I've been having great weekends here.  Mt. Hood is so accessible from Portland! You can see the mountain from the city.  It only takes a little over an hour to get there and back, and combined with the $25 nightboarding deal equals a great weekend day.

View of Mt. Hood from Portland. (Together!): "oOOOOoo"

The first time I went, I took Daniel and Kenneth for their first time boarding.  They had this great $25 lesson+rental+lift ticket deal for beginners that we took advantage of.  We arrived an hour early so I decided to take them up myself and teach them some things before their lesson.  Since friends so graciously took the time to teach me, I had to give back.  It was pretty fun and funny showing the eager lads the ropes.  After the 2nd run, it was time for their lesson (woohoo! it was my secret ploy to have 2 hours to myself).

but...

Kenneth was just sitting there.  He sat there for a long time.  When he started walking toward us, I saw his hand was in an awkward stiff position.  Crap.  He hurt his thumb.  We spent an hour at the clinic, and I ended up teaching Daniel.  Don't get me wrong it was fun, but I was so eager to go up higher and work on carving.

poor kid, injured on the 2nd run.

MINI SUV
My car only has room for 3 people + board (see post) so I couldn't bring little Celina with us the first time.  She looked so sad the night before, like she was going to cry.  So....

Tada!

Roof Rack baby!

Whattaya think? They were OEM MINI branded, so I didn't have to drill holes in my roof.  I kinda like 'em.  It definitely changes the look, but they don't look out of place.  The rack works wonders, I bought a Thule 4 snowboard attachment for it, and I took all the kids the 2nd weekend.  I was extremely pleased because 1st of all no one got injured, and 2ndly they all took their 2hr lessons :)

and...NACHOS!

 They were damned good, and damned expensive.  Just like Hookers!

1st Snowboarding of 09-10 season

That was the most fun (and exhausting) snowboarding day I've had!  It was a really nice warm day, and the snow was decent at Sierra@Tahoe.  We got in on a BOGOFree deal that Brian and P(thanks guys) had, so it was cheap too.  I actually didn't share the enthusiasm and anticipation that others have expressed about snowboarding this year, but this trip has changed it.  I finally understand how to not fall lol.  No bruises this time.  Now I wanna go again!  My next goal is to be able to carve down Blue hills without falling.

The Non-Pro Group

I like Sierra for my skill level.  I like it most cus the lodge is close to the parking lot, no gondolas required.

Tid Bits:

1. Drove for more hours than I slept.  (not a good idea)
2. Bobby was sick & slept only 2.5 hours before the trip.. crazy guy. 
3. Saw two guys cram their snowboards into a MINI.  yea, it's possible.