Ortiz leaves a bad taste in my mouth!

Aside from a hand full of games that I've listened to on the radio, tonight's Red Sox game against the Tamp Bay Rays is the first I've watched since the news leaked that David Ortiz was one of the 103 players on the 2003 list of player's who tested positive for PEDs.

As I glanced over at the television, Ortiz came to the plate and I couldn't help but just feel kind of ill. I mean just like millions of other Sox fans, I loved this guy and mocked the ones who we knew were cheating. I now I truly fee let down. I thought that it would go away after a few days and I'd be able to cheer the guy, but I can't. He cheated us all.

Cats need to have fun, too!

Julie was kind enough to go out the other night and get our cat some catnip. Being about 12-years-old, we thought it would be cool if she got some exercise and my attempt at getting her active with a tennis ball just didn’t work. Apparently a fuzzy ball nearly the same size as her head wasn’t so much fun, but the catnip has been more of a hit that a batch of Phenphedrine. She runs around all night chasing the little sack and ringing the bell on the top. It’s really quite cute!

Steve-O gets back on his feet!

There’s a point when you look in the mirror and what stares back at you is both eye opening and frightening at the same time. Watching a show on MTV about a former classmate who took fame, drugs, and alcohol to the next level, I’m taken back to when I took a cold hard look into the mirror and realized that to get back on my feet, I would need far more than a top acne treatment. And yet the show wasn’t surprising to me. I knew the guy in school and partook in some of the same activities. I didn’t have the fame and the attention, but at the same time, I didn’t need it to get where I needed to go to get that revelation.

The Last Weekend - Sugarloaf!

The last weekend of lift-served skiing in the east used to bring me to central Vermont in the latter days of May, but in recent years, the resort I grew up skiing has stepped up the plate and offered the latest and best skiing in the east.

Sugarloaf may not get as much snow as some Vermont resorts, but with a high altitude and a colder winter, the snow last longer. So come this weekend, myself and a bunch of friends will pack out skis, food, and netbooks, and head for Maine’s western mountains for a rite of spring and what is hopefully a glorious conclusion to an epic season!

Goal complete - 100 Days On Snow for 2008/2009

Nearly six months after I logged my first day of the season back on October 31st, I reached a lofty goal I set for myself before the season began – 100 days on snow for the season. To many skiers and riders this is something that is unfathomable while to others it’s an annual occurrence, but realistically, when you work full time and liver 40 miles from the closest ski area, skiing 100 days is quite an accomplishment.

And unless I somehow become rich or work in the ski industry, I never want to try that again. Too much driving and not enough sleep, even when you’re at a resort for multiple days!

It's time to put up or shut up!

So the other morning while Julie and I were getting ready to hit the slopes, we saw an infomercial for an exercise program. Normally I wouldn’t have thought twice about such a program, but this time I ended up calling. It seemed like something that the two of us could do together and for success, we know that this is how we want to go about it. So when I called, I was bombarded with offer after offer for extra this and extra that. The lady offered me a 30-day trial on what she considers the best diet pills and yes, I took her up on the offer. This time, I’m committed.

Great coverage in Tahoe!

A friend of mine has recently made the choice to move from Golden, Colorado to Lake Tahoe. An avid skier and chef, he is torn between whether to live on the north or south shore. As a yearly visitor to South Lake Tahoe, I may be a bit biased, but when you’re on top of one of the surrounding mountains and have a full view of the Blue World, it likely does matter where in Tahoe you live as long as you get the Blue Advantage for you and your family!

Spring skiing in Maine

The third weekend of April has passed and throughout most of New England most ski areas have already either closed previously or at least after today. In Maine we happen to be a little fortunate with the colder nights and thick base.

On Friday I took a day trip to Sugarloaf and enjoyed some of the best conditions of the season with wall-to-wall snow cover and good friends to share it with. Not to mention the vast rays of sunshine that just so happen to have burned my face a little. Thankfully, both Sugarloaf and Sunday River will remain open for the next couple of weeks!

Time to get fit for next season!

How many skiers talk about what they are going to do to get in shape in the off-season? Probably most and I’m no different. While I don’t see myself prescribing to a diet pill or anything like that, I look forward to getting in some more cardio and hiking in the mountains once the mud season comes to a close. Of course in Maine, that could mean I’d have to wait till the beginning of the next ski season before the mud’s gone!

The Ups and Downs of Spring Skiing!

As the spring rains fall across the northeast, ski area after ski area is closing down for the season and while the larger resorts remain open, most have scaled back their operations. Even places with tons of snow left in certain pods have limited their open terrain. It is the sad reality of spring in the mountains.

And while this may seem a little depressing – and it is – there’s still a lot of good skiing to be had across the country and right here in New England. With 91 days down, I’m still within reach of my goal of 100 days for the season. I look forward to soft corn snow and bright sunshine as I embark on the last few weeks of lift-served skiing. And yet after the lifts shut down there’s still time to head to the eastern backcountry skiing mecca on Mount Washington.

Retro Weekends Are The Best!

While Julie and I enjoyed snapping photos of strangely dressed folks while we were out west, it’s always fun to have a retro weekend and this past weekend at Sunday River didn’t disappoint. With an 80s theme and lots of local characters promising to come out with their retro best, there was plenty of dayglo to go around, a lot of long-straight skis, and I think I even spotted a guy skiing in a tuxedo shirt.

Shane McConkey - RIP

I’ve gone back and forth on whether to post anything on Shane McConkey’s recent passing. To be frank, there have been many people who were critical of him continuing to push the limits with a wife and 3-year0old daughter, but then it struck me that I don’t have the slightest clue what it meant to be in his shoes and I don’t know what his family thought about him attempting to defy fate on a daily basis.

What I do know is that Shane McConkey was and is a legend in the sport of skiing. Forget, if you will, all the stuff about BASE jumping and the like. When it comes down to it, he was one of the best damned all-around skiers to ever strap a pair of boards on. Whether it was his exploit as a pro mogul skier, a racer when he was younger, or one of the pioneers on the international competitive freeskiing your, McConkey represented much of what embodies places like Squaw Valley and Chamonix. His passing is surely a tragedy that could have been avoided, but his life is surely worth celebrating! RIP!

Choose you ski resort wisely!

Over the weekend while at Sunday River I spent a lot of time with friends and talked about some of the similarities and differences between eastern and western skiing. Given that we all tend to go on trips out west each year – to different places, we all have different things about our trips that we like and different reasons for wanting to go to one state versus another. Julie and I like the vibe and feel of Lake Tahoe for its’ skiing culture and laid back atmosphere. That isn’t to say that other western states don’t have terrain and skiing that is as good, but every region has something unique and different to offer. While Julie and I like the laid back home town feel of South Lake Tahoe, other people might like the option of boutique hotels you can find at place like Northstar on the north slope of the basin. And yet regardless of what you are looking for, I’ve come to realize that you just really can’t go wrong with any type of ski trip!

You never know what you find when you go through old things and then tonight while I was back at my childhood home - where I happen to still keep my ski tuning equipment - I was looking at a picture on the basement wall that I'd cut out of a magazine from the mid-90s. I knew the last name had sounded familiar and thus I scanned it into the computer. The shot is of 1992 World Mogul Champion, Dave Hilb. His relationship to director Mickey Hilb, of Deep Winter fame; I don't know, but I bet I'll find out soon enough. Cool shot, nonetheless!

Get ready for some awesome spring skiing festivals!

With spring skiing pretty much in full swing, thousands of skiers and riders will flock to resorts with ample amounts of spring festivals and activities. Sure, most American resorts have some fabulous line-ups for spring, but two of the most popular spring skiing destinations are north of the border in Canada. With Whistler/Blackcomb and Mont Tremblant both hosting their annual Telus Spring Festivals, there are awesome ski and stay deals to be had. But before you book your trip, make sure you get the best deal possible and maximize your conversion rate optimization.

Taking care of yourself during the ski season is important!

Truth be told, as a guy, I don’t give too much thought about skin care, but after spending another couple of weeks at a high altitude with bright sun and varying temperatures, I actually found myself roaming the aisles of the local supermarket looking for after sun cream and eye cream. As silly as it may sound, skiing is an interesting sport that makes us do and buy funny things. And that being said, taking care of our bodies is important in a long season.

Spring skiing is finally here!

As Julie, Carolyn, and I loaded the chairlift Friday night, thoughts of spring skiing and soft corn snow were swiftly swept away by temps in the teens and the sound of skis and snowboards scratching the hard-packed ice on the slopes below. Mid-March? Yikes, a few days earlier Julie and I had been gliding over the pristine conditions in Lake Tahoe and now we were bundled up like it was mid-January.

After several fast runs down the lit trails of Sunday River’s North Peak, we retreated to the Foggy Goggle for some warm après and friends.

While I was far from discontent, I wondered if spring was coming or if I needed a good stone grind to get me through the weekend, but as the Saturday afternoon sun crept up and shone brightly on the thousands of visitors to Sunday River, the glare got stronger and the snow softened. Smiles widened and grills in the parking lot sparked up.

By the time we packed up the car this afternoon, the snow had turned to mashed potatoes and both Julie and I were comparing the redness of our faces. In a short 48 hours, spring had arrived. It’s the best time of the year!

Late season ski equipment deals!

While late season skiing can be a bit depressing, given the fact that I can’t help but think of the fact that it means that summer is on the way and soon the chairlifts will stop spinning, it also means that there are great deals in ski shops all around the country for skiers and snowboarders alike. Regardless of how good a season has been for retailers, the end of the season always means surplus and surplus means bargains for the likes of you and me!

Late season Sierra storms blanket the slopes!

It’s been nine days since Julie and I arrive in South Lake Tahoe and sadly, we’ll be leaving in two days. Having begun this year’s trip over a week later than usual, we arrived to the unusual sight of brown lawns and a mild breeze. Sure, this is the beginning of spring around Lake Tahoe, but aside from the snow-covered trees and slopes beginning part way up the mountains, the lack thereof at lake level, was just weird.

Then less than 24-hours after our arrival, the latest storm models began to take shape and in a season that was being described as nothing short of a drought, the locals were beginning to salivate at the thought of a true Sierra Storm cycle. If you’ve never experienced a Sierra snowstorm, they can be best described like heavyweight prize fighters that may be a little slow out of the gate, but when their unleash their fury, they don’t hold back on the punches – for days.

Less than four days after the storm cycle began, we had seen about 4 and a half feet of snow at lake level and about 8 feet above 8500 feet. Needless to say, Julie and I were pleased about the storm, but also pleased for all the resorts and communities in the Sierras that say a huge influx of skiers and riders over the past week with the weather.

Booking places to stay while on a ski trip can be tough!

I often think that one of the hardest parts of planning a ski trip is choosing where to stay. I mean we may know where we want to ski and we’ve heard of all the best places to sleep and eat, but when it comes down to booking a hotel or condo, not only are there a ton of choices, but since we’re nornmally so far a way, finding extended stay hotels that suit all the needs of our trip can be really hit or miss. Luckily, Julie and I have been on the good side of such luck with our annual Lake Tahoe trips and this year has been no exception!

Kenmar Watches Delivers on Customer Service and More!

I’ve done a lot of online shopping and one of the ubiquitous pet peeves I typically have relate to customer service. Perhaps we trade customer service for ease and convenience, but I, for one, don’t think this need be the case. Thankfully, Kenmar Watches is on the same page as me and I can’t say enough about how positively taken I was when I first went to there page. Whether you have a specific watch in mind or not, the fact that the first thing you see is a slide show of the ways that they promise to make you happy is a great reason to shop there.

The site design itself is pretty simple, which I think works well for them and as for ease of use and navigation, it’s almost a must. Just think of all the watch brands there are out there and scroll down to the complete list of the brands they carry with links to each brand. Whether you’re looking to buy Fendi watches or a neat Swatch watch, you needn’t look further than Kenmar!

Change can be cheaper and smarter!

Everywhere you look, people are getting slammed by the economy. It doesn’t matter what industry you mention, numbers are down across the board. For many in retail and services, this has meant that change has been needed to retain customers. Just think of Starbuck’s. Sure, they haven’t exactly been doing all that well, but introducing a cheaper product is the way that they think they can get back into the coffee market. Another retail sector that is seeing like changes is home furnishing. Seriously, if something looks and feels the same as an expensive bed, does it matter if it is really discount furniture? Take a look at your stock portfolio and then answer that question!

The fine line between public and private!

With all the snow we’ve had in Maine this year, Julie and I haven’t exactly seen to much of our new surroundings, but are excited to have bought our house where we did. Being 5 minutes from both sets of parents is a big bonus for us and being next to a wonderful walking/bike trail that goes all the way to the ocean, is another bonus. That being said, one of our neighbors said that on occasion there can be some noise coming from the trail in the summer as teenage kids act like teenage kids. While I’m not worried about this, I can’t say as though it wouldn’t be cool to have the option of aluminum fence installation.

NASTAR Open Fails To Gain Regional Support!

For years eastern recreational racers have complained that the NASTAR National Championships have been held out west and thus making it very difficult to participate. By most accounts, the 4-day trip to Steamboat Springs costs about $1500 and that’s if you’re on a budget. This simply out of reach for most and just impractical for others.

NASTAR officials heard the feedback loud and clear and finally came out with the NASTAR Eastern Open, which was held at Sunday River, Maine a few weeks back. While the entry fees and other costs were less than the national event, NASTAR didn’t make the announcement of the event until the new year and publicity could have been a lot better. The end result was a poor number for registration and admittedly, I was one of the ones who didn’t race. Why? I simply hadn’t budgeted for a high entry fee and didn’t think it would have been fair to spring such a cost on my wife when we are newly married, have just bought a house, and have trips already booked. Nonetheless, I think that I should have made the effort and wish I had because a lot of time and energy went into making this happen. I don’t expect the event to return to Sunday River, but wherever it is next season, I will make it a point to participate.

100 days wouldn't be possible without skiing under the lights!

When you work a full-time job and at the same time go for a goal like skiing 100 days in a season, you have to sacrifice quite a few nights in order to rack up the skier days. Yep, that means working a full day, jumping in the car, and then making turns under the lights when the sun isn’t shinning and temps drop faster than you can imagine. Having the right gear and lots of energy is the best way to adapt to the long days and even those mid-week night when we ski under the light bulbs.

You gotta love the soft snow, but it belongs in the spring!

Sunday was set to be one of those perfect ski days with temps on the warm side and snow on the soft side. Don’t get me wrong, I love the cold and flying down meticulously groomed trails, but when the temps warm up and the snow softens, possibilities open. Not only does more terrain become accessible, but soft snow means bumps and bumps all day long. I’m a mogul skier at heart and skiing in corn snow is when the sport changes from an anaerobic exercise to a heart-pounding aerobic sport. Several hours of bashing soft bumps is a lot more fun than a gym and easier to manage then diet pills.

Let it snow!

I admittedly don’t put much into books like the Farmer’s Almanac when it comes to the weather. While they can claim to be right 80% of the time in their forecasting, it is sometimes nice to have winter storms happen without notice and to have those perfect days when they’re lease expected. Here in the east we’ve had an average winter when it comes to snowfall. Now that I think about it, winter has been dry to average in most parts of the country and that can be a little depressing. Nevertheless, it was nice to click on the webcams at Heavenly Mountain resort the past few days and see Wildlife trees covered in fresh coats of the white stuff each day!

Vonn grabs second gold, becomes best American female ever!

Tamera McKinney has long been the most decorated woman ever to race for the United States. Sure, Picabo Street made a run for the same claim back in the mid-late 1990s, but with an overall World Cup title, 18 career wins, and a gold in the 1989 World Championships combined, McKinney was in a class all by herself.

Last week, fellow American Lindsay Vonn tied McKinney’s mark when she notched her 18th career WC win. A few days later she won the super giant slalom at the World Championships, and then today she finally eclipsed the legendary McKinney with a gold in the Woman’s downhill.

With a slid lead in the overall season standings and the simple fact she’s still quite young, Lindsay Vonn has already become the most decorated U.S. female skier ever. Time will tell what other accolades she adds to that list.

For some, it's a no win situation!

Are you one of those people that breaks out after a few hours in the sun? I’m lucky to be able to say that this doesn’t happen to me, but that could by-in-large be because in the winter we don’t expose much skin up here in Maine. You know, it’s cold! That said, with all the layers we find ourselves donning, there are often times that friction and sweat lead to unruly breakouts. Thankfully, I too, have been sparred this need for acne treatments, but the same can’t be said for all skiers and riders, especially teens.

The never-ending battle continues

After a long holiday season that was full of friends, family, and of course, food, I find myself back in the saddle of a diet once again. I know it seems like a never-ending battle and I truly think that it is. I try one diet for a period and then fat burners for another, but in the end, I always come back to the tried and true method of counting calories and exercise.

Know what time it is!

I just don’t know how some of my friends can get by without wearing watches. Yes, you can find clocks at the base of almost every single ski lift, but when we’re out there on the mountain and planning out where and when we are going to ski, I find it nice to have a sense of what time it is. I’m not saying that people need to go out and buy a Patek Philippe watch or something else fancy, but having a watch on my wrist makes it easy to meet up with people and not be late when I say I’m going to be somewhere.

The cold gives way to a foot of snow in the Maine mountains!s

Sometimes the best ski days are the ones that are totally unexpected. While most of us in the northeast had suffered the affects of terribly cold weather this week and into the weekend, the forecast held out hope for some snow to end MLK weekend. Sure, the models only showed a few inches in the mountains, but a few inches is better than none and all skiers know that if it’s going to snow, the temps can hover around zero, it’s just not possible for snow to fall with temps so low.

As the weekend got closer and people got more and more giddy, the snowfall estimates began to grow until we woke up Sunday morning to a fresh blanket of the white stuff and light fluffy snow continuing to fall. The initial estimates of 4-6 inches at Sunday River had given way to a good foot and with the previous days of cold temps, the crowds had stayed away. It was one of those days that we like to call epic and while they don’t come along all that often, we appreciate these days more when they are unexpected.

A watch for all seasons and all activities!

With all the skiing I’ve been doing lately, I’ve been considering getting a new watch that tracks the amount of vertical feet I ski. Don’t get me wrong, I love my current watch and it’s fabulous for everyday use, but having a couple of watches is a good thing because they can be worn for different occasions. I could have my watch for skiing, one for everyday wear and maybe select on of the great Torgoen watches for more formal affairs.

Crazy weather hampers holiday week!

Yesterday brought a close to what was a crazy month of weather throughout the northeast. With vacation week in full swing at Sunday River, the resort has battled the wind all month long and has had most lifts closed on many days, including each day this past week. And while this has made some people unhappy with the mountain, it’s pretty unfair to blame them for closing lifts with dangerous wind conditions. Along with the safety of the guests and preventing damage to the lifts themselves, the wind out of the northwest can wreak havoc and like everybody else, Sunday River carries a heavy amount of insurance during the season. So just think about the premiums you pay each year for auto insurance for one car and then think about 500,000 visitors, 17 lifts, hundreds of employees, and all the buildings and structures. That’s a lot of money and not worth pushing it on dangerous days!

Families hit the slopes!

Tomorrow marks the beginning of one of the big weeks for ski areas around the country. Traditionally, Christmas vacation and February vacation weeks are the money makers for resorts and this year is no exception. Even with the fledgling economy, people are still spending on weeks in the mountains. And yet there was and is much concern over the total number of skier and rider visits for the year, one large component of the financial figures – filling the bed frames - is factored largely by these two weeks.

The snow is falling just about everywhere!

I suppose if you live anywhere where the temperatures typically get below freezing during the winter months, chances are you have had at least one snowstorm already this year. While the west coast, Rockies, and eastern seaboard have been hammered by storm after storm, even places like Las Vegas and New Orleans have received snowfall this winter and we’re still in the early stages.

This past week alone, some of my favorite mountains in the Sierra’s like Squaw Valley and Heavenly Mountain Resort have received totals of around 4 feet of snow. And while the amounts haven’t been as high, and normally aren’t, here in the east, Sunday River and Sugarloaf have each reached the 3 foot mark for December. What this means to skiers and riders is an abundance of early season terrain that normally doesn’t open until January or February.

Fire breaks out at Sunday River condo complex.

A fire broke out in one of the South Ridge Townhouses early Thursday that sent members of the Sunday River ski community into a frenzy. With many condo owners living a ways away, new of what had actually happened and the extent of the damage was fairly sparse. Thankfully, no one was injured and the extent of the damage was limited, but it surely one of those times when you really hope the owners had a good home owner insurance policy. Places like that are hard to replace and the cost can often times not be recovered.

There's a beautiful site above the slopes of Sunday River!

Sunday River has announced that Saturday, December 20th will be the grand opening of the new Chondola and there is quite a bit of buzz surrounding the event. It will also signal the beginning of night skiing at Sunday River – a first. And while the 20th is slated as the grand opening, there is much speculation that the lift could actually begin operations as early as this weekend. With all the chairs and gondola cars strung on the haul rope and the load testing completed today, it’s very possible that the regions newest super-lift will mark the beginning of a new era in New England skiing and riding.

All those ski lifts parts come together to make one big happy lift!

Seeing a ski lift in all its’ millions of pieces before the final touches are done is simply amazing. A few weeks ago I looked in parking lot 5 at Sunday River and there were piles and piles of gondola and chairlift components all neatly wrapped in shrink wrap and ready to be assembled. To most it’s probably nothing more than an eyesore, but to see how all the equipment comes together from chairlift grips to gondola door hardware, is simply amazing.

Why do ski boots have to hurt?

While I already have 11 days skiing under my belt, it seems that some of the same challenges I faced last year are once again rearing their ugly head. Yep, boot pain is once again a prominent part of my ski life. It doesn’t keep me from having fun or enjoying full days on the slopes, but why is it my ski boots are all nice and cozy like a pair of Beautifeel shoes. I suppose it’s partly the price you pay for buying stiff boots, but much of it has to actually do with my feet and aside from having them reshaped, it will just have to be something I deal with cause we all know that you can’t just have your feet reshaped. That’s just silly.

What type of ski lift will you ride this year?

With all the new types of ski lifts debuting in the world this year, it should come as no surprise that many are truly over-the-top. Perhaps the biggest installation is Whistler/Blackcomb’s Peak-to-Peak Gondola. While it isn’t a vertical lift that people will take to get up the mountain, it will transport skiers and riders from mid-mountain on Whistler to mid-mountain on Blackcomb. The cabins hold 28 passengers each and a couple even have clear floors so the people inside can have a first hand view of the valley, 1300 feet below. Me? I liked the old Sugarloaf gondola with its’ foggy windows and wood flooring.

Heavenly Opens with one trail and four high-speed lifts...

On Friday, November 28th, Heavenly Mountain Resort opened for the 2008/09 season with skiing on Orion’s. Yep, a 3000’ vertical gondola, a high-speed six-pack, and two high-speed quads for skiing on one, one-mile long trail. I know that it may sound a little hypocritical for me to be passing judgment on this move by Heavenly when I was skiing on one trail just a month ago, but one trail at Sunday River, which was serviced by one triple chair is a lot different than the massive amount of resources needed to have Heavenly open right now. Personally, I see Heavenly as a destination resort and not a locals hill and thus the early season skiing doesn’t attract new skiers. And still I applaud their efforts. Perhaps they got some good press in the Bay area and ticket sales will be all the better for it…

It's time to get back on track!

So it’s been a few weeks since I pretty much went off my diet. With the wedding, our honeymoon, and then Thanksgiving, I decided that I was tired to the stringent regimen and wanted to have some fun and eat what I wanted. While it’s been a lot of fun, I can definitely tell I’ve put some weight back on and know that I need to get back on a diet that works. The best route to choose isn’t too clear, but I think I’ll start with some alli reviews.

Sometimes I just want a set of prints!

I sometimes go back and forth regarding the whole digital camera thing. I mean yes, I really like that I can take as many picture as I want (Within reason), but looking at pictures on my computer is just not the same as the anticipation of going to the photo shop and getting that set of prints to see how shots came out. Yes, I’m aware that digital pics can be printed out many places, but I’m one of those who may invest in my own photo printer. I know that the picture paper costs a lot, but it would be pretty cool to print pictures off at home.

Honeymoons are pretty much the best...

Alas, Julie and I arrived here at Disney World on Sunday and I waited until today to get online. Not bad for me. We’ve had a blast thus far and still have a couple of days to play! Then it’s back to work and of course back to playing in the snow at Sunday River!

For all of you that have been to Disney, you know that one of the many things that Disney does really, really well, is prepare fabulous food options. Perhaps not so much in the parks as you are trying to move quickly from place too place, but the dinners at the resort restaurant have some of the best food you’ll find, especially ay Epcot. And yet here we are on our honeymoon and what is again my favorite thing to eat? Yep, ice cream. I joked that I would stop at every place that has it, but I haven’t done so because there are so many. Nevertheless, I’ll surely need some kind of fat burner when we get back or at least a visit to the gym everyday for the next year. Yikes!

Safe driving in the winter!

While I realize that my wedding is the top priority in my life for the next week, I did go online today to look at car rental process for our next trip to Lake Tahoe in late February. The past two years, Julie and I have had really good luck with the SUVs we’ve rented as not only have we gotten great prices, but the models were so good in the snow that we didn’t need to slap on tire chains. In most parts of the country, people don’t even know what these are, but when the snow starts to fall in the Sierras, it can pile up for days and tire chains can save lives. That being said, if you do plan to be out that way and you’re not lucky enough to have an SUV that is really good in the snow, do the smart thing and get some chains!

The Chondola Construction moves ahead!

With a month left in the construction process of Sunday River’s Chondola, things are really starting to come together nicely. I’d say that last week’s rain probably posed a big problem for the whole schedule, but even through the weather, work went on. Looking up the line of the lift, there is a huge spool in the middle of the ski trail that is actually thousands of feet of steel rope that will be spliced together and will make up the haul rope (cable) that the chairs and gondola cabins hang from. The process of stringing the haul rope and splicing it can take weeks and is pretty complicated, but it’s also a really cool part of the process. Another cool part of the recent construction is in the picture above. Notice that they are pouring concrete around the whole structure and the walkways. If you look closely at some of the areas that haven’t had the final layer poured, you can see orange tubing, which is actually heat coiling. This keeps the surface from allowing ice to build up.

Bretton Woods readies the mountain for the new season!

As of Wednesday afternoon, Bretton Woods, part of Mountain Washington Resort, has fired up its snowmaking guns and is busy laying down a good base for the approaching ski season. There is already over a foot of snow at the Top o'Quad Restaurant, according to Chris Ellms, Director of Ski Operations for the Resort.

"We plan to get folks out on the snow just as soon as we can. From here on in, we'll be making snow at every opportunity and plan to open as soon as possible," says Ellms. "If the cold weather cooperates, and especially if Mother Nature blesses us with a couple of inches of new snow, we will be able to open as early as November 8th -- possibly even sooner!"

The first weekend of skiing is in the books!

What a difference a couple of days make. I was fortunate to ski Friday through Sunday this past weekend and in typical New England early season fashion, we had three distinct types of conditions. Early season skiing and riding is challenging and conditions are variable by the hour. This is one of the reasons that regardless of the open terrain, skiing and riding is always listing as “for advanced only.” This of course doesn’t stop every Tom, Dick, and Harry form thinking that they fall into that category and clogging up the trails that we refer to as the “White Ribbon of Death.”

Nonetheless, the weekend was fabulous. We skied spring like conditions on Friday, boilerplate hardpack on Saturday, and sticky and wet manmade on Sunday – top-to-bottom. Sunday was by far the best day and by mid-morning there were some nice zipper lines formed down the center of T2.

Day3 is now in the books and we’ll take a few days off to actually work…

Avoid Black Friday by shopping online!

So you’ve gotten through 3 turkey dinners with three different families, watched both NFL games on the run, stripped the bird for turkey sandwiches for the next three days, and you’re ready to sleep for about a week. And then your wife comes in and tells you about the huge deals that are to be had at the mall in several hours. Yes, it’s the phenomenon known as Black Friday and for many of us, it really is a nightmare. Malls all across the country open their doors as early as five in the morning the Friday after Thanksgiving and retailers promise the biggest savings of the year. And they tell you that if you don’t get there at 5:00, you’ll miss out on the bananza.

I don’t know about you, but I have far better things to do the day after Thanksgiving than to wait in line for the mall doors to open, only to throw elbows around just so I can get the newest gadget. Why? First, I think it’s a silly way to shop. Second, I like to be outdoors skiing on such a day. And third, I know that I can get the same great deals by shopping online. Why wait in line when I can get email updates from iBlackFriday.com telling me about the newest additions to their extensive list of retailer’s coupons and deals?

I personally like to wait and see what offering Best Buy will have on the site and they never disappoint. Having just bought a new home and a new Sharpe 1080p television, I’ll be looking for some new surround sound equipment. Regardless of what you’re looking for this holiday season, check out iBlackFriday.com for 2008 thanksgiving specials.

Mount Snow readies the terrain park with a fresh coat... And then it rained!

With temperatures dipping into the lower 20s, snowmakers reported for duty at Mount Snow Saturday night, firing up the fan gun snowmaking machines on Launch Pad, a learning hill near the base area. By daybreak on Sunday, about three inches of snow had piled up and the terrain park crew moved in, setting up a small park with half a dozen features. The park opened to the public at 10 a.m. EST.


With temperatures in the 20s again last night the fan guns continued to run. The Launch Pad terrain park will be open to the public today as long as the snow holds. Visitors can secure a free lift ticket from employees stationed at the park. Visit the snow report at mountsnow.com for details and updated information.

Skiing and food - They go together!

Many would think that with a season full of skiing, skiers and riders would actually get in great shape and perhaps lose some weight, but interestingly enough, the opposite usually happens. I was discussing this with my nutritionist the other day and explaining the lifestyle of après ski, food, and booze. Yes, the exercise alone is great, but we but a ton of crap into our bodies while were off the slopes. Kind of makes you wonder if people try weight loss supplements in the off season.

Increase your memory while saving some cash!

Flash drive technology has really had a huge impact on the computer world. It seems like just a few years ago when if you wanted or needed a memory upgrade, you would have to either buy a new CPU, a new computer, or have additional memory installed. And while all of these are still options, I find that the best is actually the latter. Hey, if you have a good system that runs fast, why spend the extra money for something you don’t need when it’s so easy to install memory these days?

The inside of a Chondola terminal!

Unless you a ski lift stops just before you get on or off, it’s rare that you get a look inside some of the inner workings of today’s high-speed lifts with all their gears, pulleys, wheels, sheaves, and conveyors. Granted, most of you don’t really care what’s inside as long as it works and it’s fast, but the terminals for high speed lifts are very fascinating. And yet as much as that may be the case, I can see why their aren’t really all that esthetically pleasing, which is why the bottom and top terminals are all covered, but this is a rare chance to see what the inside of one of Sunday River’s high-speed lists looks like. This picture is of the base return station for the new Chondola. While you can see a lot of wheels that are connected to conveyers and ultimately to the bull wheel, you won’t see any big engine. Not to worry, though. On this particular lift, the drive is in the top terminal. I hope we can get a good look in there soon as well, but things re coming along nicely as the season fast approaches.

Flat Screen TVs are becoming more aforedable!

A quick read through the technology or finance section of your local paper this week will have told you that experts predict process of flat screen HD and LCD televisions to drop by almost 50% over the upcoming holidays. While the sizes specifically mentioned were between 32” and 37” models, this is a great opportunity for those people who have been holding off on grabbing this new technology. Combined that with the increased availability of Blu-Ray technology and with an inexpensive HDMI switch, you’ll have a home entertainment system you may not have been able to afford a few years ago.

Fall means ski sales galore!

One of the tell-tail signs that winter is coming are the massive amounts of ski shop tent sales. This weekend alone there were three in southern Maine and one at Sunday River. The sales are a great way to get good deals on new equipment and find some awesome bargains on last year’s models and clothes. Whether you’re looking for new ski pants, a new pair of skis, or even MBT shoes, fall is the time to look out in your local paper or watch for television commercials as this is the time of year for the best deals to get you ready to make the most of the winter sports season!

Can't it be winter already???

Here in the east were still waiting for the first snow. Sure, it’s only mid-October, but with the days growing shorter and overnight temps dropping, many of us are getting antsy for a little white stuff. Folks at Sunday River celebrated the end of summer and the nearing of winter with the annual Fall Festival. Thousands showed up and packed the lower lots for craft fairs, chairlift rides, and the annual wife carrying championships. Me, I wasn’t there. Jules and I had just closed on our house and the order of the weekend was to paint and paint we did. It was sad to miss the first gathering of our friends at the mountain, but it is a time to prioritize and with the wedding nearing, we want to get things ready for a seamless transition. I can’t help to think how cool it will be to see snow collect on the ground around our new home.

We'll miss Fall Festival 2008, but have other cool things to do!

Fall Festival at Sunday River is this weekend and sadly, Julie and I will miss it. Of course we do have a really good reason and that is that we are closing on our new house tomorrow in the morning and we'll be hard at work Saturday and Sunday, painting. Thankfully, the place need almost no work, but it does need some paint, according to Julie and since I don't have a choice, but to agree, well... Anyway, have fun at the North American Wife Carrying Championships!

Life is a balancing act!

Having already gotten the boat out of the water and sealed up for winter, I have focused my attention to other endeavors. True, I’m getting married in a little over a month and Julie and I close on a house this week, but that doesn’t mean I’ll let my other passions take a back seat. I’ve always believed that there should be balance in everything and while I may need to cut back on buying new english saddles or skis with the costs of everything associated with the new house, it doesn’t mean I have to cut back on skiing itself…

Elections and skiing!

Voters will no doubt have some tough choices in the upcoming elections. Candidates are forging ahead with their plans with everything from tax breaks to family health insurance plans, but aside from the pending elections, November is also the time when thousands of skiers and riders will hit the slopes for the first days of the year. Yes, there will be millions to follow as winter truly kicks in, but in the short term, you can count on the diehards to tune up their gear and hit the slopes, perhaps even before November 6th!

The Blue World get its' first coating of the white stuff!

While overnight temperatures dip below 40 degrees here on the coast of Maine, the mountains have been seeing their first temps below freezing. And while some of the much higher elevations have seen a trace of snow, there hasn’t been enough to stick through the daylight hours here in the east. And yet out west this isn’t the case. I obviously wrote about the snowmaking battle that has already begun between Loveland and Arapahoe Basin ski areas, but many other ski resorts in the west have seen measurable snow. So of course I would be remiss if I didn’t honor the namesake of this website and report on the first snowfall of the season in Lake Tahoe. While the upper elevations saw a few inches, almost the whole of Heavenly Mountain Resort got at least its’ first coating of the white stuff. A true sign that ski season is very near indeed!

Get credit card processing and earn more!

If you’re someone that owns or operates a small business, you know the importance of credit card processing. While some people still refuse to accept cards for merchant point-of-sale transactions, they don’t realize how much more money they could be making by accepting credit cards. Realistically, less and less people are carrying cash because it just doesn’t make sense. I prefer to use someone else’s money for 30 days and get points towards things I like. First Data can help you set up a merchant account. They offer great options like free web-based virtual credit card terminal, edeposit to your account for payments in as little as 24 hours from purchase, toll-free technical support, and they can have you up and ready to accept credit card transactions in as little as 24 hours. If you’re doing business online, you cannot afford not to give them a shot!

Once again, it's Loveland vs Arapahoe!

While the crisp fall air was a good reminder of the season to come this morning, there is an annual event out west that officially marks the countdown to ski season. The competition to open for skiing and riding first in the United States has waged between Loveland and Arapahoe Basin, both in Colorado, for decades. Starting as early as September, these two ski ares on the continental divide start pumping out as much snow as they can and aren’t afraid to be proud that they are in competition. Due to the high elevation and less humidity, both areas have colder temps earlier than most and take advantage. They know that they might not have the most skier visits when the season is in full swing, but every year they put their stamp on the ski season!

The heart of ski lift installation!

There’s a part of installing a ski lift that as always been fascinating to me and many others in she ski world. While we love to see the finishing touches put on the base terminal of a shinny new lift and the stringing of brand-spanking-new chairs is a cool site, it’s the flying in of the lift towers that captivates us. Why? Perhaps it’s because the precision of placing these huge towers in a precise line up a mountain is mind-boggling or maybe it’s because installing towers requires the use of one of the largest commercially used helicopters in the work.

Regardless, when you think of the engineering that must be incorporated, there really is nothing like the construction of a ski lift. The pictures here are of the chondola towers being lowered onto their anchors by a massive Sikorsky helicopter and some of the new 8-person cabins that will be interspersed with 6-person chairs.

I can't believe people actually watch these things

One thing I really look forward to when we move into the new place is some better television options. Now I don’t watch a lot of tv these days; I surely have better things to do, but when I have breakfast or just want to sit back, relax, and get some local news, it seems the only things ever available to watch are infomercials for things like acne products.

Take the time to find the best quote on auto repair!

If you’re like most of the rest of us out there, you don’t have time to drive around and look for a good place to have auto body work done on your car. Some of you are in luck because you either have a trusted place or a friend that knows of one, but what is you’re new to an area or having never had to deal with it before? One thing that I find helpful is getting online and researching all the possible auto body solutions from getting easy estimates for work and even localized maps to help me find the nearest shop. So whether you need to find a place to have your car repaired in Boston or are looking for a Long Beach collision repair shop, the best information is a click away.

Everyone has an opinion on opneing day!

You can troll from one message board to another and there is a common theme aside from the annual first track stoke. It’s the annual, “guess the opening day thread,” and no matter whether you’re on EpicSki or AlpineZone it’s unavoidable. Everyone and his or her cousin has an opinion on which area will open first, why that particular area will open first, why Killington no longer opens first, and even a mention about how, from time to time, a resort from North Carolina opens first.

As skiers, we’re obsessive and trivial things like these make us happy. I mean even if I’ve never met some guy who says that my home mountain is going to open on Halloween, he can actually make me feel better. No, not because he has any credibility, but just because we share that little common belief. It’s silly, really, but it’s what keeps us going in those waning months before the bull wheels actually do start to turn and the snow guns stay on whenever possible. So check out your local ski forum and read the opening day thread!

Color or black and white!

Like everyone else, I’ve been watching the Dow and other stock indexes with a heavy heart. It’s tough to see so many people get pummelled, financially and they aren’t alone. The recent weeks have taken a toll on me as well. While I’ve stopped looking at my 401k all together, I do have other stocks that are traded for different reasons than retirement and while some are doing okay, some that I planned to cash in soon to stock the new home, are not exactly living up to expectations. Let’s just say it’s a good thing for the weekly tv deals at the big electronic stores, like Best Buy.

Disney, here we come!

I know a lot of people that have difficulty in the winter choosing between warm weather destinations and ski vacations. I, of course, am not one of those people. Yes, I compromised on the Disney vacation for the week after our wedding next month, but first, it’s early in the season. Second, if I weren’t getting married, I wouldn’t be talking that week off anyway. And third, I’ve got the second week in December off and will ski the whole time. So yes, I look forward to Disney. It will be a lot more fun than doing some Caribbean villa rentals. The beaches are all the same and I just don’t think there is much to do. In Disney… well, it’s Disney!

Skiing with Nintendo Wii!

I know I’m not the only one out there, but I’m curious how many adult would really like to cave in and go buy a Nintendo Wii. Seriously, this things has become pretty big and the fact that they have an interactive game for skiing makes it that much cooler. Yes, I have an old Nintendo that has a skiing game, but it’s obviously very outdate and far beyond the help of just a new video card. Besides, with the Wii skiing game you use your whole body and not just a controller. Yes, I think it would be a poor choice to buy one just for that game, but I’ve heard that there re other cool ones as well. Perhaps after the ski season I’ll think about it.

More to life than ski forums...

In life, we take the good with the bad and sometimes we need to step back and take some deep breaths. This became apparent to me recently when I had decided that I’d had about of a particular individual on a ski forum that I’ve been posting on for some time. Now you’d think that a ski forum would be just that, but skiers and riders are very passionate people and our opinions can sometimes get the best of us. We have our choices for mountains and trails that we like better, or think are better, than others and quite frankly, we’ll tell you. That being said, every now and again things get out of hand and thus was the case with me and this gentleman. So I decided to step back and not take part for a while. My passion is still their and my love for many of the board members remains, but things got a little destructive for me and some others and I think that my decision will be good for me. Besides, everyone wants to be in good spirits when the ski season starts and in case you haven’t noticed, the temps have been dropping and overnight temps in the mountains have even slipped below freezing!

25 down and who knows how many more to go!

It’s another week down in my quest for weight loss success. To be fair, I’ve already achieved a high amount of success, having lost 25 pounds over the past two months and 7.4 percent body fat, but there’s no time to slow down. Ski season is right around the corner and I want to be in even better shape. Jules and I have been playing lots of tennis and going to the gym together a lot. The whole process of eating right and working out give a really good perspective of weight loss and healthy living that diet pill reviews just can’t provide. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with them; it’s not for me to decide what works for others, but my plan is working for me and that’s what matters most.

Why Buy new computer components?

Everyday people update their computers and networks for faster speed and better connectivity. Much of the time these same people go out to their local big box store and pay an arm and a leg from components they simply don’t need to buy new. Sure, some technology has to be replaced and this is inevitable, but when working on your network it can be really smart to look into used cisco parts and components. The products were developed as the best and can be utilized in so many ways.

Rating ski areas by their chili!

Although I’ve never mentioned it here before, I used to have a test that I put to every ski area I visited. Sure, the mountain’s terrain, size, and snow quality have always been and always will be hugely important to me, but when I was younger, I used to joke about how I rated mountains or resorts for their chili recipes. To most, this would sound strange, but to skiers and riders, chili is a staple food. While many larger resorts use food service chili that’s pretty generic, the best mountains for the best chili are often the mom and pop ski operations. Take for example, the Camden Snow Bowl in Camden, Maine. This 900’ vertical mountain might not offer much to entice skiers or riders aside from the fabulous views of the Atlantic Ocean, but inside their rustic a-frame lodge you’ll find real homemade chili that is a little different everyday, but always pleasing. Further up the road, Sugarloaf, used to have a fabulous chili before the days of ASC, but now it’s like the other bog mountains. So next time you decide to take a break from the larger resorts, try the chili at your local mountain; if it’s not some of the best you’ve had, I’ll be very surprised.

Heavenly's Biggest Little Project!

For decades, skiers and snowboarders alike have complained about trail in particular at Heavenly Mountain resort – The Skyline Trail. This very long cross-cut style trail is the only route to get from the top of the Sky Peak in California, to the Nevada side of the resort.

After a slight downhill start with a couple of turns, the trail actually turns uphill slightly, leaving skiers and boarders have to push their way to the border. If you’ve done it, and if you’ve skied Heavenly, you have; you know that while the views from the trail are unreal, the poling aspect is a pain. Granted, there has always been the option to drop into the Ski Ways glade that it accessible from almost any point along Skyline, but this is only an option for experts and brings you back down to the California side. Of course on a powder day, Ski Ways is pure glade heaven!



Now I don’t know why it took so long for the folks that run the mountain to do the math on this one, ‘cause let’s face it; the complaints about Skyline have been flowing for years, but finally Heavenly has regarded the trail. This past summer, crews blasted rock on two sections of the trail and have regarded the trail to have a constant 10 percent grade from California to Nevada. Cheers to Heavenly for listening!

No more wasting time!

Last night my family had some members over for lobster and as you might imagine, it was question and answer period. I have to admit that I’m so sick of the word wedding that after this thing is over, I never want to hear it again. Couple that with the house and work and I’m going to be on a blood pressure monitor before this thing is over. Luckily I have my exercise regimen to help with the stress, but I’m started to think that my weight loss is all for naught. It seems that everyone is impressed or really cares, other than my fiancee. Yes, I am doing it for the long run and not just for the wedding, but this was one of those things I had hoped we would as a team. Of course everyone in my family said that they were going to get in shape, but to date, it’s just been me. Sometimes that makes me really angry, but if I say anything I’m just the bad guy. Apparently fat and happy is the popular trend, but not for this kid.

Plake in HD?

If all goes according to plan and the stock market doesn’t completely tank more than it has, I’ll be able to sell some preferred options and Jules and I will start to decorate our new place in about a month. Although we haven’t exactly gotten the perfect color yet for the living room, I’ve already begun to shop around for home theater seating to go along with you 60-inch plasma. It should all look pretty cool when done! Glen Plake will look sweet, ripping the bumps of Gunbarrel in HD!

To watch or not to watch - ski films!

Many people consider ski films a rite of fall. While some of us prefer to get on the snow as soon as possible, some people need to get out and see that new flick by Warren Miller Entertainment (Note: Warren Miller is no longer involved) or Teton Gravity Research. I understand the need for a little on screen stoke, but what can be better than actually sliding on the snow?

Part of the problem is that while many ski films come to Portland, they come after the season has started and if I’m in the mountains for the weekend, I’m not coming back to watch a movie. Luckily, Meathead Films shows their flicks at Sunday River and although I haven’t been in the past, I’m hoping to this year after watching their previous titles recently and enjoying the East Coast backcountry vision they pursue.

Regardless of whether you like to wait for the first film or the DVD option is your choice, the temps are falling and the leaves are turning. Summer is officially over so put away your boat and start thinking snow!

It's all part of the journey!

In recent years I can't say as though I've done as much day skiing as in the past. With my fiancee's family having a place on the mountain, I've spent most weekends there and haven't had the need to get up early and make the trek to wherever I was to be skiing that day, but while that is something I don't take for granted, it should be known that the ride in the car to the ski mountain can be just as satisfying as skiing itself.

I suppose it's hard to explain if someone isn't a skier or snowboarder, but that trip to the mountains with the hot coffee in one hand, music blaring, and the drivers' side window down, can be part of the overall experience. Personally, I often found these trips as a time for me to be by myself and reflect on things in my life, but also to think about skiing, the people I ski with, and just to take in the beauty that too many people never slow down to appreciate as they cruise from their metropolitan areas to their mountain of choice.

The ski trip includes the journey in the car and it can be solitary or with a group of friends, but it's never an experience to be taken lightly. If you consider it a hassle to drive to a mountain, there's a good chance you shouldn't be there to begin with. And while it's nice to be able to wake up a little later and jump on the lift, I continue to have my days where I go off by myself in the car and head to some ski area I haven't been to in years. It's all part of the adventure and for me, it adds to the reward.

Microsoft Vista is like night and day over other operating systems!

It wasn’t till this past February that I got my first taste of Microsoft Vista. On my old laptop I had the Microsoft 2000 operating system and the differences are truly night and day. While I know that there were some initial setbacks with Vista, I have found it to be nothing but wonderful for my purposes. While I might not be a computer programmer or even the most computer literate person in the world, I do know what feels right to me and Vista is just more user-friendly for my taste. Let’s start with the initial booting up of the system. What used to take several minutes with Windows 2000, now takes no time at all. I simply turn on the computer and I’m ready to go in no time. Additionally, I really like that when I log on, Windows Vista automatically tells me if there are updates available and gives me the option of proceeding with the updates or waiting. I think this is helpful because previously if I wanted to proceed with one of the updates, the system dud it automatically, then had to restart, and finally I would get to do the work I wanted. Quite frankly, I don’t always have the time for that. Something else I like with Vista is the look of my desktop. I have online options such as a news ticker or my most searched stocks right in the corner of the screen. If I decide I don’t want these in my view, I click one little button and they are immediately hidden. It’s very cool. There are also some great options for saving power. Instead of the computer staying on and draining power, I can set the system to hibernate after a period of time and all I have to do to start right where I left off is push the power button. And yet the most user-friendly change that I’ve noticed with Vista is the ease of use with the start button. Instead of having to search several columns to find the program I want, the categories have been arraigned so I can click and find what I’m looking for much faster, and as always, the most used programs are right in the start column for one click application. With my new laptop I take every precaution you can think of, but I also have the back up of the Windows Vista Small Business Assurance Program, which means I can get 24-hour support for my computer and have someone help me recover data if by chance the same problem happened again. And while I’m still figuring out and bits and pieces of Windows Vista, I can at least have the peace of mind of knowing that there are people there to help and support me and my small business needs.

A new way to fight the wildfires - ski resort style!

Just last month, a huge wildfire threatened Sun Valley Resort in Idaho. Site of the first chairlift in North America, Sun Valley isn't only full of history, but in the winter it's full of celebrities who come from all over the world to ski Dollar Mountain and some on the best bowl skiing anywhere.

The bowl and tree skiing got a little more vast with the recent fire, as 48,520 acres around the resort town burned. What I found particularly interesting about this fire wasn't the size or magnitude. Fire like there are fairly common during a dry summer, but it was how the resort itself attempted to protect the lifts and trails as the fire neared. As most of you know, almost all ski resorts in North America have extensive snow making systems. Of course these are operated in the winter to make artificial snow by mixing compressed air and water through miles of piping. As it turns out, someone at Sun Valley was quick on their feet and decided to turn on the resort's snow making system in the hot summer months. What this did was sense millions of gallons of water up the mountain and was sprayed out of tower guns mounted on the sides of trails. Luckily, the fire was stopped before actually reaching the resort, but if it had, the resort's ski lifts may have been saved because of the excess water being pumped out of the snow guns. Amazing!

Keep track of all your assets with GPS tracking!

It wasn’t too long ago that GPS tracking was something only for the technologically advanced, like the military, but times have indeed changed and thanks to LiveViewGPS, you too, can track any of your family members or perhaps some of your company vans. Their GPS Tracking allows you to monitor with the use of a LiveView device. Simply put the device in your company trucks and watch them as they scatter across town. Want to make sure your teenage driver isn’t on his way to Mexico, you can monitor him too, and all of this can be done from your computer monitor. This is one of the coolest inventions to come onto the market in a long time.

Can't we all just get along???

We must live in one of the most competitive societies in the world. I mean it seems to me that we are always trying to outdo each other in every aspect of life. Sure, competition is great for many things, but often this leads to unnecessary arguments and worse. What I’m trying to say is that we all have opinions and often times, parody is okay.

My reason for writing that has to do with people feelings on ski resorts. Much like professional sports teams, people have home ski areas and they will seemingly do anything in defense of them. I like to browse some message boards and am a member of a few and what annoys me to no end is that people always bring up the topic of which mountain is better, which mountain is bigger, which mountain is better terrain, and on and on… Does it really matter?

Sports like skiing, snowboarding, hiking, and the like, are meant to be enjoyed by all in a natural setting. While I may prefer one place and you may prefer another, it doesn’t mean that either is better. What it means is that we have differing opinions on what we like, we have pride in a particular area, and we may prefer certain aspects of said area. It would seem to me that if people spent more time out there enjoying these things they could spend less time complaining and arguing.

How can eating more help me lose weight? Hmmm.

Last Thursday I walked into my trainer’s office and we had the usual talk. He told me I was doing great, we talked about what substitutions may and may not work for the lifestyle I live, and he applauded my efforts to be at the gym six nights a week. So then I got on the scale and I was only down a half pound. Okay, I realize that being down at all is good, but given that I’ve been averaging 3 a week, we were both a little taken aback. So then he got out his body fat tester and I was down almost 1 percent, which is very consistent with how I’ve been. So this guy is looking at me and trying to figure out why my weight wasn’t lower, especially with the great body fat result. I obviously didn’t know what to say. I’m the one forking over the cash for him to come up with the answers. After thinking about my diet, he chose some different foods that he thinks are the best fat burners, but I’m still trying to figure our how adding 400 calories to my daily diet should be considered a good thing if I didn’t lose weight at the caloric intake I was at. And yet I have to trust the guy. He’s a pro and has the results to prove it, but my lord, it’s like I have to eat all day now!

I have no idea what time it is...

So I’m sitting here typing this and wearing a watch that doesn’t even work. You don’t have to ell me that’s odd; I’m well aware, but for some reason, if I don’t have a watch on my right wrist, I get a rash. That being said, my current watch broke a few weeks back and although there are a number of Nautica watches I like, I have been a little hesitant to drive to Freeport to pick one up. Why? Well, it’s still technically summer in Maine and Freeport is a shopping mess. People come from everywhere and getting a parking spot is really hard. Nevertheless, I know I have to just stop putting it off and do it, so I’ve decided that I will, this week, or at least I plan to!

Installing a ski lift = really hard work!

While I’ve talked about detachable lifts and the technological advances we’ve seen over the past few decades, one thing remains the same and that is that it’s really hard to install a lift. From surveying the lift line, clearing trees, blasting rock, digging holes for foundations, and then actually installing the lift, the task can be daunting and costs millions of dollars. Regardless, it’s a pretty cool series of events that have to happen in a particular order for everything to work out properly. Check out this video of the Sunday River Chondola installation as they get the line ready for the massive helicopter to come in for some of the more heavy and dangerous work.

Technological advances in ski lifts equal faster and safer rides!

Ski lift technology has evolved by leaps and bounds over the past few decades. While tradition mono-cable gondolas first utilized the technology to detach from the haul-rope (Overhead cable) back in the 1960s, the lifts were still pretty slow in comparison to today’s standards. It wasn’t till the early 1980s that the first Doppelmayr high-speed detachable quad chairlift was installed at Breckenridge, Colorado.

While the purpose of the traditional gondola was to detach from the haul rope for ease of loading and unloading, today’s detachable lifts are meant to come off the line for the haul rope can retain a high rate of speed while the chairs slow down and make it easy for people to load. When a detachable chair’s grip releases from the haul rope, the chair is carried about the terminal on a conveyer, which travels at a speed of less than a quarter of the lifts speed. After the skiers or rider load the chair, the chair continues to move along the conveyer, but gradually speeds up until it reaches the same speed as the haul rope. It is at that point that the chair reattaches to the haul rope and makes its’ way up the line.

The advent of high-speed lifts was not only about getting people up the mountain faster, but more importantly, it has allowed for less congestion in high volume base areas and has allowed for shorter lift lines. Less time in line and less time on the lift means more time on the trail. People don’t go to ski resorts to wait in line or sit on lifts; they go to slide down the mountain on two planks or one and lift technology has made this a better experience for all.

Keep your computer safe with CyberDefender!

About six months ago I was the victim of a Trojan virus that whipped out my hard drive. While I had some security software, like McAfee virus protection and spyware sweepers, the virus still got in and I lost some pretty valuable things. Yes, I had a lot of it backed up, but not everything, which was foolish of me. If when this happened, I had CyberDefender early Detection Center 2.0, not only would the virus have been blocked, but I would have known that there was a virus trying to get into my computer because of their real time security updates. One thing that the folks who tried to repair my computer told me was that I may have had more than one virus protection package, which allowed in effect cancelled each other out. Is that really the case, I don’t know; I don’t have the knowledge base, which is why I count on CyberDefender Antivirus Software because everything I need to protect my computer and keep my system secure, is included. As for the backing up of important items and documents, it’s a tough call. I mean can you really be expected to back up your computer to a set of disc everyday? Unlikely, but with CyberDefender, you have access to 2 GB of online storage where you can easily upload this information and then perhaps you won’t find yourself in my shoes. Another great feature that I truly have not found with any other security package is live support. For folks like me, it’s nice to know that even when I’m online, I can pick up my phone and dial live help to answer questions about my computer’s security. And while there is so much more included in the package, the best thing for you to do is log onto their website and see how much you get from so little money.

Seasons Passes Can Save You a Lot of Money!

As we head into the last couple of months before the ski season begins, resort will be sending out numerous notifications about season pass prices. This is indeed their big last push for pass sales, but folks, you’re not being sold a bill of goods by buying a pass. Having had a pass at various resorts for most of my life, I can say that I think passes are the best bargains anywhere. Hell, I can go to Lake Tahoe for a week and save money by purchasing a seasons’ pass except for at one ski resort. Granted, many of their visitors are from away or overseas and don’t have a clue that this is such a great option, but really folks, look into this.

Now I understand that budgets are tight and right now you might be saying that you’ll just buy day tickets, but have you seen the cost of these? Upwards of $80 depending on the resort. With passes going for as little as $350 at a lot of resorts, you don’t have to ski many days to pay for your pass. Another benefit can be discounts at resort stores and services and even a discount on next year’s pass.

Camden Snow Bowl Finally Seeks Upgrades!

During the November elections, residents of Camden, Maine will get the chance to have their say in a proposal that could breathe new life into the town's ski area. Already a rarity in the industry, the Camden Snow Bowl is town owned and operated and thus rarely sees the funding needed for improvements, yet even as my family and I took breaks from the cold this past winter, it was clear that the beautiful yet cramped A-frame lodge needs expansion. Additionally, planners have decided that along with the expansion of the base lodge, the area is long-overdue for an upgrade to the lift system, which may be the oldest in the state. With a classic Hall double chair as the main lift and two vintage 1960's Hall t-bars, the lifts are showing their age and the highest lift is the main t-bar, which is the only way to access 4 of the 10 trails from the summit. And while a new lift is unnecessary, a good used double or triple chairlift to replace the summit t-bar could keep a lot of families happy and possibly increase revenue.
The main problem to all these ideas is that the Snow Bowl as an annual operating budget of around 300k. The improvements all told would come to about 6 million over 2 years. While this is a drop in the bucket to most ski areas, a town owned ski area can't come up with such funds. So the town is turning to the voters to approve tax appropriations for a quarter of the costs, with the other costs coming from fund raising and private donations. This is an exciting time for Camden. With the town showing that they are willing to raise most of the capital and a town itself having deep pride in this skiing gem, I look forward to a positive news article the day after the vote!

Wordless Wednesday!

Heavenly Mountain Resort honored for being "car-free!"

I feel fortunate to have travelled to some of the best ski resorts in the world. And while I still love being at home in Maine, I treasure the trip I get to take to places like Europe and out west. A few years ago, Julie and I started to ski at Heavenly Mountain Resort on the border of California and Nevada. We were instantly taken by the awe-inspiring views, the friendly people, and the wonderful skiing. Of course, you only need to look at the title of my blog, The Blue World, to understand how much Heavenly and Lake Tahoe mean to me. And despite all that I love about the South Shore, I never would have put Heavenly in the same category as a European resort. It’s not because of the skiing – the skiing is great and the snow is far better, but American resorts are just totally different from anyone on the other side of the pond. Be it the culture, the jagged peaks, or the architecture, there really isn’t any comparison, they are just different experiences and both are great. So it came as a surprise when I read an article recently that was talking about ski resort where you don’t need a car. It’s commonplace in Europe, but here in the US, no way – until now. Heavenly Mountain Resort was named #7 in the world for being car-free. It’s not something I gave any thought to, but now that I look at the map, the villages, and the public transportation system, I can see that at Heavenly, you really don’t need a car. Just think how much money you could save by not having to rent a car on a ski vacation? You can have that experience in South Lake Tahoe!

Don't get left out in the... Heat!

Many of you might think that we always have cold weather up here in Maine, but nothing could be further from the truth. Temps can get up into the 90’s in the summer and it’s really humid, which makes it even worse. A couple of years before I bought my new car I 2005, my air conditioner broke in my car and it was right in the middle of the summer. And while I went just about everywhere, no one could fix the ac compressor at a reasonable price because there was also a little matter of needing a new pump. So for two years I drove everywhere with my window down. You don’t need to go to your dealer to get parts for things like air conditioners. If you shop around, you can find great parts at great discount prices.

Upon further inspection...

Now I don’t want any of you to get jealous, but Julie and I had our first house inspection last week. As standard with the purchase of a new pad, we obviously wanted to make sure that everything in the condo is up to snuff. On the surface, everything already looked great, the place was really tidy and there were even new Delta faucets, which is no surprise given that the owner is a doctor, but there can always be small things that could be broken or need fixing and those costs should never fall on the buyer. When we got the inspection report, there were some minor things to fix and the seller gladly agreed to have the work done prior to closing. A good experience all in all.

If I were a kid again, I could play with toys, too!

There are so many times that I wish I were a kid again. Seriously, not having to work, playing without stress, and all the great toys I remember. Now I get to live vicariously through my nieces and nephew who are all coming into the ages where toys actually mean something to them. Being the Godfather to one of them, I may get to have some influence over what they play with, but I kind of doubt it. I think it would be pretty funny to see my 5-year-old niece playing with Star Wards figures, but I’m not too sure her mother would like it all that much!

Looking for skis this year? Do your homework!

It’s that time of year when reviews of everything from skis to resorts are beginning to flood the world of mountain living. As I enjoy the fist issues of ski magazines for the year, I marvel at all the awesome new skis on the market and am pleased to have been able to test some of them. That being said, I’m pretty happy with my B83’s and won’t be forking out a $1000 plus for a pair this year. Of course I said that last year as well, and then snap… I was off to the ski shop. And while I certainly don’t wish that upon anyone else, skis do break, skis get tired or worn out, and technology is always allowing us to do new things and ski better. Naturally there will be thousands of folks looking at new skis this year and therefore I have two pieces of advice for you. First, look through all the ski magazines and see what features you like. Second, get out early in the season and demo the skis you’re interested in. Skis can look great on the outside, but it’s how they perform and feel under foot that will determine what you should buy. It’s getting colder folks!

Don't be left out of the Black Friday deals!

What’s one of the worst things that can happen to you on Black Friday? Yes, I’m talking about the day after Thanksgiving – you know; the one that retailers plan for and wait for 364 days out of the year. Okay, perhaps likening anything having to do with shopping as “the worst thing that can happen to you” is a little dramatic, but as it relates to that particular day or any day that you might shop, there is something truly horrible that can happen. You guessed it; the items you’ve been wanting since they came out of production were all sold at super-cheap prices, but you just couldn’t stomach going to the mall at 3:00 AM to stand in line and fight all the crowds. Sure, you had an idea that Dick’s Sporting Goods was going to have a sale on every single golf club in the store, but to think of actually going there on Black Friday made you nauseous. Best Buy may have had a half-off sale on all their laptops, but when you envisioned the parking lot outside and all the laps you have to do in the car, just waiting for that one elusive spot to open up, you got a migraine. Okay, well first, I haven’t a clue what either of the aforementioned stores will have on sale this year, but like you, I don’t want to be anywhere near either of them or the thousands of other stores that will have great deals on Black Friday. What I do know is that all of these retailers feel your pain, too. Sure, they’d love to have you in their stores, but they know that you and I will be hanging out with our family and eating cold turkey sandwiches instead of waiting in lines. And because they know that, they know that you’re as savvy a consumer as anyone and should be rewarded for your decision, hence we have Cyber Monday, when all the great deals can be found on the Internet and not in the stores, but this isn’t as commonly known as many may think. Sure, a lot of store will advertise Internet deals, but just be sure you know that in order to get many of these deals, you’ll need Cyber Monday Ads coupons, or coupon codes. Black Friday Scans as hundreds of ads and coupons that you can print right off your computer.

Where's Bode this summer?

While it’s easy to find out what the U.S. Ski Team is up to, the top American male alpine skier might be a little more obscure these days. Sure, Bode Miller and his Team America will be front and center of newspapers once the season starts and he attempts to defend his overall crown, but for now, the outspoken World Cup Overall Champion is laying low. Having lost two of his coaches from last year, we know that Forest Carey will return and Bode has been hard at work in New Hampshire taking care of his organic farm and playing a lot of tennis. So while you may not hear about his exploits on the snowfields of New Zealand, he’ll surely be ready to race once the season starts. I don’t care if he says he’s 50-50 on whether he’ll race, he will. As long as he thinks he can ski well and win races, he’ll race, and for at least the foreseeable future, it will be without the backing of the U.S. Ski Team.

Quality Auto Body Repair Without The Dealer Costs!

Regardless of how long someone’s been driving, a fender bender or more serious accident can happen at any time. What to do after this happens can mean a lot. Sure, you can head out to your local car dealer and get an estimate for a new quarter panel, but don’t be surprised if you end up paying more than an arm and a leg for the repairs. Talk to friends and do your homework because auto body work doesn’t have to put you in the poorhouse!

Skilifts.org offers the right kind of addiction!

Are you excited for ski season? Is your resort planning or installing a new type of lifting that you've never seen before? Chances are that you can find pretty much any ski lift imaginable on skilifts.org. While they currently only cover resorts in the United States and Canada, you'll be amazed at the amount of pictures, states, and history packed onto this page. I will warm you, though, it is addictive. Once you click on a picture of an old lift and find out it was moved to another resort, you may find yourself searching on and on and on. There's also a forum where you can mingle with fellow lift geeks and industry reps.

The U.S. Men take their show to New Zealand for on the snow training!

While most of us are only dreaming of being on the slopes right about now, the men’s U.S Ski Team has been hard at work in New Zealand preparing for the upcoming World Cup and Europa Cup seasons. In all, 17 of America’s best have been training slalom and giant slalom on Coronet Peak and are said to be in good form. While speed courses such as super-g and downhill can’t be maintained and even full-length training courses have been hampered by heavy snowfall and poor weather, this extra time on the snow at the end of the summer and dryland training is an aspect of the off season that the Europeans seem to take for granted. It takes a lot of extra commitment and even more money to make this happen, but coming off the best single season for American skiers, the off season tactics seem to be paying dividends and everyone is looking forward to a strong effort with the opening giant slalom in Solden, Austria in October.

Keep your family financially secure!

Do you have a job that has less than adequate employee benefits and thus no life insurance? Well, it’s easy to like short term and hope that nothing happens to you, but first, you don’t know that to be the case and second, planning for your family’s future if something were to happen to you is paramount. You’ll hear a lot of advertising for huge amounts of life insurance, but in reality, large amounts are costly and not necessary. Just assess what your family’s need would be in case of an emergency and get life insurance rates today. While it’s something you hope never gets used, it can provide important piece of mind.

If you just can't part with that old sofa...

Let’s face it, we all hate moving. Whether it’s from an apartment to another or likewise for a house, moving is a hassle and it seems that we accumulate so much stuff over a short period of time. Some people can easily part with things, but others, like myself are pack rats and love to keep just about everything. So what do you do when you find a place that you really love, but it doesn’t quite have adequate storage space? One thing you can do is decide to have a yard sale or just get rid of things, but another great option is utilizing self storage places. They’re cheap and keep your home clutter free, at least for a short while.

Strollers don't belong on the road.

There is seemingly a place for everything, but I often get worried as I drive down the road a see a person pushing a baby stroller on the shoulder of the road instead of on the sidewalk. Not only that, they often have them going against traffic. I suppose I could understand this if there wasn’t a sidewalk, but in my opinion, this present way too much danger, especially at night, which makes me curious if there are strollers out there that have reflectors on them. Of course, the optimal suggestion would be to have them off the road all together, but people will always do as they see fit. Taking an extra step in safety within that choice would be great.

Rossignol closes the door on its' most famous line of skis!

Without much fanfare at all, Rossignol has finally phased out its’ most successful line of skis ever. While they are keeping a lot of the Bandit technology and molds for the 2008-2009 season; gone is the name that captured so much of the retail ski market over the past decade. In 2003, I became a fan of the Bandit X, added the B2 (formally Bandit XX) in 2006, and last year I went for what I would consider one of the best all-around skis I’ve ever had under foot, the B83 (formally the Bandit XXX and B3). The Bandit lines were popular for combining skiers’ desire for wide skis for crude and powder with various side cuts. While most companies were building fat skis or shaped skis, Rossi was able to do this together. Instead of naming a new line, the models will all have separate monikers and topskin designs. It’s truly the end of an era is skiing.

Parabola helps cure the summer blues!

While the temperature may still be a little warm to start thinking about snowmaking, or wearing a sweater for that matter, a good way to satisfy your skiing stoke would be watching the new ski flick from T&W Productions out of Yarmouth, Maine, Parabola. T&W specialize in getting lots of footage of eastern skiers and riders at locations all across New England while also dedicating ample portions of their films to adventures at in some of the biggest and best resorts in Utah and Wyoming. From Sunday River, Maine to Snowbird, Utah, there's no shortage of powder days accompanied by one of the best soundtracks you can imagine to get your adrenaline rushing. Check out the trailer to the film and catch some of action and beautiful footage throughout the movie.

Need a certified landscaper?

Do you ever come across a home project that you can’t do yourself and yet you don’t know anyone good that you can trust? While you can always open up the yellow pages and hope the landscaper you choose does a good job, but no where in that huge yellow book does it give any reviews or list certifications. That’s where Clicksmart comes in. Clicksmart is an online directory for services in all 50 states and the best part about it is that the contractors are all certified, which will give you some piece of mind when intrusting you shrubs or lawn to a group of people you don’t know. Whether you need snowplowing in Fargo or Raleigh landscaping, you can’t go wrong with Clicksmart.

A sign that snow isn't too far away!

When I got home today from work, I had a package waiting for me from Skiing Magazine. Having just renewed my subscription for three years at only $10, they also threw in a new embroidered fleece blanket. Okay, so I could pretty much care less about the blanket, but it certainly means that the first issue of the year will arrive any day, which means that other ski mags will arrive any day, which basically means I don't have to rely on the USA Today's sports section for entertaining sports reading.

Summer or Winter?

Just watching the summer Olympics has me yearning for Vancouver in 2010 when the next winter games will be held. It's not that I don't love the summer games; I do, but there's something extra special about the the feel of the winter Olympics that make them much more appealing. Perhaps it's the lack of the large amount of professional athletes or maybe it's because I've been involved with more winter sports. And yet all that being said, I still look forward to the rest of the Beijing games and watching more records fall. Whether it's summer or winter, the Olympic spectacle is second to none.

The last of the film makers...

I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a skier or snowboarder that doesn't enjoy a good ski or riding flick. The evolution of this medium has come along ways over the past several decades and while there are only a few household names in the industry, there are pioneers who allowed us to have great ski footage. Dick Barrymore was one of those pioneers. Making ski movies up through 1985, he was the first great American action sports film maker making movies such as The Last of The Ski Bums and Vagabond Skier. Barrymore, a 2000 inductee into the United States Skiing Hall of Fame, died on August 4, 2008 at his home in Ketchum, Idaho. Barrymore's passing leaves a hole in the industry that won't soon be filled and suffice to say, icon was lost.

How do you diet?

So I went to meet with my nutritionist today and I was a little nervous. It’s only the second time I’ve met with him and it was the end of my first week. A first week that surely had it’s ups and downs. I was very up front with him and said that I fell off the wagon and had ice cream a couple of nights, but the rest of the time I stuck to his diet very well. And then he asked me if about an hour after I ate a really big meal, whether I felt hungry. I told him that I did and that I thought it was odd. He smiled and said that this means it’s working and that I should feel that way. I couldn’t help but think that when some people who want to lose weight will take diet pills, but not me, I go get on the elliptical.

Do skiers and riders really love trail maps?

What is it about ski trail maps that skiers and snowboarders love so much? While tourists will bring them out for reference time to time, you rarely if ever see a frequent skier with one. It could be because they know the mountain layout or they studied the map before, but I guarantee you won’t see many pulling out a trail map on the lift. It’s odd actually. It’s like they/we would be admitting defeat like I husband who needs to ask for directions in the car. And yet we don’t dislike trail maps we/them/us love them. We collect them, compare them from years gone by, and some folks even frame them. Most of the people that I ski with go away to other parts of the country at least once a year and we all bring back trail maps – multiple trail maps that friends snag up. It’s a very interesting thing.

What's the best treatment for acne

Difference people have different types of skin. No, I’m not talking about pigment or color, but I’m referring to the fact that some people have oily skin, some have dry skin, and some even have what is considered “perfect skin.” While the latter is quite rare, a lot of people suffer from bouts with acne at some point in their life. Choosing that right plan of attack against acne is paramount.

Make sure you really know who you're hiring

People often talk a lot about the process of finding a good job and going throw the interview and selection process, but rarely do people discuss the difficulties that an employer faces when hiring new employees. Bringing on someone new can be a risk unless a company makes sure to perform due diligence in checking references and especially making background checks a part of the employment screening. You don’t want a new employee to turn out to be a liability.

A reasonable request?

So when Julie and I say down with our broker this past week to put an offer down on our first home together. The place we saw had a couple of really sweet and fairly rare pieces of ski memorabilia. One was an old Cannon Mountain Tram poster from the 50's and there was also an old Sugarloaf print that was unreal. So anyway, when we put our offer in, I looked at our broker and told him the figure I was thinking and that I wanted the two pieces to remain. So the sellers came back with a counter offer that did not include the times. Apparently their respect for skiing's history runs deep as well. And while they said that they would consider the items if not including them would be deal breakers, my thinking is that if they have that amount of respect for those two ski rarities, who am I to take them from them?

World Cup Alpine Racers Gearing Up For 08/09 Season!

With the first event of the 2008/2009 World Cup season coming up in Austria in October, racers from around the world are fine-tuning their skis and their skills for the year. After months of dry land training and little rest, most countries have their racers training on glaciers from New Zealand to Austria. While glacier training is great for the technical events such as slalom and giant slalom, the speed events usually get left out of the regimen until the season starts and early season training facilities prepare courses. With little news out of any camps this summer, it's hard to pick clear favorites for the overalls, but one would have to think that if Bode Miller decides to race - and has replaced his coaches - he will be at or near the top of the standings. On the women's side, there is no reason to think that Lindsay Vonn's success from last season won't carry over to this year, but I would think that among the strong contingent of Europeans, American Julia Mancuso is going to want to bounce back form an up and down season last year.