Ripe

By about 3pm, I will start to smell very ripe and will need large amounts of Diet Coke to keep my eyes open.  And I'm good with that because things are finally back to normal.  I'm back on the early morning backcountry schedule.  We finally have good snow and stable enough conditions (on certain aspects) that make it worth getting out of bed before work and skiing.

Today's tour was small and fast.  I met Ben at the base of LCC, and the two of us made good time up the south side of Flagstaff.  Not a lot of talking and not a lot of tinkering.  That's what the drive up and down the canyon are for- Talking and tinkering.

The snow was way better than I expected.  Especially for a south facing shot. It was so good, it would have been unacceptable to not lap it.  So we did.  Lap 2 required we put in a new skin track as we were skiers left by a couple of gullies from the original track.  Breaking trail in deep snow hurts but the reward is well worth it.

2 laps, a quick change of clothes in the car, and then straight to work.  I skipped the shower.  As much as I tried to not sweat on the climbs, I haven't figured that out yet.  So by about 3pm today (just in time for the team meeting when we all cram into a small conf room at work), I will be nice and ripe.