Day 19 Snowboarding
I finally rolled out at 5:48am, I am 12 minutes behind schedule. I had pumpkin soup. While walking in the dark outside the steps of the door, my foot stepped on something that cracked and it sounded like a shell of snails. I hope I didn’t. I think I did. I am so sorry. I wondered if I was on time in getting out the door, would I have missed this snail crossing. What if I stepped a little to the right or left, would I have missed it?
The drive without cruise control can be just exhausting. When I saw the rolling hills before getting onto 80, it just makes me happy. When I got onto 80E I saw lots of cars with ski and snowboards on the car and I get really happy and excited. I heard on the radio that chains were required. I stopped at Placerville to pump gas. I so needed to use the restroom too.
I saw a man next to my parked car putting on his chains. His name was Lucas. He has a condo in I89 and has plans for Kirkwood. The condo was booked for Friday and into the weekend. But 89 was closed and so he lost a night, he is from Oakland. I told him chains are like a two person thing and that we can help each other. I ruined my pretty manicure while doing my chains. I am sad about that. But what was worse was I used my injured arm and it made it worse. I was in pain. Lucas helped me to click the inside chains for me. After seeing me put bungees on my chains, Lucas decided to put his bungees on too. Bungees keep the chain from derailing off the wheel and destroying the chain, tired, and axle. I called Caltran and I89 was still closed for him. I hope he was able to get to where he needed.
I proceeded to Heavenly after rice and nori. I wondered as I ate, if I had been 12 whole minutes earlier and was on time, would have I missed Lucas or if I had stopped to pee at Sacramento instead? Lucas needed help with chains and a road status call on the phone and bungees.
Chain control was 12 miles from the gas station. Lucas was right about putting chains on dry cement in a parking lot, way better than by the road on black ice and brown snow. The last 70 miles of the drive took me 3 hours because the safe speed for chains is 25mph. There was ice on the road especially over Echo Summit. My ankle trembled the whole 70 miles all three hours in fear and worry of the road conditions and lack of experience. I decided I would not take the chains off because I need them this entire weekend and possibly getting up into Heavenly parking lot.
I made it to Heavenly at 12pm. I was exhausted. That last 70 miles and extra hours of driving time made me question my sanity for coming this weekend. At the parking lot I knew once I am on the snow I will forget it all, all this doubt, fear, fatigue and the dread of the drive back. I was right. I got on the lift at 1pm. The snow was like butter. It was like butter cream on a cake and there was plenty of it. I was so so happy, it was so much fun. The Sky lift was shut down due to high wind gusts. I spent my time on High Five runs and that was super windy too. I had to stop when I see mini tornados swirling 10 feet by 30 feet, swirling snow. It is very difficult to ride through or in the tornado swirls. It’s about a 7 minute wait and it moves on and breaks up, until the next one somewhere else.
As I sat and waited and watched the tornado, I prayed and asked the wind, “Please blow way my ignorance and desires and all unwholesome attachments, leave me clean with compassion and wisdom.” I sang the repentance verses and wait for visibility to return before continuing down the slope. The slope was lumpy and hard on the joints, lots of jumps and hops taken without skill or intention. It was exhausting and unpleasant at times. I did manage to do the connective” e”, that was nice, very satisfying.
Things I thought about on the snow today, what is unavoidable is the calling to look within and revamp the dysfunctional inside. I don’t actually know how really. I know I need time to focus on it, I can, I am capable, I have all that I need.
While on one of the lifts, I sat next to a man from Austria who told me to do Western Austria where there are lots of lakes good for hiking.
The arm injury is still around and so is the right knee on the left inside corner, both still hanging out. Yup, I will need to heal from all of this when the snow melts, while the snow is still good, I don’t want to go see a doctor who will tell me to lay off using my body and stay off the snow. The injured spot on my arm is dried plum purple grey. I think there is black blood sitting stuck there or maybe I just keep injuring it and making it bleed on the inside over and over. As for the knee, I have been icing it on the snow when I take breaks on the slope to keep the inflammation down.
I went for the free hot coco stand by the bus stop at the end of the day. It was yummy this time. Since lifts of CA to NV closed, lots of people stood in line for shuttle transfer. At noon upon arrival, I took the time to ask the driver about bus shuttle for tomorrow. The bus runs from the transit center at 8am and it takes 20 minutes to get to Ski Run and runs every half an hour on weekend before 2pm.
At the parking lot, I checked my chains, one is only at 3 knots and it’s too loose, which will ruin the tires and the chain. But both Lucas and I were not strong enough to click it closer. I felt male strength but I only saw a female, still I went with my intuition and I walked towards that car and asked, a boy in junior high turns around, her son, her son who kindly said yes and we tried without any success. His brothers showed up and he called for Andrews. Andrews was in high school and looked more like a grown man. Andrews along with his buddies were all at least 6 feet tall of the same physique, as if they all came out of the same factory molding. He too tried without success and went to his car to get a tool, a pair of pliers and was able to get in the 4th knot. I was so happy. I reached for the salt and vinegar chips and handed to the boys as thanks for helping me. Andrews passed the chips to share with his buddies. It all worked out, it was their favorite flavor of chips. I was glad. The mom stayed silent and looking disturbed, concerned, protective this entire time. I understood her and she understood me. She wasn’t all that comfortable but she dealt with it and was politely silent about it. Thanks Mom! Thanks for your patient nurturing love.
I decided I would go to Safeway and restock on the chips to stash for the trunk to give. Nothing is free in life and I am sorry about the first and second time the guys helped me and I had nothing prepared to offer and how I also forgot to do so when I did. The Safeway run after a day of snow is like a party scene. The place is packed full of visitors.
I was so tired by 7pm, I was also in a lot of physical pain, I had to lay on the bed and watch TV sideways.
