Do The Dew

The Dew Tour was super fun. It was about the most heavily produced ski event I have witnessed. Huge half pipe, huge disco lights on the half pipe, crowds, cameras, boom cams, VIP it was the biggest crowd in Dew Tour History. Plus all this mixed in with a ski area offering the best terrain you could ask for. You could get inspired then go ski. The whole event had an awesome energy.

Best Christmas

It was so nice for Jill and I to be able to welcome friends and family to our house. It makes all the hard work worth it. It was great to show Jonah the "after" because he was so familiar with the "before". And it was fun to show mom, well, just because we knew she would like it. Here are a few of the memories that stick in my head:

• Mom and Ed arriving at the house and us being able to welcome them and show off the house.
• Lizzie licking Tate and they both like it.
• Tulah making her first runs down the rope tow on her own.
• All of us being cozy around the fire with drinks every night.
• Our stop-by dinner party.
• Tulah and Tate skiing around the rental shop.
• Opening stocking things from mom.
• Talking on the phone to mom who was on the summer roads as the four of us skied Greelly Hill.
• Edie filming everything with the flip.
• Downtown in the snow, on the train, ice skating and walking with Jill.

Freedom of the Hills

Ahh - the freedom of the hills!!! It feels pretty good to back on skis. The legs are starting to get stronger and I think the preseason ski training is helping. They opened Main Chute at Alta for opening day! Its a real leg burner on the way up and down. I really like early season... the creativity of minimized terrain, the fast turns around unforeseen twigs... your eyes perked like your wellbeing depended on detecting any small inconsistency in the snow that could tell the tale of something lying beneath...and we get a few days to practice carving on hard snow before it goes away until the same time next year. Its absolutely amazing how much better the skiing is at Alta than everywhere else when we have this little snow. Here are few previously unseen photos from last year.

Shelter

Jump in Time

Well there's been a lot going on since we got back from Austria and no blog posts, so I wanted to quickly capture some thoughts in a free form string of consciousness. Maybe later I can fill them in.

We danced in the garage while wearing speed skating outfits.

Went camping on stansberry Island with Sam. Awesome weather, rain, clouds, hawks and great for the dogs.

We laid in the grass at the ball field while watching the fireworks.

Went To San Diego ESRI conference. Great to be back there with Jill. It will always be romantic for us as we went to the conference together by chance while dating early in our relationship.

Jill and I have purchased our first home. A real fixer upper. Jonah came down for the weekend to help. He really jump started or transformation process. What an amazing guesture it was for him to make the trip.

Jill's father is now here to help. We are so thankfull for all the help.

Since Jonah left we have:

• We finished laying the tile.
• We had the stuff tested in the bedroom and it came back negative for asbestos and is now removed. Thanks to Jill's dad.
• The beams are being delivered today.
• The electrician starts tomorrow. estimating 1,450$ for everything including materials. 25$ per hour.
• The dumpster gets picked up tomorrow.
• We exposed the brick on the south wall of dinning room. (almost done)(looks great!)
• Removed sheetrock from post and removed cupboard from entryway.
• I got the parts for the furnace vent pipe but haven't put it together yet.

It is really great to work on the house. Its like being on the ridge everyday. Feels so great to be building.

Lizzie is almost 2 now and as crazy as ever. My neck is recovering well and I think I should be ready to ski when the snow flies.

Weisses Kreuz

C6

On Sunday April 19, 2009 I broke my neck skiing. I went off a jump, got forward, landed and tumbled like I have done a million other times... but this time things went wrong. I will have titanium in my vertebra from here on out. The good news is that things are healing up well. I have no neurological damage and the doctors tell me I will heal up to full strength and full flexibility with no limitations. Breaking your neck isn't as bad as it seems it might be... I am very grateful to be OK and it has given me a new outlook and new appreciation for the people around me. Thanks to all my friends on the day of the crash for your help. Also thanks to Jonah for flying right out to help and to Mom and Dad for putting everything else aside to be with me. Thanks to all my friends a family for all the calls, cards, visits and support. Thanks Beth for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition and most of all, thanks Jill for your strength and love.