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This is from a couple of years ago but wanted to share it anyways
posted at 08:46 pm on 01-13-2008
Steamboat Springs is but a dream that has become a great reality and the latest trip/adventure in my life. The trip started off a little rocky and stressful with a misadventure traveling here by plane, first with a search because they get a little parnoid if you don't have a piece of carry on luggage, then had to wait and hour at hayden airport because my luggage got put on the next flight in due to weight restrictions. But with that all aside i made it to steamboat alright and okay.
As soon as i got to steamboat springs, the first thing i did was check in and after that quick checkin it was off to discover what steamboat had to offer for dining and entertainment on a friday night. I dined at the bear river pub and grill right next to the gondola, i had a great view of the ski hill as the skiers and snowboarders were finishing up their day on the hill. The local beer, steamboat ale, that i tried was a rich full flavor dark ale. I then headed to the tugboat pub and grill for another drink. I then went back to my hotel to prepare for day two of my trip and my first day of snowboarding.
Day two of my trip was a blast, the conditions were heavenly with so much snow and a great temparture to top it off. As i had decided to come on this trip solo it was a great opprunituty to meet some new friends, which became a reality after two or three runs when i met this great girl from denver, what an exciting life she has live and i wish her the best of luck in her toursim carrer, and we skied and boarded together all day. We then met up with one of her friends and went to this great little mexican resturant. What a great girl, very outgoing and has worked in some really intersting places, hopefully the start of a new friendship. We soon parted ways for the day and i went and hit the hot tub after a hard day of snowboarding. It was then of to the tugboat bar and grill to watch a live jam rock band play, but by the time they started playing it was getting late and i was getting tired. From what i did hear they sounded good.
Day three was another great day of snowboarding, great conditions again. This time i flied solo and explored the mountain, what a blast. Later in the day i ran into my new friends but my shy nature which only allows me to have a good conversation one on one only came into effect, so when there is more than two people i don't do so well with talking. i thought it was best to part ways when we got off the chairlift as i wanted to keep snowboarding solo and not interfer with a girls day out. i do wish i gave a proper goodbye though. I had supper at the sheraton, expensive but good. i then hit the hot tub back at the hotel then relaxed watching some tv.
Day four was spent exploring downtown steamboat, the only downfall to the downtown was the sulfur smell. The downtown core had a good mix of new and old buildings. Good shopping and dining. Some great pictures were taken. I then came back to the hotel to relax and hit the hot tub again in prepartion for my final day of snowboarding.
My last day of snowboarding was a disappointment, as i have come down with a cold, i gave it my all and got in two runs that was all i could handle. I had a lot of fun here in steamboat springs and the old native legend is true, once you visit steamboat springs you can't leave and i don't want to leave but i have. I will however definetly be coming back again as this is my favorite ski hill i have been to in the states so far.
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Is Global warming a reality that we need to deal with?
posted at 05:21 pm on 10-18-2007
This is a short little blog and i'm not going to go into much detail.
I just find it strange that I can hear a lawn mower outside my room. For one who lives in Northern BC, Canada that was one sound I thought I would never hear in the middle of October. Its sunny and +10 degrees Celsius and a lawn is being cut. Usually its anywhere between -10 to -20 degrees Celsius and we have a foot of snow by this point.
On the bright side it prolongs me having to buy winter clothes for work. The longer the winter holds off the more money I am able to save up for winter clothes.
I guess the first step for me to help with global warming is to stop working in the oilpatch surveying wellsites and pipelines. My dad told me the other day that the oilpatch has crashed. I agree with him for the most part as its been a very slow summer and fall so far. I have been off for 6 days now and still have another three days off. I find out monday night if i will be working on tuesday.
With the warm weather we are experiencing it is making it impossible for the muskeg to start to freeze. Without frozen muskeg ice roads can't be built, drilling rigs can't set up to drill. I guess those greedy oilpatch people got what they deserve even though their sitting pretty and im a semi broke pawn in their eyes. I admit defeat and am going to have to start looking for a second job or more likely a new job all together.
But in all reality something really needs to be done about global warming.
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Adventurous spirit
posted at 05:41 pm on 09-10-2007
Sunday April 29th, 2007 has just gone down in history as the greatest day in my life so far!!!!!!! Why you may ask? Well like the title describes i took a huge leap of faith and competled my first tandem skydive jump.
I showed up at Okangan Skydive Adventures in Vernon around 10am. Driving in the weather was overcast and raining slighty and had my doubts that i would be able to jump today. But as i was filling out the waiver they reassured me that they won't be jumping in that weather and that they would be waiting until the weather clears before heading up. So i finished filling out the wavier as my hand kept slowly shaking! So nevrous but so exicted at the same time(the struggle within). Once i finished filling out the wavier i paid for the jump and to get a video taken. The video is expensive but its well worth it! Then one of the Tandem jumpmasters gave me some ground school training which lasted about half and hour.
When that was finished i headed off to Tim hortons to get something to eat and drink. Got back to the Skydive place and the weather was starting to clear up and the first group was getting ready to go up. I had 4 groups/loads in front of me. So i just relaxed at the pinic table watching the groups before me make there jumps and listening to there stories afterwards. Conitunally getting more and more excited as my turn was approaching.
Now im getting really excited as the group before me has taken off and it is time to start getting geared up. Now that the jumpmaster, video operator jumper and myself are all geared up and the plane has landed, we head over to the plane. The jumpmaster and i go over a dry ground run on how to exit the plane as the video operator films. Then we all pile in to the plane and were off and almost at the point of no return.
It took about 10-15 mins to climb to altitude which gave us time to take in some breathing taking views of the okanagan valley, vernon, kamallaka lake and the north end of okanagan lake. As we were climbing the excitment started to dissappear due to butterflies. We climbed on in altitude though as i was still commited to the jump, but the clouds were starting to roll back in. As a result we only made it to an altitude of 8500ft instead of the objective of 10000ft.
The jumpmaster has finished making all the connections and doublechecked the harnesses and were at are altitude of 8500 ft and the door has been opened. The video operator climbed over as and out on to the step to video tape the jump, all the while im looking the opposite direction of the door. The rollercoaster of emotions that are beginning to take place are amazing as the butterflies are really settling in but i still manage to pull my left leg into a crouch postion and place it on the step, then the right leg is placed on the step all with ease despite the butterflies.
I now have my head tilted back, the jumpmaster is slowly rocking us back and forth and were past the point of no return as we do a frontwards summersault out of the airplane. We are now barrelling towards earth in a freefall were we reached a speed of 120mph. Your mind goes blank and you feel so free, any worry, anexity and stress of everyday life competely dissapears. As we continue freefalling we are able to get a close up with the camera operator.
We have now reached 5500ft and the shoot has been deployed and were safetly floating back to earth with my stomach in my throat all the while taking in the beautiful sencery as the rollercoaster of emotions have returned. It literally felt like i was going to shit my pants but when i went to the bathroom after landing i didn't have to go anymore. Its the weirdest feeling in the world. But back to our five mintue float back to ground. A couple slow left hand and right hand turns were thrown in to the mix and before you know it your coming in on the final approach. The camera operator is already on the ground filming us as we approach. The jumpmaster instucts me to lift my legs into the squat position, he flares the parachute and we are standing on solid ground. What a soft landing!! Jumping off a 5ft deck has a harder impact on your body.
Ive been disconnect from the jumpmaster, there is hugs all around. I give a little interview for the camera for my video. My jaw feels like its going to break from smiling so hard, hence were the rush really comes in as your so excited and happy to have did the jump and so glad your back on solid ground alive.
We walk back to the trailer and picnic tables and i sit around and waited for my video to be edited. I wanted to have motley crue's kick start the heart as the background music on the video but they didn't have that song so i with Metallica's The struggle within. I know have my video and my wall cerfticate stating ive completed my first tandem jump and on my way back to Oliver.
I can't wait to do it again. I figure i try a few more tandem jumps to get a little more use to it. This way i can get more personalized instruction on operating the canopy and so on. Then after i feel comfortable enough with all those jumps it is onto a solo jump.
Hope you enjoyed my story!
Its five in the morning as i finish this story and still on a natural high that i can't sleep.
What a Rush!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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