My Powder Day actually started at 7pm on Sunday night when I pushed send and the email alert began its rounds. My three boys, of course, reading over my shoulder, erupted into a pig pile and given the fact that we had been momless for the past three days the resulting celebration was nothing short of catastrophic. That said, as the phone calls and emails started to roll in following the announcement, I became overwhelmed with emotion. Not necessarily because I was excited for the day but rather because I was in awe of the event. I am sure that it was not Sam Hazard's intent 35 years ago to produce a symbolic "time out" but to me that is the beauty of Powder Day. For seemingly no reason at all we stop everything that we are doing and for one day, one glorious day, we simply live in the moment. So Sam, thank you for giving me permission to live in the moment! It is, simply put, my favorite day of the year.
On Monday I started on Dollar Mountain where the Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade were skiing. Beginning at 9:45 the 1st grade, respendent in newly created tie die shirts just for the occasion, were eager to strut their stuff on the terrain park jumps and my heart skipped a couple beats when I saw one seven year old after another hurtling their little bodies through the air. Watching Josh, Lily, Nils, Tully, Logan and the rest fly through the early morning chill literally gave me goosebumps. Of course, I was watching them from the comfort of the adjacent corduroy.
After a couple runs with the little ones I drove over to Baldy and headed straight to the top. It appeared that several groups of kids, teachers and parents were gathering up there but the 4th grade boys seemed the most eager. So, in quick succession, all ten boys, five parents, Trent and I plummeted down the sun drenched face of Christmas. Twenty turns and a handful of snow gun jumps later we reached the cat track. They continued down to Christmas Bowl and ultimately over to Seattle Ridge while I rested my already burning quads on the cat track over to Christmas lift.
There, I encountered the 8th grade. Not surprisingly, this rag tag group of 8 or 9 were 10 minutes late for their meeting with the group on top and I thought it might be best that I accompany them so that they would not incur the wrath of Scott and Naomi. Furthermore, I think it is no secret that I absolutely love 8th graders and was eager to ski a run with them. And, by the time we got to the top they were all there. Every single one of them. Yes, in classic Middle School style it took a while for them to actually begin skiing but once we did it was a blast. The costumes, the chatter, the breakneck speed...Jeez, it's no wonder these kids had no problems with the Food Unit! I knew one run was all I could handle with my beloved 8th graders so it was back to the top with an impromptu rendez-vous with the 3rd grade boys.
Now, these little guys can flat out rip and it was clear as soon as we began the descent down Christmas Bowl that it would be the boys in front and the adults behind. These boys were flying over jumps, bouncing through the moguls and impressing us all in the process. And, in classic 3rd grade boy style, they couldn't help but comment on my pink poles and the fact that I barely got any air at all over the last jump. Little did they know that the air I did get was entirely accidental. Obviously, it was time to move on.
Thus, I found myself on the Seattle Ridge Chair with Colleen Weaver and a posse of 3rd grade girls. Yes, I seemed to be caught in a 3rd grade maelstrom and I was not sure if I could get out. Then, when I innocently agreed to play follow the leader with Noelle, Addy and Kinley I knew I was in for it. You see, they thought it would be fun to take me down Broadway. And not, mind you, the Broadway we all know and love, but the Broadway on the right side where all the bumps and twists and turns are. The Broadway that makes you remember where your kidneys are and why you took up distance running. The Broadway that makes you long for a couch and a fireplace. Anyway, I survived that Broadway and quickly made my getaway. Conveniently enough a train of 8th grade girls, yes, those same 8th grade girls, was heading down to Cold Springs and then up to the top so I thought I'd tag along and perhaps survive intact. Once on the top I actually found myself alone so I thought it would be fun to try to ski from the top to the bottom without stopping. It wasn't exactly fun but I will say when I got to the bottom I was ready for lunch.
The scene inside Warm Springs lodge was probably not your typical Monday in January scene but the kids seemed well behaved and the staff seemed to be enjoying a little more lively Monday than is typical. So, I settled into my chile with the 6th grade boys and just listened. That's pretty much all I needed to do. Then as I was finishing my lunch and growing a bit tired of the 6th grade, well, the 6th gradeness, I saw a large 9th grade group heading out. I tagged along. Of course, they were so caught up in whatever they were caught up in that they didn't notice me until we got to the top but once we got there I said, sheepishly, "Mind if I ski with you?" I don't think they actually heard me but at least I kept up through the flat part before Ridge. Then, it go crazy. Couple things to remember if this ever happens to you: Frannie is much, much, faster than you think. Brett is very funny and a pretty decent snowboarder. Ella is a darn good skier for someone who has pretty much lived in London for the past few years. And, just a warning, don't ever drop into a powder run at the same time as Natalie and Ellie. They tend to crash into one another and when the skis go flying it's a danger to everyone around. Anyway, I was wiping the tears from my eyes when we got to the bottom of River Run in what felt like about 90 seconds when I bid the 9th grade crew goodbye and headed back to Dollar to pick up Tully and shred a few more runs with Janet, Kathy, Gretchen and the gang. And, I gotta say, it won't be long before all these little skiers are getting after it on Baldy (if they're not already!).
After dropping off a tired Tully at my house and calling Carson to find out that he was skiing with his friends (and therefore had no interest in meeting up with me) I knew I wanted to finish the day skiing with one of my kids and knew I only had an hour until I (and more importantly, my credit card) was due at Apples. So, I grabbed Logan at the bottom of Warm Springs and we headed up. As luck would have it we got on the chair with our good friend Terry Palmer who was just finishing a lesson. He said if we could meet him at the top of Squirrel he'd love to ski with us. Now, for any of you who know Terry he is basically the Mayor of Baldy. One day when I was skiing with him last year we met Jann Wenner and Dick Dorworth within minutes of one another and skied with them for the entire day. I actually expected Arnold and the Bruces (that is, Willis and Springsteen!) to show up as well. Anyway, Terry is one of those infectiously enthusiastic skiers who can't help but coach you when you're skiing with him and he always gives just the right pointers. So, needless to say, Logan and I had a great last run with Terry and even though my legs were crying out for mercy I tried my best to heed his advice to keep my weight on my downhill ski (whatever that means).
And then, finally, we retired to Apples. My kids were there, the Blackburn kids were there, and about 25 TCS teachers were there. From the rookies to the vets we enjoyed our time together and Hank, the owner of Apples, suggested that we have a few more of these "Headmaster's Holidays" this year. I think he enjoyed the surprise business. In the end it was the perfect ending to a perfect day.
To complete the circle, when I looked around the room at the end of it all I paused and once again, as I had done the night before, became filled with emotion. Again, the emotion was subtle but real. It was that kind of emotion that emerges when you find yourself in the midst of something larger than yourself. The kind of emotion that wells up when you look around and see Bob and Elliott, Rem and Naomi, Bev and Gretchen, Scott and Travis, Pilar and Jenn and a host of other folks both old and new. The kind of emotion that flies in your face when, in the very same room, you feel the pull of tradition and the connection to the past in the presence of graduates Greg van der Muelen, Mark Hanselman and Jack Weekes who perhaps, better than most, understand the importance of stopping, pausing, and simply living in the moment. After all, isn't that one of best things we teach at this place?
On Monday I started on Dollar Mountain where the Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade were skiing. Beginning at 9:45 the 1st grade, respendent in newly created tie die shirts just for the occasion, were eager to strut their stuff on the terrain park jumps and my heart skipped a couple beats when I saw one seven year old after another hurtling their little bodies through the air. Watching Josh, Lily, Nils, Tully, Logan and the rest fly through the early morning chill literally gave me goosebumps. Of course, I was watching them from the comfort of the adjacent corduroy.
After a couple runs with the little ones I drove over to Baldy and headed straight to the top. It appeared that several groups of kids, teachers and parents were gathering up there but the 4th grade boys seemed the most eager. So, in quick succession, all ten boys, five parents, Trent and I plummeted down the sun drenched face of Christmas. Twenty turns and a handful of snow gun jumps later we reached the cat track. They continued down to Christmas Bowl and ultimately over to Seattle Ridge while I rested my already burning quads on the cat track over to Christmas lift.
There, I encountered the 8th grade. Not surprisingly, this rag tag group of 8 or 9 were 10 minutes late for their meeting with the group on top and I thought it might be best that I accompany them so that they would not incur the wrath of Scott and Naomi. Furthermore, I think it is no secret that I absolutely love 8th graders and was eager to ski a run with them. And, by the time we got to the top they were all there. Every single one of them. Yes, in classic Middle School style it took a while for them to actually begin skiing but once we did it was a blast. The costumes, the chatter, the breakneck speed...Jeez, it's no wonder these kids had no problems with the Food Unit! I knew one run was all I could handle with my beloved 8th graders so it was back to the top with an impromptu rendez-vous with the 3rd grade boys.
Now, these little guys can flat out rip and it was clear as soon as we began the descent down Christmas Bowl that it would be the boys in front and the adults behind. These boys were flying over jumps, bouncing through the moguls and impressing us all in the process. And, in classic 3rd grade boy style, they couldn't help but comment on my pink poles and the fact that I barely got any air at all over the last jump. Little did they know that the air I did get was entirely accidental. Obviously, it was time to move on.
Thus, I found myself on the Seattle Ridge Chair with Colleen Weaver and a posse of 3rd grade girls. Yes, I seemed to be caught in a 3rd grade maelstrom and I was not sure if I could get out. Then, when I innocently agreed to play follow the leader with Noelle, Addy and Kinley I knew I was in for it. You see, they thought it would be fun to take me down Broadway. And not, mind you, the Broadway we all know and love, but the Broadway on the right side where all the bumps and twists and turns are. The Broadway that makes you remember where your kidneys are and why you took up distance running. The Broadway that makes you long for a couch and a fireplace. Anyway, I survived that Broadway and quickly made my getaway. Conveniently enough a train of 8th grade girls, yes, those same 8th grade girls, was heading down to Cold Springs and then up to the top so I thought I'd tag along and perhaps survive intact. Once on the top I actually found myself alone so I thought it would be fun to try to ski from the top to the bottom without stopping. It wasn't exactly fun but I will say when I got to the bottom I was ready for lunch.
The scene inside Warm Springs lodge was probably not your typical Monday in January scene but the kids seemed well behaved and the staff seemed to be enjoying a little more lively Monday than is typical. So, I settled into my chile with the 6th grade boys and just listened. That's pretty much all I needed to do. Then as I was finishing my lunch and growing a bit tired of the 6th grade, well, the 6th gradeness, I saw a large 9th grade group heading out. I tagged along. Of course, they were so caught up in whatever they were caught up in that they didn't notice me until we got to the top but once we got there I said, sheepishly, "Mind if I ski with you?" I don't think they actually heard me but at least I kept up through the flat part before Ridge. Then, it go crazy. Couple things to remember if this ever happens to you: Frannie is much, much, faster than you think. Brett is very funny and a pretty decent snowboarder. Ella is a darn good skier for someone who has pretty much lived in London for the past few years. And, just a warning, don't ever drop into a powder run at the same time as Natalie and Ellie. They tend to crash into one another and when the skis go flying it's a danger to everyone around. Anyway, I was wiping the tears from my eyes when we got to the bottom of River Run in what felt like about 90 seconds when I bid the 9th grade crew goodbye and headed back to Dollar to pick up Tully and shred a few more runs with Janet, Kathy, Gretchen and the gang. And, I gotta say, it won't be long before all these little skiers are getting after it on Baldy (if they're not already!).
After dropping off a tired Tully at my house and calling Carson to find out that he was skiing with his friends (and therefore had no interest in meeting up with me) I knew I wanted to finish the day skiing with one of my kids and knew I only had an hour until I (and more importantly, my credit card) was due at Apples. So, I grabbed Logan at the bottom of Warm Springs and we headed up. As luck would have it we got on the chair with our good friend Terry Palmer who was just finishing a lesson. He said if we could meet him at the top of Squirrel he'd love to ski with us. Now, for any of you who know Terry he is basically the Mayor of Baldy. One day when I was skiing with him last year we met Jann Wenner and Dick Dorworth within minutes of one another and skied with them for the entire day. I actually expected Arnold and the Bruces (that is, Willis and Springsteen!) to show up as well. Anyway, Terry is one of those infectiously enthusiastic skiers who can't help but coach you when you're skiing with him and he always gives just the right pointers. So, needless to say, Logan and I had a great last run with Terry and even though my legs were crying out for mercy I tried my best to heed his advice to keep my weight on my downhill ski (whatever that means).
And then, finally, we retired to Apples. My kids were there, the Blackburn kids were there, and about 25 TCS teachers were there. From the rookies to the vets we enjoyed our time together and Hank, the owner of Apples, suggested that we have a few more of these "Headmaster's Holidays" this year. I think he enjoyed the surprise business. In the end it was the perfect ending to a perfect day.
To complete the circle, when I looked around the room at the end of it all I paused and once again, as I had done the night before, became filled with emotion. Again, the emotion was subtle but real. It was that kind of emotion that emerges when you find yourself in the midst of something larger than yourself. The kind of emotion that wells up when you look around and see Bob and Elliott, Rem and Naomi, Bev and Gretchen, Scott and Travis, Pilar and Jenn and a host of other folks both old and new. The kind of emotion that flies in your face when, in the very same room, you feel the pull of tradition and the connection to the past in the presence of graduates Greg van der Muelen, Mark Hanselman and Jack Weekes who perhaps, better than most, understand the importance of stopping, pausing, and simply living in the moment. After all, isn't that one of best things we teach at this place?