I got to spend a night at my favorite bar with my favorite geologists. This is one of the many things I miss about Seattle. Maybe it was just the whiskey, but I think I grinned like an idiot all night. Somewhere in the blur of pool and relations with random shrubbery I acquired an almost black eye, the origins of which remain unknown.
Zina is a super talented ceramics artist and, lucky for me, one of my closest friends. She is doing a study on body forms and on Friday I generously volunteered to let her plaster cast my bare torso. It was fun in that smearing-goopy-stuff-all-over-yourself-then-sitting-like-a-statue-for-an-hour sort of way. I would post a picture, but I'm not ready to share my nipples with the interwebs, even if they are plaster-clad. Instead, here is a picture of lovely Zina and Millie.
Love you, Z!
The whole weekend was clear and bright, the best weather I could have asked for. On Saturday Bert, Max, Nathan and I headed to Rainier for some skiing. We were planning on skiing up to Muir, but the conditions were such that it would not have been worth the walk. Instead, we toured up to Panorama point amongst a swarm of wobbly snowshoers, it reminded Nathan of pictures from the Alaska gold rush.
Nice man sweater, Max.
She's a beauty.
Alaska gold rush? Oregon Trail? Sunny Saturday on Rainier?
The steeper pitch up to Panorama point was chunky and icy, which made for interesting kick turns. We topped out past the backcountry snowboarder on snowshoes who was crawling up the slope on his hands and knees.
Chalk one up for Bert!
The wind was strong and painful once it collected a few shards of ice so we ripped skins and dropped down behind the ridge for a few stiff turns in the crusty snow. After hopping around a few rollovers, we found a nice place for lunch.
Nice
Tatoosh with Adams and Hood
Lunch Spot
Eating cheese like a boss.
After lunch we continued down farther, and Max scoped out this nice hole for us . . .
This started as a spread eagle face plant.
That is a decent sized hole.
And Nathan found some powder to whisper sweet nothings to . . .
Continuing on to Birthday Bowl, we took a lap on a powdery shaded hill and then made our way back towards Paradise. The day earned me my first sunglass tan of the year!
It was a mellow night consisting of delicious beer from Big Time Brewery, and a few games of Backgammon (won by me). It's hard to remember the last time I was so content. Not that I have been unhappy, I am often happy. There is just something different about contentment. The feeling that I can't find one thing wrong with the day. That at any moment I was surrounded by friends that I am blessed to have. That my body is tired from a good adventure and I can top the day off with a silly board game, competitively played.
Sunday was more of the same. Skiing at Skyline Ridge with the addition of Dylan, in his snowshoes, being a trooper. We skinned up in the sun and dropped down the north side of the ridge. The snow was nice and fluffy and the turns were good (or in my case, falls).
Artsy? Or an attempt at salvaging an out of focus shot?
Nathan
Bert
Dylan's first backcountry ski!
And since I have photos of everyone else on their feet . . .
When using the tree to help with a kickturn seems like a good idea . . .
It was another full day capped with an absolutely epic northwest sunset. I had a drink with Danielle, the lovely girl who let me sleep at her place, and eat all her food.
I had to leave Seattle the next day and it was almost as hard as the first time. This visit made me acknowledge how much I miss and value my Seattle friends. For all the days I spent there, I didn't get to see everyone. Lina, Amber, Katy, Jake and others, you are first on my list next time!
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