Monday, December 31, 2012

Geezers Gather

  I am now convinced the the 2012-13 ski season is in full swing.  Today there was a quorum of geezers for the morning coffee break and even more were on the hill throughout the day.   In effect it was a reunion day for the geezer group.   Several tables were occupied in various configurations of friends and acquaintances along with some youngsters who may one day become geezers.
   Of course the lady companions will not be specified as geezers.   They must all be too young to qualify for that status.
  The geezers at coffee break are pictured below.   One table included Pat, Dick, Tony and Bob S. with me sitting in for a time.   Another table included Gene and Joe.   Cliff had the company of his grandson Caleb!  Someday Caleb may be a geezer and I am sure will carry with him fond memories of grandpa Cliff skiing with him as he grows up.    To round out the group Pete and Larry are pictured with their family representatives who clearly do not qualify as geezers.  Another table not pictured included Jack, Carol and Jim Brown.
    While on the slope I also encountered Pret and Nita Goslee and Mary.   Pret is our 90 plus hero that sets the standard for the rest of us.   A joy to to seem him enthusiastically enjoying skiing.   And we should also commend Nita his every loving spouse who is his greatest cheerleader.
Dick, Tony, Bob S., and Pat

Caleb and Cliff

Joe and Gene

Geri, Pete, ?, Larry and Doug
   Here is wishing a Happy New Year to all the geezers gathered today at Greek Peak and those we hope to see returning to the slopes in 2013.

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Fat Ski Day

 Yesterday we had about five inches of new snow in the morning.   The accumulation of snow made the skiing interesting along the edges of the trails.  Some trail edges remained untracked and provided an opportunity to enjoy the performance of rockered fat skis.   Even in the heavily travelled sections of the slope the fat skis performed well by busting through the soft moguls.   I have noticed that many geezers avoid these conditions or at least find the deeper snow to be more exhausting.
    In the East we usually are faced with firm to icy surfaces so the ski of choice is usually narrower.  Yesterday was the exception.   There is almost no greater pleasure than gliding through several inches of fresh snow.   Of course the conditions we had yesterday pale in comparison to the foot or more of powder of the slopes in Utah.   (Note that I have been viewing the "face shots"  on Facebook of my son and grandson skiing at Snowbird in Utah).    They are skiing on really fat skis!
   With the snowfall today and more anticipated tonight, I am looking forward to another fat ski day tomorrow.   Even though I would have liked to be out there today, I recognized that that my legs need a recharge by a day off the slopes.   I like to think I am still am "Tough Old Geezer Skier" but even with that toughness, I still have enough of a brain to take time to recharge the batteries.
   To all a Happy New Year and may 2013 bring us many fat ski days.
Son Colin -Powder Day in Utah
Mildly Fat Skis -Greek Peak

Friday, December 28, 2012

Anthill

   Holidays and new snow brings out a plethora of skiers.   With a limited number of trails open the slopes can appear to be covered with skiers.   The view can be compared to a host of ants spilling out of an anthill.   Today was  such a day for me at Greek Peak.
  I arrived later in the day and was forced to park a good ways from the lodge.   By that time there was a huge number of people on the slope.    A crowded slope is not the favorite condition for a geezer skier.  However, there were a number of the geezers present.  We managed to slalom around the skiers of various abilities and survive without any mishaps.   We all look forward to the passage of the holidays and return to the sparsely populated slopes with mid week skiing.   I suppose we should be happy to see all those paying customers that can make the ski area profitable.   Even though I do hate crowds on the slope, it is gratifying to see families and children enjoying their outings.   In addition we get treated to beautiful winter scenes such as shown below.
Ants (Skiers) on The Hill

Winter Wonderland

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Where Are the Geezers?

  Greek Peak has had a slow start for the 2012-13 ski season but today things are looking up.  Over a foot of snow falling last night enabled opening several lifts and many more trails.  However, I am wondering where are all the geezers?   Perhaps last season was so discouraging that some have dropped out or maybe they are waiting for the holiday crowds to disappear.   At least there were a few of the geezers available for coffee yesterday.   Welcome back Alan!   Glad to see you returning to the slopes.
   In lieu of geezers to ski with,  I was happy to enjoy the company of my daughter and son-in-law on the 24th of December.   There were a  limited number of trails and lots of people, but we had an enjoyable early morning session before the major crowds arrived for the free ski day.   Most geezers would seriously avoid the free day but I like seeing people enjoying the slopes.   I am amazed at the variety of skis that show up on that day.   Some of them are real antiques.
   I am looking forward to convening the coffee breaks for the geezer crowd after the holidays.  I hope there will be some new stories.
Viki, Matt and Geezer Gerry - 24 December 2012

Sunday, December 16, 2012

A Verse of Song

  Every ski area has a multitude of trails.   Metaphorically one could think of these trails as different verses of a song.  Yesterday I skied at Song Mountain on only two verses of the song.  In search of skiing opportunities I am will to go wherever at least a local area is open.  Song Mountain was open with surely limited terrain.  Two trails of man made snow off the beginners chair were available.  Fortunately the crowd was small and the sun was shining and the surface conditions were excellent where there was snow.   Two hours of simple runs was enough.  However, all of us there were pleased to be on the slopes.  Only a few geezers were present.   The boarders built some jumps and managed to amuse me with their frequent crashes.   A friendly Ski Patrol provided a welcoming presence as well.   I am looking forward to singing "skiing" all the verses of Song Mountain some time this season.  My low price season pass makes this area an attractive diversion for this year.
A Slope on Either Side of the Lift - Bare Otherwise

Intriguing Snow Surface

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Chasing the Snow

  If you don't have snow at your local ski area, you have to go to where it is!  Yesterday was a day of travel and skiing at Gore Mountain.   Gore probably is the nearest open ski area from Cortland, New York.  Through the good graces of a gang of Cortland skiers that have an annual trip to Gore, I was invited to participate in their activity and have the pleasure of being a passenger.    Many thanks to Russ and Mark for sparing me the need to drive.
   Our departure from Cortland was at 6:00 AM.   A bit early for me as a retiree but essential for us to reach Gore in a reasonable time.   Actually on the slope by 10:00 AM.   By the time we all assembled there were 13 of us in the group.   I guess I would identify myself as the only "geezer" skier.   All of them were younger with some of them in the aspiring geezer category.   The group had been skiing together for over 20 years and certainly had a history.   For this geezer it was hard to absorb all the names and faces.   Perhaps I have half to two-thirds of them fixed in my mind.
  I was cordially welcomed into the group and for the most part I was able to keep up their pace for at least a part of the day.   Only a few slopes were open by the support of man-made snow.  All were intermediate level runs.  Most of the players for the day were getting out for the first time or second time.  We all were feeling the burn after a few runs.   Fortunately for me and I guess for all of us, there were intermediate stops on the way down from the top to rest the legs and share some stories.  This was a bunch of very good skiers.   Perhaps for the first time I recognized that as I move through the late 70's I am beginning to lose some of the stamina I used to have.
   In the interests of safety, by  2:00 PM it was time for me to call it a day.   One other had the same idea so at least I wasn't the only one to give up early in the day.   As the afternoon progressed, members of the group kept trickling in to the lodge.   The heroes of the day were those who caught the last gondola  just before the 3:45 PM closure.  More power to those youngsters.
   Although there were limited trails open, there was sufficient variety to eliminate boredom.   Every run on the same slope can be different.  One can take a different line,  change the number of turns, and stop in different locations.  In addition, temperature, light, and snow texture changes throughout the day.   It was a great day chasing the snow.
Proof That I Was There

No Natural Snow

Ski Patrol Heading Up the Slope
   The end of the day was capped with an excellent dinner in Rome, New York and safe travels to Cortland by 9:30 PM.   Feeling a bit of a burn in the legs today, but if there was skiing nearby, I would be out there.  Let's hope for mother nature to dump some snow soon!

 
 

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Day One - New Season

  Today was opening day at Greek Peak for the 2012-2013 season.  It is always a pleasure to return to the slopes with the anticipation of renewing old friendships and enjoying the skiing experience.   There was only a small representation of geezer skiers.  Perhaps a total of a half dozen of the geezers appeared this morning.   Two slopes were available.  One for beginners and an intermediate slope for the rest.   Even if one keeps in shape with other activities, skiing affects muscles in a different way.   After seven runs it was time for the traditional coffee break.   After a few wrap up runs on the beginner's slope it was time to call it a day.   Best wishes to all that come later in the day.  We will look forward to many more enjoyable days on the slopes.
Andy Ready to Wrap it Up

Gerry Hiding Behind the Goggles