A Renewing Mind

JK, our bus driver, promised epic skiing today atGrand Targhee and he was right. Lot’s of light, fluffy powder fell over night and even though two of their three main lifts were closed, we had a great time. No wet cement today (like yesterday over at JH), this stuff was pure joy. High winds, falling snow, and low clouds made for poor visibility so Steven and I made for the trees whenever we could.

We saw learned something about mountain passes on the return trip this afternoon. Wyoming Hwy 22 is a major pass through the Tetons for this area. It’s a steep pass,  a 10% grade and a peak at 9,000 feet (the ski area peaks are about 10,400 feet here). It is not uncommon for the highway to close for avalanches and the cliff-hugging hairpin turns add to the excitement. Tire chains are required equipment and semi-trailers are not allowed at this time of year (or at least not during the current inclement weather). We followed a truck driver carrying a load of granite that decided to try his luck. He got stuck as soon as the grade got steep and he had no place to go. JK tells me that not only will the driver get hit with a steep fine but he will also have to pay for his own rescue. I wonder how they do that? Maybe a big wrecker with chains.

My friend Tim returned from a week of cat-skiing in Park City, UT last week and told me he was up to his arse in snow. He had the pictures to prove it. Now I know the feeling. We had 12 inches of new snow last night, albeit a wet, heavy, skiing in wet cement kind of snow. It was rough going between the thick snow, the continued flurries, and the incredibly flat light, but, hey, it was a whole lot better than a day at work. Tomorrow we’ll go over to Grand Targhee on the other side of the Tetons. The base there is about 1,000 feet higher so I’m hoping the snow will be a little fluffier (and easier to work with).

It is my habit each morning to stop at my local Hoffman Estates Starbucks. I generally spend about 40 minutes engrossed in bible study while nursing a mocha. Once in a while I will instead stop at another Starbucks in Arlington Heights that is on the way to work. Such was this case this morning when, due to the inclement weather in Chicago, I thought I’d stop in Arlington Heights since it is a bit closer to work. Part way through my study in walks Garry, a weekend barrista from my local Starbucks who stopped on the way to his “regular” job. Busted! Garry acted hurt, accused me of being unfaithful, and then sat down to discuss a range of topics - healthcare in the US, politics in Britain, software development practices.