Another Spring night, another beating...
Well, it wasn't a physical beating...really.
My sunny optimism got the best of me last night. Swing Shift was well into Extra Trails when the Graveyard Shift punched in. Their Cockeyed Optimist was practically glowing when he related what they'd left for the three of us to do. I called the park groomers...they were jubilant over their progress, too...and no, they wouldn't need any help from the Free Groomers. Nice set-up I thought!
I saddled up in my old favorite BR350, and rumbled into the night, buoyed by the knowledge that I could be getting outta there early! I was greeted by fairly fast conditions, but I knew that wouldn't last...it was getting colder...fast, and I was working my way up the Mountain, and down the thermometer.
By 2AM even I could read the handwriting on the wall...I'd be getting a full shift in tonight. I set about grinding out my list. The AM side of my cat's stereo has been crippled all season by some antenna glitch, so my iPod provided the soundtrack for the night.
Entering the home stretch, the last third of my final circuit took as long as the first two-thirds...I must have been quite the sight to those who snowmobiled past on the way to their jobs. The Podcast of Friday's "Armstrong & Getty Show" had me bustin' a gut! They killed, and I was laughing out loud every minute or two!
The decent sunrise, coupled with a big dose of hilarity, made me forget all about the early-off tease. We weren't jubilant back at the fuel dock, but we were far from bummed.
Tonight's my Friday. My weekend will be chock-full of Motorsports and Baseball. Formula One in China, IndyCars at Long Beach, Giants vs Dodgers...Spring in all it's glory! My last weekend for the 09/10 Ski Season. Stream Trout opens next weekend, and Ocean Salmon will now be open 'till Labor Day.
To borrow from Steinbeck: "Once again the World was spinning in greased grooves"
According to the Reno NWS, my final Monday will be a Storm Night! Greased Grooves, indeed!
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Oh yeah, F1.
ReplyDeleteSunny disposition indeed. I watched some marvelous documentaries on OPB on Alaska. Where was your Pop stationed? I heard that they are building a bridge between Alaska and Russia?
ReplyDeleteInteresting indeed.
It was 70ish here yesterday. Today 72ish.
I don't know if they're building that bridge. It's a couple of hundred miles between the Westernmost island in Alaska's Aleutian Chain, and Russia's Easternmost island in their Commander Island which are geologically an extension of the Aleutians.
ReplyDeleteI did see an episode of History Channel's "Modern Marvels" that talked about the Ice Protection Schemes to protect the support pilings being studied for this bridge.
Talk about your Alaskan Bridge to Nowhere! The Aleutians are 1200 miles long...no bridges ala Florida's A1A that links the Keys to Mainland Florida.
Alaska does feature the Alaska Marine Highway...their Ferry System that covers 3500 miles from Bellingham, WA through the Inside Passage to Dutch Harbor...roughly a third of the way across the Aleutians.
Pop served with the Seabees on Kodiak Island during WW2.
Ohh, the optimism of youth. Get all the ramps done and do the flats before it freezes. Once it freezes for the grave guys it is a long slow grind till A.M. God I miss the adrenaline of going all out before it froze.
ReplyDelete32
Youth? You're too kind 32!
ReplyDeleteYa know, I did get carded at Rite-Aid this winter!
It was the same week that Schwarzenegger had to show his ID!