Happy New Year!

That was one great night...

Friday morning the numbers hit me as I was filing my After Action Report. My work was everywhere. Swing Shift had done all the Special Projects and all the digging, so I groomed more acres and trails than on any other night so far this season!

I did do one plow project that's been escaping our attention during this Winter's onslaught...I've been meaning to plow away a big wind drift at the top terminal of our most popular Intermediate Chairlift. So far this season, the snowfall we've been getting has stacked up quickly, usually accompanied with lots of wind, resulting in February-like conditions. We needed to "make it downhill" in all directions from the top ramp.

I pushed for an hour or so, and ran the corduroy. It isn't downhill yet, but it isn't uphill any more. All in all, I cut four feet off a good half an acre, maybe three quarters of an acre. I steepened the top ramp so our guests won't have to skate when they get off the chair and go West.

The fleet ran great all night, and we wrapped it up early under a stunning blue sky. While fueling up, the most beautiful herringbone cloud scudded overhead...there were ice crystals floating in the air, enhancing my peak moment.

In the Groomers' Ready Room the mood was good...who could complain on such a glorious morning? I marveled: "Out before 10AM!" as I punched out...

As I walked down the Shop Road to my pickup, I surveyed my mountain...so much majesty for my eyes to feast on.  A huge crowd was streaming into our parking lots...crowds have been good all week. As I walked up to my truck, I heard someone say: "TruckeeDave!" I looked and didn't recognize him. "Who are you?" I asked. I'm Landcruser Scott, he replied. "Jesus, you look like a married man" I quipped. Scott laughed and introduced me to his wife.

I started my pickup, grabbed my ice scraper and Scott and I caught up. Scott had worked at my mountain for several seasons in the Mid-90's. He helped me build a house for another friend in '96, and we'd had many adventures in SnowCats over those seasons. It's been a few years since the last time we ran into each other at the Post Office.

I told him what he was missing now that we were an all BR350 fleet. Scott liked the sound of: "Another 75 HP, all of it to the cutter bar if you need it" I was probably a little too enthusiastic...I was gushing really...we said our goodbyes, and I gave him my card.

I enjoyed my sunny ride down the hill...I decided to shop...surely everyone in town had stocked up by now...boy, was I ever wrong.

I was home at the DaveCave by 11:30...T-Bone Steak and Eggs with Grapefruit Juice.

When I awoke, I checked my Twitter Feed...San Francisco will host the 34th America's Cup.

Dreams do come true!

Plugged

Truckee is overrun with Holiday Revelers this week. The people couldn't resist the perfect recipe:

Great Christmas Season
Record Snowfall in November
Bountiful December Snowfall

add
No Income Tax Increase
Unemployment Insurance Extensions

Serve and Enjoy
Serves thousands
Nutritional values may vary

They're everywhere...I'd forgotten how exciting merely driving past the gas station at the bottom of my hill could be!

Going to the grocery store takes real commitment time-wise. You know you're in for it when you can't even find a place to park!

Whenever the crowds plug Truckee and turn the little chores into Epic Trials, I have to thank BajaBabe who impressed on me the need to maintain a decent Pantry! Thanks BajaBabe!

Thursday morning was a Bluebird Morning...first one this week (I can't be 100% sure, the days are all running together as they do every Christmas Holiday Period) It wasn't just the Locals who spent the past few days hunkered down...without that Pantry...

I checked the Reno AFD to see if there's any more snow on tap before the end of the weekend. It seems their models aren't in agreement past a couple of hours. We could get a few inches of snow, or the snow could go South of us.

I've considered an after work Reno Run to re-provision. Reno News Radio reports Reno's plugged too...New Years Eve is an outsized event in the Biggest Little City...I'm hoping another Bluebird Morning will clear a path to my local Safeway...if I pick up a couple of things and I can re-hunker...

Outta Breath

OK, my butt is officially kicked.

Tuesday's tally: 24 inches in 24 hours...that's a lot of snow...

My Tuesday began badly...the power flickering of and on wakes me before the alarm clock...I lay in bed for two more hours trying to harvest a little more sleep...no luck...the power goes off, and stays off...no shower...no shave...no sauteed chicken breasts for lunch sandwich...lastly...this hurts...no coffee.

I thought about bringing my beans and grinder to work, but thought better of it...I settled for Folgers

My 20 minute drive to work took an hour...good thing I left early...nothin' to do in the dark

My night went this way all night

When I arrived back at the DaveCave it was half past noon...the power was restored...it was the Christmas I missed last weekend!

Do you want whine with that?
Perhaps I'm a little on edge...reports this week from San Francisco touted doubts for the 34th America's Cup Host City Sweepstakes...Newport, Rhode Island is suddenly in the running? Rumor Control wasn't helping...we're getting down to Crunch Time. The Host City will be announced Friday 12/31/2010.

Hopeful news here

Diggin Out

the DaveCave that is!

I have a full-blown two day weekend this week. All chores Monday...still have some tech stuff to complete before bedtime.

In the calm between the storms, I finally got my front porch thawed enough to chip away the last couple of storms-worth  of pack ice...I kept expecting a polar bear to stake it's territory on the darn thing. Chipping away with the heavy Mutt felt good...as did the sun on my face...a welcomed warm sunny afternoon!

Tuesday morning, I watched the unfolding story of the chairlift derailment at Sugarloaf in Maine on FoxNews...as is typical of the 24/7 cable news of today, the "reporting" was long on hype and short on details. Would it hurt to name the manufacturer of the chairlift?

FoxNews did report that it's the oldest chair on the mountain...and when they finally got a live link to a hospital spokesperson, said spokesperson gave no specifics, failed to play along with the anchor's speculative questions, and was generally useless as a source! During the over four hours of the story, no Sugarloaf spokesman was aired.

The best I could glean was 6-7 injuries after five chairs fell about 30-35 ft after a gust of wind hit just as the chair was restarted.

FoxNews cited a Maine newspaper in saying Sugarloaf wanted to replace the stricken chair with a "heavier chair that would withstand wind better" in a story from earlier this year.

None of the injuries were labeled life-threatening.

Finally I found a Sugarloaf Press Release that answered most of my questions.

Merry Christmas!

Santa's bringing new snow for Christmas Night.

Chain controls are up as the storm inches Eastward.

Time for my evening nap...gonna be fun tonight