Skiing With the Boys

As I've mentioned before, Thursdays during ski season I play hooky from work and head up to the local ski resort on a bus.  There I meet my skiing buddies Glen, Pat, and Brian.  Or, as I like to call them, "the men in red."

Let's go ski!

All three guys ride up on another bus that hails from Vancouver.  But each week we all manage to find each other at the bottom of the main lift.  Once reunited, it's off in search of the run with the best snow.

My "men in red" from the Vancouver bus

Although I love my ski girlfriends, I really look forward to making tracks with the boys.  These guys aren't afraid to tackle the steep, gnarly stuff.  And they all ski my speed - fast.

It's snowing!

One particular Thursday, wet weather was predicted.  My friends and I were afraid our buses would be rained out.  But after a couple of  hours on the slopes snow began to fall.  Huge, heavy, wet flakes. 

The sky was dumping heavy, wet flakes

We were so happy it wasn't rain!  And the big snowflakes were mighty pretty.

Wet pow

Instantly the ski runs were transformed into a winter wonderland.

We got covered with snow on the ride up

The snow began falling so heavily, the short chairlift ride left us coated us in white.  Instead of skiers, Pat and I resembled two snow persons!

Two snow people

As with many PNW snowstorms, the heavy, wet snow left my friends and I soaking wet, forcing an early quitting time.  Sigh.....guess that means we gotta  hit the bar early.  (It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it!)

Happy faces on the ski bus

On the bus ride home, my bus buddies and I celebrated a late Valentine's Day.  And my friend and co-bathroom monitor Kerry made a cameo appearance.  Bad knees curtailed this year's skiing fun, but he missed his bus friends so much that he rode up anyway and hung out in the lodge.

And just for old times sake, Kerry donned his "special hat" and resumed his bathroom monitor duties.  (Check out the end of this post from last year for the story behind that).

Our bathroom monitor was back!

The midweek ski crowd is a great community.  I always look forward to meeting up with my bus friends on Thursdays, and of course, to ski with the boys.