it feels weird coming back after spending xmas weekend outa town. decorative xmas lights are blinking half-heartedly “jingle bell” being hummed in between yawns the entire LA is pooped out plus hangover from the heavy drinking and partying the day before. you sniff sniff as that xmasy air thinning away can’t help but wonder “what happened to my xmas?”
of course i know, i spent it snowboarding at mammoth. it was just not overwhelmingly xmas-ish as it could be anywhere else.
i guess even america’s #1 holiday gets pushed down the line at a typical mountain ski resort kinda town like mammoth, cuz here everything exists for the sole purpose of getting you to “race down the hill”. they keep you warm at the lodge feed you burger coke hot cocoa even alcohol if you run on that, wipe you burp you gear you up with rental equipment hats scarfs socks kiss your forehead send you out ready to take on the world. looking up, the white stuff covers the trails in distance, well maintained well groomed with people sprinkled all over seeming to have a good time, excitement kicks in “have a good run!” the teenage ski bum lift operator cheers you on, within minutes the lift drops you off on the top of the hill. standing there looking down, you realize ..this is it! this is what it’s all about! you close your eyes and take a deep breath, feel some of that cold air filling all the way up your nose your lungs your being. doesn’t matter how you get down, trust me. you snowboard, ski, ski-board, board-ski, sled, man-drawn, or prefer to slide down on your butt, your head, roll down, spill, side ways, 360, ..your choice. no shame. no shame if you are exhausted just ate it real hard gear all over the place your knees are killing you whole body’s sore blowing nose with your sleeve while someone wooshing right by with style. NO SHAME! everybody is a winner! think about all the hottubbing you’d do late, or the bar-hopping, the fine dining in town, they pamper you keep you entertained baby because you are loved here, this town adores you even if you are all bruised up hair is a mess and you stink from sweat. so just do your thing and get down that hill fast so you can catch the last lift.
at mammoth, we only celebrate “fresh powder day”. it was a beautiful white xmas indeed but all we saw was white.
