oh, he deals 'em offoff the topties 'em offfills it upwith his pastgets carried away

Close to a foot of snow fell at Big Sky last night and this morning.



Upon arrival at the mountain, just after 9 a.m., we proceeded directly to the top of the mountain on the Lone Peak Tram.



We did not pass go.



We did not collect $ 200.



We were, however, a tad excited about the conditions.





oh, half his life
a hand me down
wasted away
oh, he fills it up
with the love
of a girl



Coming off the peak from the tram, the snow was so deep, and the slope so steep, that as I carved rapid turns directly down the fall line, I was "barreled."

The snow shot up from my front edge and went over my head.

As I crouched, it felt like I was surfing in the barrel of a wave.

Amazing.



Pure. Untouched.



oh, he left it alone
drilled the pain
with money to buy
how he makes his getaway
how he makes his getaway



Chris took a photo of me, throwing up some fresh.



oh, he chose a path
heavy the fall
quarter to four
fills his night
with the thought
of a girl



how he makes his getaway



how he makes his getaway



how he makes his getaway



how he makes his getaway.

As black as the night can getEverything is safer nowThere is always a way to forgetOnce you learn to find a way how

Went out to a great dinner last night with the Bells family at the Sweet Pea Cafe. They are heading off into the wild blue yonder next week for a couple months. Bells' work is sending him to southern Arizona or Nevada.

(Here you go, Molly...)

We had crabcake fritters and shrimp tempura for appetizers. The shrimp had this spicy Thai chili sauce that was really good.

India pulled some strings, and the chef made her a special veggie-curry-sole concotion that she really enjoyed. Alicia had szechuan seared ahi over beet risotto. Bells and I had the bone-in, bison ribeye served with some type of spicy cherry glaze, along with haystack potatoes and these goat cheese creations. Oh man, was it good. I had only had a buffalo burger before, and one other time I had bison satay, but this was the first time either Bells or I had really tucked into a slab of bison.

I have to say it was delicious. I don't really like venison or "gamey" meat, but bison is really good. It tastes fairly close to lean beef, but with a little flair. (Are YOU wearing your 27 pieces of flair?)

For dessert (Come on... you know we had dessert. Fuck Fatkins, the Zone. South Beach and all that other crap. As my buddy Carp said, "Life is too short."), we had this dark chocolate mousse with shaved dark chocolate on top and this six-inch high German Chocolate cake.

Yes, it was as good as it sounds. One of those, "Can't talk... eating... I'll breathe later," type of desserts.

===

It snowed in the mountains all night last night, so you know what I am doing today.

===

I am happy to announce that I met my New Year's Resolution for the 4th straight year. No, it wasn't to quit my job, pitch everything and move to Montana. That just happened without any resolving. It was to exercise at least 2/3 of the days of the year. I know it is boring to pick the same resolution for five straight years, but it certainly is a good one.

Especially when you consider the Life's too short/Life-shortening desserts.

Anyway, 250 days of running, nordic trak or some other such activity in '05, and it's on like Donkey Kong for '06.

===

Time's up. Gotta go meet Bells.

Rock on.