The best Guest Book entry of all time.

Whenever you stay at a condo at a ski resort, there is usually a guest book for those who stay in the condo to write in. Traditional entries are “thanks for letting us stay in your beautiful home,” “we made some great skiing memories,” “the snow was great,” etc…

Brett from Ft. Lauderdale trumped those entires in a big way back in January of 2007.

“I am currently sitting down on the couch watching the #1 NBA team the Miami Heat play the Lakers. D-Wade is the truth, J-Will is unstoppable, Haslem can’t be seen, Shaq… is Shaq, 20 is a beast, Posey is clutch, Darrell Wright is money and the whole team is SERIOUS!! Go Dolphins, GO Canes, Go Heat, Go Marlins!! Patriots suck, so do the Jets, Bills, Gators, Seminoles, and Kobe Bryant too. The house is amazing, skiing has been so much fun especially since we don’t get too much snow in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida! Oh yea my name is Brett, I’m 17 and single and ready to mingle ladies.”

Really strong finish, Brett.

He followed up with a solid illustration of a Smith and Wesson.

My favorite thing I’ve ever written at Freeskier.

I have been employed at Freeskier for what is going on four years. In that time I have been an Editorial Intern, Assistant Art Director, Associate Editor, Sales Executive and Special Projects Editor.

I have designed some really fun things including the Ten-Year Anniversary piece in issue volume 10, issue 4 and the Road Trip feature in volume 10, issue 2. I have written some interesting pieces including the same Ten-Year Anniversary piece and the Two Strokes and Curling Irons piece in volume 11, issue 3. I have planned parties, ski tests and organized numerous buyer’s guides and — my labor of love — two Women’s Annuals.

But the singular thing I am the most proud of and the most happy to have been a part of is the Paving the Way piece that ran in the volume 13, issue 3 Women’s Annual.

I was able to interview seven extremely influential women in the ski industry. Suzy “Chapstick” Chaffee, Kim Reichhelm, Kristen Ulmer, Wendy Fisher, Ingrid Backstrom, Kristi Leskinen and Sarah Burke.

Here is the piece as it appeared in the most recent Women’s Annual. Volume 13, issue 3.

PAVING THE WAY

Seven Women Who Changed the Face of Women’s Freeskiing

Suzy Chaffee was allowed to be a member of the Denver University Ski Team, but wasn’t allowed to ride in the team van to practice because she couldn’t pass a male physical. Wendy Fisher put up with traveling with only men for years for the sake of a movie part. Kristi Leskinen and Sarah Burke used to forerun boys events just to get a chance to hit the same jumps.

The seven women on the following pages — from the very first freestyle ballet skiers to the X Games sweethearts we all know — have faced the challenges of being a girl in an industry that is well known for being a boys club. Without them, the landscape of women’s skiing wouldn’t be what it is today.

Click on each image to read the interview.

Rebuttal.

My good friend, Matt Harvey, recently blogged about the top ten places he has skied in North America in the past three years.

I thought I would follow suit.

1. ELDORA, CO!

2. Seven Springs, PA

3.  Ober Gatlinburg, TN

4. Appalachian Ski Mountain, NC

5. Snowshoe, WV

6. Spirit Mountain, MN

7. Cannonsburg, MI

8. Sno Mountain, PA

9. Mountain Creek, NJ

10. Wintergreen, VA

Now, I ask you, who is the real winner here?

xoxo

I used to be a waterskier...

It was pretty fun.

Wanna hear why I’m not anymore?

Two years ago, my parents gave me their old boat that I had grown up with. It was a Ski Centurion Falcon. Inboard. Slalom Certified. Not the best condition, but it still threw an awesome slalom wake and I no longer got state-of-the-art boats from MasterCraft as I did when in college or when I lived and coached at world-renowned ski lakes.

But Ian and I were determined to get back into the sport after our move to Colorado had put us off the path.

Ian’s dad picked up the boat in Michigan from my parents, drove to Iowa where Ian and I met him with my XTerra, fresh tow hitch and all. We should have known the whole process was doomed when we got to Nebraska and were met with a hail storm and only one windshield wiper. But no, we pressed on. We spent more money than either of should have been allowed to spend procuring a mooring on the Boulder reservoir, registering the Falcon in Colorado, buying part after part to fix it up and getting Boulder Res passes so we could actually get in to use the boat after we paid to keep it at the Res. I took out at least one credit card, not sure about Ian, but pretty sure he did too.

Finally, FINALLY, we got it in the water. We spent a glorious day christening it on the 4th of July. I left the next day for a birthday trip to South Carolina to spend time with my friends Cari and Leeann. Three days into our trip, I get a phone call at 8:00 AM from the Boulder Reservoir lady — on my birthday, mind you — telling me my boat, my prized possession, the  boat I have loved since childhood… was getting bounced up on the rocks on the east side of the lake, wave after wave, and was slowly but surely sinking lower and lower in the water.

I immediately called my sister, Ian, and Matt Harvey repeatedly until one of them answered. The three of them then went to retrieve my boat and called to inform me there were numerous holes in the hull.

Stunned, shocked and more than a little saddened, I flew home to inspect the damage myself. I spent a solid couple hours lying in my boat for the last time. Coming to terms with the fact that I was no longer a boat owner, water skier or ever going to be part of the waterski/boating world again.

I made peace with it and have since moved on. But sometimes, I get a bit nostalgic and pine for the days of sun, water and waves.

Here are a few photos. I have more, but would have to scan them to get them on here. That’s how long ago all of this was…

xoxo

next generation.

Don’t let the title of this post fool you, I am not pregnant nor do I intend on becoming so for anything even resembling the near future.

However, my two best friends, Cari Kusto-Tester and Leeann Blaisdell-Sweany, have joined the realms of the reproducers. The three of us have been best friends since approximately the 6th grade. Cari had a boy hair cut and I picked on her and Leeann told me to stay away from her boyfriend. The rest, as they say, is history; a lifelong friendship was formed. Not to reveal our old age, but that was more than fifteen years ago. Since then we have been together through breakups, fights, divorces, deaths, graduations, first jobs, marriages, moves and most recently, children.

Leeann has two beautiful children, Kaylee  and Dominic. Cari’s handsome son, Graham, was born one month before Dominic.

Is it weird I love them like my own?

Opposite days are the most fun.

I am a skier. I love skiing. But once in a while it’s fun to cross over to the dark side and strap on a snowboard. Not to mention my cool points instantly increase.

What makes the awkwardness of trying to do something you suck at even better, is having friends with you crossing over as well.

Today, my friend Matt Harvey, an accomplished skier, and my boy Erik Becker, and accomplished snowboarder, went ahead and traded gear at the top of the hill thus joining me in the awkwardness and frustration of opposite day. Oh, and because we were all there together on the same page, the awkwardness and frustration were easily trumped by the fun times, finger pointing and laughing so hard you cried.

We tried slashing lippy kickers, awkwardly slid boxes and very sketchily hit some baby jumps — all in the name if appreciating your fellow snow slider.

Find an opposite day near you and try it.

xoxo.