gleeful anticipation.

It is with eager anticipation that I await my first snowboarding trip of the season this upcoming weekend (this past week saw the first substantial dumping of snow in the Cascades). Normally, the resorts on Mt. Hood don't have enough snow or chilly weather to open till after Thanksgiving, but not this year my friends. Thank you mother nature! This year, I went in with some friends and purchased a Mt. Hood Meadows Season pass which I am greatly looking forward to using. Last year, I had purchased a Timberline/Ski Bowl Fusion pass.... but I think this year my skills have progressed enough that I'm fully ready to put myself to the test on Meadows more challenging and diverse terrain.

I remember my first visit to Meadows, it was last year and my friend Julie was treating me to a late birthday gift of a day on the mountain. The night prior was my friend Heather's birthday and I probably celebrated a bit too much during beer pong (but I was crowned beer pong Champion) and dancing. Anyways, needless to say I overslept and what resulted was a very awkward and amusing awakening for everyone involved ;). Also, some other friends -new friends- were making their way to Meadows that day too and once again... it was just awkward all around. Well, the conditions that day were crap... crap crap crap. Sleeting, horizontal snow that stung your face in the 30mph winds. In fact, the weather was so bad 2/3 of the people on the mountain left after lunch time. Julie and I decided to stay and boy were we in for a treat. After lunch, the winds died down and we got dumped on... we're talking a feet or so of fresh powder in about an hour.

Anyways, to celebrate the powder, Julie and I ventured onto the black diamonds. What had prior been icy steep slopes were covered in sweet, sweet, white powder goodness. I don't think I've ever been so happy, I laid down some of the prettiest turns I've ever laid down, spraying fresh powder with every turn. Ah, it was so, so, so amazing. And, what made it even better is that while going down one of the runs, folks from the chairlift over head yelled "YEEEAH!" for us as we passed beneath. Their gleeful cheers sang my soul out loud.

It was on that day that I was convinced that there was a God, and.... I walk with him, and I talk with him, and we go snowboarding together in his creations. it's kinda fun.