How far is skiing?

I'm not joking, the distance between where one lives and a ski resort parking lot, plays a key role in how often folks go skiing and how late in life they'll stick to the sport. For instance, here in Park City, I am no more than 7 minute drive from two of our three resorts. Deer Valley is a tiny bit further, but only 12 minute total.

Where I used to live in France, skiing was no closer than 10 minute and in those days with very light traffic, it would take me at least one quarter of an hour to get to the Avoriaz lower-tram station parking lot, and only when the roads were dry. I am saying this, because the longer the distance between home and the slopes, the less likely and less frequent skiing is going to be.

My brother in law lives one hour away from Avoriaz base station and while he still occasionally teaches skiing, he must find the drive a bear. Same thing for me when I want to ski Snowbird or Alta; both are about one hour drive, provided the roads are excellent. The morale of that story, is that the key to a long and frequent skiing life can be found not farther than how close the ski-lifts are from your own home...

My view on immigration...

For years, we've heard politicians talking about immigration reform and nothing has happened except for some extreme and ineffective legislation in certain states like Arizona or Alabama.

If I were asked what I think about the whole issue, I would fist say that we should encourage immigration of people who offer skills the United States need. Whether they are engineers, artists, health professionals, researchers or... job creators! These folks should be fast-tracked into getting permanent residence.

Next, we should offer permanent residency (read “green cards”) for the 11 or more million illegal, but at a cost. These people would have to pay, say $10,000 per person. Illegals might have to take loans, work extra, but they would have to “earn their way” into legal status. This would apply to family members too that wish to rejoin them in America.

Finally, illegals who get caught once the new law is enacted would be kicked out. They would be also be fined and their home country would have to pay it to the US, and then, might collect it back from the perpetrators, plus fine and interest. Of course if they ever attempt to get back into the country again, the fine would become enormous.

That's it: Simple, revenue-oriented and effective.

A special present...

For Christmas, I received a very special present that intrigues me a whole lot. It consist of a DNA analysis service subscription, called “23andMe”, a personal genomics and biotechnology company based in Mountain View, California that provides rapid genetic testing.

The company is named for the 23 pairs of chromosomes in a normal human cell. Their personal genome test kit was named "Invention of the Year" by Time magazine in 2008 . This morning, I spat provide a 2.5 milliliter sample that will be mailed on Wednesday for analysis by the Silicon Valley lab.

The offshoot of this experiment should should provide me with an assessment of my inherited traits (I hope they'll determine that I'm a great guy), my genealogy (that I originate from some distant ape) and possibly tell me what my congenital risk factors might be (such as mortality, for example).

I can't wait to know all this and I'm really grateful for that original Christmas present!

Lucky break!

Those who have taken their 4 year-old skiing know the logistical undertaking this represent; between taking care of yourself, your gear and a little person equipment and whereabouts, there isn't one spare moment! Yesterday afternoon, I was with my son and grandson at the Park City Mountain Resort.

We skied for a good hour and, passed that time, Finn has had his fun on the snow and wanted to go home. We called the ladies of the house and they immediately came to pick up their little skier while the two older guys kept on skiing until closing time.

After a few good runs, we too drove home, had a wonderful meal together, a good conversation and as the weather was turning to snow, it was time for the younger members of the party to head down towards the valley. Forty-five minute later and well into the evening, our son called asking where Finn's skis were; he assumed they had been left in our car as he couldn't find them in his.

We went to the garage, looked but found nothing. We then assumed that we had left them behind, at the ski area. We immediately drove there, and lo and behold we saw them, sitting in the snow, untouched, on the edge of the run along with Finn's ski harness and leash. We were so fortunate that they were still there that it became our little Christmas Miracle for the day!

Looking into my Ski Crystal Ball

When I contemplate this brand new ski season, I often have a hard time seeing clearly into my "Ski Crystal Ball." Skiing is for me something that happens, not an event or a succession of situations that can be planned, guessed or predicted like you would plan an outing, a family celebration or of course, a career. I guess there's not much planning that goes into my skiing. That's right, I've never looked at one single season thinking that I will be accomplishing this, that or achieve some other things.

Even though I'm extremely goal-oriented for all the other areas of my life, this approach has never permeated into my skiing outlook. I probably am a fatalistic skier who wait for the snow crystals to randomly and gracefully align themselves and provide me with some heavenly snow experiences. It is true though that when I'm skiing, my competitive spirit – not my planning mind - eventually comes alive and takes hold of me.

For example if its already 2 pm and I am enjoying the runs that crisscross the Lady Morgan Chairlift in Deer Valley, I will think, "...let's do six more of them!" This mere thought pushes me and I end up having ridden Lady Morgan seven more times in that sixty minute time span! The performance wasn't planned, it simply happened... I have never promised myself to ski 100 days per season, but I generally end up close to that round number, so while it's hard to say that I'm not planning these kinds of minute details, they just seem to happen...

As a perennial late-bloomer, I must have reached my peak performance on skis in my early sixties (yes, dear reader, there is plenty of hope!) and one day, as I happened to boast a bit too much about some of my ski exploits, a slightly older and wiser friend of mine told me in no uncertain terms: “Silly you, at your age, what do you have to prove?” These words of wisdom were not lost on me, the skier, that always looked at performing better and faster, whenever possible.

This competitive approach of mine was colliding with certain issues that develop as one gets further into the years and as physical strength begins plateauing, if not declining, but is certainly no longer improving. Over the past couple of seasons, I have found that I was getting a bit less nimble, less powerful and considerably slower. You might say that I was finally growing up as I had implicitly understood that speeding and risk-taking might finally prove to be harmful to me.

This, in part, is the reason why, from that point forward, my goals on skis won't be measured so much in speed, quickness or slaloming through a tight grove of aspen trees. Instead, they will be qualitative in nature and are likely to consist of skiing much more often, but when I will do it, I will also concentrate on being that much smoother and my focus will be on saving all of my resources to enjoy a longer, fun-filled day on the slopes.

Another new measuring stick for me would be the amount of time there's a grin on my face and this should at least be in the 90% range, to make each day of winter another great moment on skis. Sure, I'll still go fast when I can and when it can make me more efficient, but never again at the expense of my own safety. I'll think more about being lighter on my skis, on better using the terrain to check my speed and to my mechanical advantage, to make my turns effortlessly and remain "one" with the terrain.

That's about right, less brute force and more “caresses” on the snow, this is how my skiing will be looking like, this season and beyond! With this in mind, when I review what's inside my Snow Crystal Bowl, I seen more slow fun, more perfect turns, more time to enjoy the whole experience, more seizing of the moment and with all that, always the surprise that comes with the never-ending adventure that skiing really is!

Quantity vs. Frequency

If you are an expert skier, would you rather get 3 feet of snow every three week or 1 foot of snow every week? You'd probably think for a few second and I bet that you'd chose the latter.

That's right, when it comes to fun ski conditions, frequency of snow fall always trump quantity. Even 8 inches of new snow can make a world of difference, refresh the old layer and make powder skiing possible.

From a practical point of view and with today's wide skis, you won't sink much deeper into four feet of snow than you would in 10 inches! So if you are a ski connoisseur, always look for repeated “refills” and forgo that rare snow “dump”!

Another false alert!

Finally, the end of the world didn't happen; at least for the moment. I had prepared for it and was understandably a bit disappointed, but in turn, I was also able to spend a wonderful morning today, skiing deep powder snow at the Deer Valley Resort, so that wasn't so bad...

I don't think most people are like me and are paying much attention to these predictions; they'd rather spend their time on Facebook, Twitter or hoping to get some big lottery grand prize.

 These beliefs about Armageddon seem clearly out of fashion, but if you're still interested in the second coming of Christ, it's been re-scheduled for less than five month from now. Remember Ronald Weinland the head of the The Church of God, Preparing for the Kingdom of God (COG-PKG), this small American splinter sect of the Worldwide Church of God?

Well, his 2011 and 2012 predictions encountered some snags, but today, he is assuring us that the big event will now take place on May 19, 2013. Mark your calendars!