Amsterdam of the Rockies?

I have been to Amsterdam, The Neverlands, but never to the "Amsterdam of the Rockies." Yes, that's what Breckenridge, Colorado is now dubbed since marijuana possession will be legal in that rocky mountain high (oh, is that what John Denver was really singing about?) ski town. Don't get too excited. It's only legal up to one ounce.


Marijuana, or cannabis (the plant which all names of the high-life terms we refer) has been a staple of mountain towns in America. I would include European ski towns, but their mountain life are not as well established for relaxing with a fat dubbie. 


After January 1, 2010,  if you have up to one ounce of the magic plant in possession, you will not incur any criminal or civic penalties. I believe thousands of Colorado college students just leapt with excitement. I know the soon to be stoner visitors did, at least for those students anyway. Breckenridge is the second city in Colorado to legalize possession. Denver was the first in November. Wait! Don't get too excited again. Marijuana is still illegal in Colorado under state and Federal law. "Honey, now you can eat your ice cream cone, but we have to stay inside the DQ. Don't get it on your shirt." 


The Breckenridge Police Department are already getting a slew of questions. Can you guess which ones have been asked? Below are a mix of reported questions and ones I have devised. The first is one of the actual questions and I also attached the answer. Thought this one was important to do that...


Can I do it while I'm skiing? -- NO 
Can I bring it to my hotel room?

Will I...that's a great phrase, will I, isn't?

Will I be able to smoke après-ski on the mountain?
Can I leave it in my car?

Views from a ski lift: Evergreens

A snap on a ski lift from above. Most likely from Switzerland in the 1970's. The photographer is either my mother or my father. I know you can see the ski tracks, but can you smell the spruce?

Vintage Visit to the Winter Olympics 1964

The excitement is well underway for the upcoming XXI Olympic Winter Games in February 12-28, 2010. I've never been to this year's hosting city, Vancouver, Canada, but British Columbia will be a worthy trip in my future. The 1964 IX Olympic Winter Games was hosted by Innsbruck, Austria. The first of two times (the other in 1976) for the Austrian city. During one of my parent's ski adventures, they visited Innsbruck and the Olympic Winter Games site prior to the Games sequel there in 1976.

The winter sporting disciplines have changed over the years (Snowboarding added in 1998), but the memories are strong. I used to where my brother's old 1980 Lake Placid Olympic Winter Games shirt around the house. Like Innsbruck, Lake Placid, NY, USA was a host city twice. In 2002, Lake Placid celebrated their 70th anniversary for their first hosting while the winter Olympic athletes where receiving medals in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. This year the acclaimed, Squaw Valley, Olympic Valley, USA celebrates their 50th hosting year anniversary!

A picture is worth a thousand words, or perhaps more. Below are pictures of my parents in front of the dedication plaque for the 1964 Games in Innsbruck, Austria and the Couldron, which was lit by alpine skier Joseph Rieder who carried the ceremonial Olympic torch.

Skiing shouldn't stop while in the WC

You enter the lodge for a break. Particularly a restroom break. Already missing the mountain glory you have been experiencing, you feel unfulfilled. Not anymore! You can continue the adventure, well, at some Japanese ski resorts. 


The Myoko Kogen Ski Resort in Madarao Kogen, Nagano, Japan offers ski-jump toilets! Amazing right? As a marketing campaign of Georgia Max Coffee, they have decked out various water closets at Japanese ski resorts. All sides are covered, yes a full 360 degrees, with a scenic ski jumping view. Skis are painted on the floor so as you sit, you are whisked away atop a ski jump! Talk about feeling awkward with your pants down. All they need is to stimulate a cool breeze to really make it feel real. On second thought, scratch that. 

Translation: “Seriously kick-ass intensely sweet for the real coffee super zinging unstoppable Max! Taste-explosion!”

Mountain Snap: Spain 1972

The description on the back of the picture below in my mother's handwriting is: Spain 1972. I already shared an amazing postcard of my parents in a Granada, Spain restaurant. This is just a picture of a Spanish snow covered mountain, most likely from that same trip. Blue skies above, white waves of beauty below. Sierra Nevada Granada the Beautiful!

Let's go to Idaho! Forties style.

I've never been to Idaho. A fellow skier told me Sun Valley is hands down the best mountain. If the skiing is as good as the potatoes, sign me up! In 1936, Sun Valley was the first destination resort. A few years later in 1941, the musical film, Sun Valley Serenade, featuring Glenn Miller and his Orchestra was released. The theatrical movie poster (below) gets my vote for greatness. 

Another vote for greatness goes to one of Glenn Miller's songs in the film, "It Happened in Sun Valley," later redone by the popular television show, South Park. Sleigh riding, ice skating, pool swimming, après-ski forties fantastic FUN!

Please, I hope you know what's wrong here

The bedazzled man tshirt company, Ed Hardy, is now doing mountain wear and equipment. I just saw a billboard the other day. Different from the pictures below, but similar. I can see what's wrong with this and hope you can too. Actually, I'm confused. Shall I start making snowballs now to throw at anyone I see on the mountain, or wait? 

First Moguls

The first of things are always remembered. It's a powerful memory trigger. My first concert was The Bangles and Mister Mister at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. My first time dining on raw whale was 2007 at Þrír Frakkar (Three Coats) in Reykjavik, Iceland. And my first taste of riding moguls was maybe 14 years old at Kissing Bridge Ski Resort. 


I was cruising a trail with a friend and her family until we couldn't go any farther. We dead ended at the most difficult run I had seen thus far. MOGULS. All icy moguls. It must have been one of their double diamond runs. I loudly declared, "I have to walk down," but it was too late and not an option. I descended with a biting vertigo of fear. Not only did I fear the moguls themselves, but the run was crowded, narrow, and with many people unsuccessfully getting down the hill with falls. Bump. Bump. Bump I went, resting between moguls. The only thought going through my mind was, "Don't fall." 


Finally, I reached the bottom and to my elation, I was one of the successes! I rocked those icy moguls without a fall! I was better than I thought! Or lucky, perhaps. My first brush with the magic snow bumps they call moguls will never be forgotten. Back then I told myself that was the first and last time for moguling around. I had avoided any and all before my sabbatical. I'm now ready to try some again if they seek me out.

Postcards from Spain

I have numerous old pictures from my family's ski sojourns in the 1970's. Don't worry, I will be posting lots! When I found this restaurant postcard from a Spain trip in 1972, I laughed. I laughed hard. Please take note of my dad's collar. It is from Jardines Neptuno, located in Granada, Spain. According to a blurb about it on yahoo travel, "You can see a spectacular show of flamenco and Andalusian folklore at the same time as dining on typical local dishes." Sounds good to me. I hope Jardines Neptuno still offers their patrons a slice of postcard greatness. Olé!

Mom and Dad, 1972

Lange Me Some Booty Money

I did not win the Full Tilt x Orage Limited Edition boots and still desperately need new ski boots. As I've been finding amazing old ski adverts (will have a post soon) I've also come across adverts that are specifically, Lange Girls. I'm a sucker for older magazine ads, travel posters, and the like, and was reminded of the Lange Girl history. Below are two of my old favorites...

Yes, I've said it before: Ski Sex Sells. Lange sure knows what it's doing. They sell boots and sex. I investigated the Lange Girl Contest online, sponsored by Lange and Freeskier Magazine. Entries are being accepted until January 15, 2010! Sorry ladies, but some of you are hilarious, really. I was tempted to perhaps enter myself in the contest (like I keep saying, I need new boots). If revenge is a dish best served cold, then desperation is best served ICED cold, freezing. I decided to forgo the contest since I only want boots and the only ripping I'll be doing around the slopes (one of the things they are looking for) will happen by way of better fitting boots. Sometimes, I'm too honest for my own good.

Maybe I could raise some booty money with my own version of the famous Lange Girl adverts? Wear my current old, lovely Salomons and have a friend take pictures. Print up some posters to sell. It could work.

Finding your Buck or Bunny

It's true. It happens. People meet on the mountain! As a reminder, my parents met on the slopes. Even the acclaimed ski filmmaker, Warren Miller, met his wife skiing. He recently wrote about it in one of his weekly columns found at onthesnow.com in the titled entry: Meet The Man Or Woman Of Your Dreams. Besides talking about his own meeting story, he also gives suggestions on how to meet your own, Steve Stunning or Grace Good Enough. Or how I like to refer them more simply: Buck or Bunny.

Sometimes, one simple line can catch somebody's attention in the good way or the not-so good way. Here's what I've been collecting so far. I plan on testing some out this season. Any other genius ones?

-Would you like to ski my slopes?

-Nice moguls!

-I ski with three poles.

-You know what they say about a man with big skis.

-Hey, nice pole!

-Want to ogle my moguls? / Can I ogle your moguls?

-You must be a snow angel because you've been carving them all day.

-There's nothing sexier than a man in a snow bib.

-Nothing says fun like a nice, big face shot.

-I like to go deep...in the powder.

BIG SKY: Picture Reflections

Below are some pictures from a trip my family took to Big Sky Resort (Montana) in the 1970's. I have yet to ski there and have added it to my ski adventure wish list. I hope I get there soon...

Ski J's?

A friend sent me this today. Are you looking to send fun new Ski J's for the holidays? I would if they didn't look like this. I like the vintage patches, but something about the overall design doesn't appeal to me, but perhaps to you? 

However, the dog playing chess in the matching set of jammies does work on many levels. 


If interested, here is the EXCLUSIVE VIP MEMBERSHIP PROMOTIONAL OFFER: 
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Music and Mountains go hand and hand

Music rules the soul in every way possible. Even Plato knew it. One of my favorite quotes on music is by him:
"Music is a moral law. It gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness, gaiety and life to everything. It is the essence of order, and leads to all that is good, just and beautiful, of which it is the invisible, but nevertheless dazzling, passionate, and eternal form."
Just substitute music with mountains and Plato's insight still rings true. That's agreeable.

I'll never forget my first listening taste of Simon and Garfunkel. I was maybe 12 and on my way back from Peek 'n Peek. Bridge over Trouble Water -- I was in awe. I listened on a friend's walkman - the cassette tape kind of course. Remember those days? Mix tapes?

Many memories throughout my life are connected with music, mountains in particular. So what better way to begin to compile a list of great music to listen to while traveling to and back from mountain adventures!

Here is a starting list of greatness. The first two I consider "happy jam" music, which encompass many more options, but these are from my recent experience.

1. Bob Marley (Listened to Bob on my way to Sugar Bowl with family last year. Driving surrounded by billowy snow while listening to warm island tunes -- amazing. Not necessarily the Legend album.)
2. The Grateful Dead (Listened to on the way back from Sugar Bowl this year. After realizing I was "ski driving" (see last post for definition), I had to switch to something else. Self explanatory, really.)
3. 90's Music (Listened to mix on the way to Mt. High, my first mountain trek of this season. Two words: New Radicals)