Snowstorm on Highway Q
After a couple of significant snow falls, Peter, Steve Alexander, and I were to meet at The Land on Friday night, December. 15. Our custom is to do a pre-Christmas get together, exchange gifts and generally have a good time. Steve however has missed the previous two Decembers but had finally arranged to make it this time. He and Peter would leave from Milwaukee and meet me at the trailer.

The forecast was for more snow as I headed out of Madison, but the drive to Richland Center was clear and quick. After grabbing a bite to eat and picking up food for the week-end, I pulled out of the Pick'n'Save lot and drove straight into a blinding snow storm. The remaining 6 miles to the Land was accomplished with much difficulty, traveling at about 20 mph on Highway Q - almost not able to see the road in front of me because of so much snow coming down! In all the years that I've gone to the Land, I don't think that I've EVER traveled so slow on hwy Q. Even though I knew exactly where I was going, and at only 20 mph, I still slid past the entrance to Hoffman's driveway.

 

White Silence
.After giving Holiday greetings to the Hoffmans' - who graciously allow us to park in their driveway for these winter ski trips - I got on my boots and gaiters, loaded up my backpack and started down towards the Airstream.

The walk down was incredibly beautiful. My eyes had already adjusted to the dark and I didn't even bother to use the headlamp that I wore. It was only about 20 degrees (not very cold for Fox Hollow), everything was white and silent and large flakes were coming down on what was already about a foot and half of accumulated snow. By the time I made my second trek (with water, drink and food) the snow had slowed to a trickle - it would continue in waves throughout the night.

Ski Conditions Outstanding
Despite the fact that the runs were not entirely cleared this fall, the ski conditions were outstanding. Cold weather had left the "over one foot" of snow without any sort of crust and other than a few plants sticking up here and there, the runs were a sea of white. Better conditions than you might expect even in February!

Yes the skiing was good, except that neither Peter nor I were used to having so much snow this early in the season. The powder skiing took a little getting used to and in fact on my third run down Unicorn, (this is the run that Tom has nicknamed "Erik's narrow swath of death"), a mis-turn necessitated an emergency stop just as I was getting into the steep narrow part of the chute. This is perhaps the worst place to stop because then you are staring down at the steepest, narrowest run at the Land, at a dead stop, with no momentum to help you turn, and no choice but to "point 'em down" and do what you can! Well I struggled through the chute and that's where Steve got the picture of me, from behind a large tree - thank God, one less obstacle to avoid (much safer for him too - in the narrow confines of Unicorn, one's a crowd, two's a collision).

Good Food and a Friendly Card Game
That night included a fine "Portuguese seafood stew", fine wine and, true to his word, Steve hardly whined at all when Pete and I took his money at Sheepshead.

All in all, a great time. However, the season tally was now Unicorn 1 - Erik 0.

Erik