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Gathering Clouds (Time for Reflection)

Jim Kenney

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@KevinF I was really happy to see how many folks your latest NEG was drawing. And sad to see it had to be scrubbed. Great job anyway.
@Tony S I missed skiing with you this winter, you stylish devil. But I did get to ski several days for the first time with your Maine doppleganger - @aveski

I am in complete denial about this virus season-ending thing. Still hoping some of the Utah places I frequent will reopen. If not, I may have to hit the road to find the few lesser western indie areas that seem to be trying to stay open. Vince is also showing me some alternatives by example. He hiked for turns up in LCC today.
No lifts, no problem:
vince alta hike 15 mar 20.jpg
 

Johnny V.

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Good sentiments Tony! Didn't get a chance to ski with any Pugs (that we know of ) this year, although we may have dropped in on the NE gathering.

Yes, not a great season, but lots of vertical at our home hill with good friends, a decent beer league racing season including racing against my daughter, skied with my two older granddaughters including a trip to NH with the oldest. Yes, it's a bluebird day and I'm frustrated that I can't ski. But in the bigger picture, life goes on............although I made phone calls from Sugarbush to buy a pair of Stockli Laser AX demos from our local shop at a good price, picked them up yesterday on our way back from Killington only to learn yesterday was the last day at Bristol. First world problems...................ogsmile.
 

Steve

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Another thing to mention in retrospect is all of the lessons I taught this season. I know that some of them made positive differences in peoples skiing abilities, thus their future enjoyment. I'm sure I also had other positive impacts on people just sharing my unique personality and perspectives with a lot of strangers of all ages.

A lot of good happened in the last few months.

We all need to take care of our mental states now. Keep busy, get distracted. We probably lean towards being more intelligent people and thus more able to project the future -- and thus, worry. I for one am glad that I see what might go wrong soon, it helps me to prepare for the worst. But I also need to not do it too many hours of the day.
 

Jim Kenney

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Here's my reflection on the virus ski-season-ending thingy. It's an analogy as I try to wrap my head around current events.

Reaction to 9-11 terrorist attacks.
Me, 9-11: OMG, the building I was in yesterday/Pentagon just got hit by terrorists attacking it with a commercial airliner full people. Several of my work collegues lost close relatives. I'm scared. I'm waking up in the middle of the night for months afterward. We have to catch those responsible ASAP. Shoot first, ask questions later. This is kill or be killed.

Random guy in Utah, 9-11: gee that's horrible, but let's not start WW-III over this. We're not the world's policeman. Don't take away the civil rights of innocent people until proven guilty. Let other countries keep their sovereignty. We have enough problems at home without interfering all around the world and putting our troops at risk.

Reaction to virus.
Me, virus: gee I hope the vulnerable and elderly don't die, but let's not shut down the USA for 1000 sick people. We lose so many people every year to the flu and the common cold, what's the big deal? Folks should take care of themselves. This isn't my problem, why am I losing the ability to move about and do the things I love to do?

Random guy in Seattle or NYC, virus: they are dropping like flies all around me. My child's school has shut down, my job is telling me to stay home. The stores are out of everything I need. I'm going to do what's best for all of us and hunker down in my house for the next two weeks. Anybody who goes outside is going to get sick, or worse, is a carrier spreading death and destruction that will eventually reach me despite all my best efforts for social distancing.
 
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Steve

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What does that mean? Can you please try to explain? I don't understand.

ogwink

I see what you did there. I guess only some of us are leaning in that way.
 

Pasha

i hiked the ridge... twice...
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Here's my reflection on the virus ski-season-ending thingy. It's an analogy as I try to wrap my head around current events.

Reaction to 9-11 terrorist attacks.
Me, 9-11: OMG, the building I was in yesterday/Pentagon just got hit by terrorists attacking it with a commercial airliner full people. Several of my work collegues lost close relatives. I'm scared. I'm waking up in the middle of the night for months afterward. We have to catch those responsible ASAP. Shoot first, ask questions later. This is kill or be killed.

Random guy in Utah, 9-11: gee that's horrible, but let's not start WW-III over this. We're not the world's policeman. Don't take away the civil rights of innocent people until proven guilty. Let other countries keep their sovereignty. We have enough problems at home without interfering all around the world and putting our troops at risk.

Reaction to virus.
Me, virus: gee I hope the vulnerable and elderly don't die, but let's not shut down the USA for 1000 sick people. We lose so many people every year to the flu and the common cold, what's the big deal? Folks should take care of themselves. This isn't my problem, why am I losing the ability to move about and do the things I love to do?

Random guy in Seattle or NYC, virus: they are dropping like flies all around me. My child's school has shut down, my job is telling me to stay home. The stores are out of everything I need. I'm going to do what's best for all of us and hunker down in my house for the next two weeks. Anybody who goes outside is going to get sick, or worse, is a carrier spreading death and destruction that will eventually reach me despite all my best efforts for social distancing.

truly interesting perspectives. When it hits closer to home, we do feel it different...
 

Noodler

Sir Turn-a-lot
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It's not just the loss of a big chunk of the ski season, for me it's also the realization that I will be another year older next season when these "opportunities" are on the schedule again. I continue to fear how many years of skiing I have left in my body. The loss of "time" is what I'm really feeling.

So next season I'm going to try to live by a single mantra... "Make it happen". Life is short, we need to maximize all aspects to live it to its fullest. :)
 

Jerez

Skiing the powder
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Thank you @Tony S . Dont know how I missed this till now.

Skiing has always seemed for me a kind of meditation in motion. Having to focus (or face physical disaster) and being immersed in nature in a way that just doesn't happen for me hiking or other outdoor activities as much as I like them.

Now that we are practicing SIP, meditation and reflection bubble up from lack of distraction. Not a bad thing for us humans I think. Time we paused and took stock of our place and our jet stream.

Ironic that our human hubris is revealed by a microscopic form of proto-life.

(Guess I should have picked a different book than The Overstory!)
 

TheArchitect

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Same here, @Tony S Like @Jerez I somehow missed this thread until today.

When @KevinF first suggested he and I get together for some turns at Stowe last year I was hesitant (super introvert that I am) but afterwards I was very happy I did. It was that first step into making real world connections with the Pugski community. I had a really good time at my first Gatherings last year and I'm hoping that we all make it through this virus as soon as can be hoped so we can get back to doing what we all love.
 
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