January 29, 2010

I got my final day yesterday.  I wasn’t sure what was going to happen when I drove to work to turn in my ID badge.  After a little consultation with the legal team, we all agreed that I wasn’t likely to be critical to solving the situation.  In the event that I am needed, we will work out the details at that time. I turned in my stuff and said a few final goodbyes.  The feelings were surprising as I walked through the security doors for the last time without a way back in.  The operations manager walked with me to the door and wished me good luck.

The last two weeks weren’t too much work.  I think I worked 13 hours.  It was a little disruptive to our skiing plans, but there is still plenty of winter left.  The pay was more than fair for the situation, an unexpected padding of our funds for our new life.  I got my final paycheck today as well.  Kris got hers yesterday.   Our bank account is remarkably full for an unemployed couple.

Skiing has been fun.  Tuesday was the last day of a long stretch of no snow.  The conditions were surprisingly good.  The moguls were as big as they get at Alyeska with deep troughs that were only mildly icy.  We spent most of the day on the groomed runs, taking advantage of the total lack of other skiers with speeds that made our eyes water.  We even took a few nonstop top to bottom runs.  I only scrubbed speed in a few stretches where visibility is limited.  Mostly I kept my speed in check with my short turn radius, generating thigh burning g-forces on each turn.  Kris was having so much fun with this high speed no crowd skiing that she talked me into a fourth top to bottom run at the end of the day.  I wasn’t sure I had it in me, but I didn’t argue.  It was our biggest day of the year.

Wednesday was a total surprise.  The report said no new snow so we headed down for a repeat of Tuesday.  The snow on the road was our first clue.  When we arrived, we found several inches of fresh snow, mostly untracked.  The temperatures were pleasant so the snow was mildly wet.  This provided good adhesion to the firmer layers below.  At the top, a strong wind was blowing the surface smooth over the giant moguls, although the smooth surface only hid the deep troughs and big bumps underneath.  We found a few stretches of fresh snow on top of the groomed runs that provided that pleasant smooth feeling.  Near the bottom, it began raining, giving the new snow a strange consistency that made bizarre sounds as our skis cut through.  It sounded like something caught in a fan blade.

Today was awesome although it started bad.  We met some friends at the resort.  They were running a little late so we took a quick run on the lower half while they got their boots on.  It was crispy corduroy.  The grooming had been frozen solid by a little rain at the base.  Our skis couldn’t plant an edge and we slid sideways on every turn, although the little ridges grabbed at the skis as they turned into the fall line.  We met our friends at the bottom and expressed our concern that bringing our wide skis was a mistake.

Then we headed to the top where we found boot deep heavy snow with not enough skiers to cut it up quickly.  We made run after run, finding smooth untracked snow to redirect our skis on almost every turn.  The snow changed consistency as we dropped elevation and the pain of the last third didn’t reduce the joy from the upper two thirds.  On one run, as I exited the fresh snow below High Traverse joyously hitting a couple of jumps, a ski patroller yelled at me to slow down.  I quickly recognized the voice, our friend from Fairbanks.  She joined our little band for several laps.  It was a fun day with some fun friends in fun snow. 

We have continued to get out cross country skiing.  Over the weekend, we even stopped at the Hillside trails.  These are some fancy groomed trails frequented by hard core cross country skiers.  For us casual types, it is a little annoying.  Having tracks to retain your skis is nice.  It almost feels like cheating at times.  People in tight spandex suits whiz by as we chug along.  The conditions were fast and the hills were terrifying.  I think my abilities as a downhill skier leave me with total disrespect for cross country skis.  There is nothing that you can do with these lame boards except go straight.  When the hill goes down and around a curve, it is an imprecise exercise of slowly steering your skis to try to affect direction.  These techniques are mere beginner techniques for downhillers.  I don’t understand why someone hasn’t designed a smarter cross country ski that actually allows some advanced control.

We are scheduled for the written exams for the Foreign Service.  We were both able to get the same time period on Tuesday, March 2.  We are continuing to study and prepare.  Having a deadline will help me.  I think I am progressing.  My brain feels like it is filling up.