The Feeling

[LightRanger]

It's September. You're a skier. You know what I mean.

The closest analogue I can think of is the anticipation you get as a kid in the weeks before Christmas. The anticipation is almost better than the event itself. The Christmas anticipation I got as a child has long since faded away, but The Feeling returns every year.

I usually start to get it around mid-August. The weather outside doesn't really matter. The forecasted high this weekend for my Northern California home is around 100-101 F. The Feeling is still there. I'm not sure what the trigger is. Maybe it's the ski movie trailers that seem to be circulating around more often with their tour dates often starting later this month. Maybe it's the end-of-summer sales. Football season. It's could be when the first issue of Powder shows up in the mail. I don't know. But whatever the trigger is, I feel like it pushes seratonin into my system that stays from September - April.

I first got The Feeling in the fall of 2001. It was the first fall after I'd taken up snowsports seriously. The previous year we moved from Orange County, CA to the Sierra Foothills. I joined the nordic ski team, worked at Boreal starting mid-winter, and bought my first snowboard. I was hooked.

The Feeling returned every fall for the better part of a decade. I learned to alpine ski, then tele, and usually got in anywhere from 30-70 days/winter. The Feeling carried me through my senior year of high school, then college, then graduate school. Every fall I'd go stir crazy waiting for the snow to fly. Summer sports are great. Warm rock is nice. Tacky trails are fun. But it's the cold. The ice. The floaty, flying, slarvy feeling underfoot that I truly crave.

Then in 2009, it stopped. I had a bad crash at Squaw that winter and wasn't sure exactly how the recovery would go. At first things seemed fine. But then they stopped getting better. I largely sat out the next four seasons with a number of surgeries, misdiagnosis of complications stemming from the injury, and pain so bad that I couldn't snowboard in a soft boot, let alone ski. My leg even started to ache sometimes when I took my dog for a walk around the neighborhood. Couple that with being on-and-off un-/underemployed because of a terrible job market during the recession, and I was a bit despondent at times.

But then, last December I had surgery to fix the lingering issues with my leg. My awesome orthopedic surgeon actually posts here from time to time. In February I took my first turns without pain since 2009. I ended up getting something like six days in. My leg needed strengthening, but no pain. A bunch of bike riding, hiking, and a bit of running later, and I'm feeling pretty good.

The Feeling is back for the first time in five years. I'm amped for this season. It's going to be amazing, and, after wondering if I'd ever walk without a limp again, 6.5 total months on crutches from four surgeries, etc., I'll appreciate it that much more.

So there you have it.

What's The Feeling like for you? What triggers it? When did you first get it?

Pray for snow.

[~mikey b]

FKNA son

I always have it. I'm lucky. I work on skis. I'd ski/work all day every day all year 'round if I could. I start feeling it about a week or two after I know I'm not going to ski again for a month or two or three. It takes me longer to get used to sandals on my feet than ski boots.

Young Owen has been asking me about skiing a lot lately.


Come visit us at DR this winter Colin. Skiing is fun if not rad. Hospitality can't be beat.

[LightRanger]

I've actually been meaning to make it up there to visit you for a while. Will make it happen this winter.

[~mikey b]

we haz teh funz

[gone2alpine]

Nice little piece of writing Light Ranger. As TeleMike says, I nearly always have The Feeling. I used to count the days from July through November.Now that I just completed year 3 of a year round ski campaign, it's usually not more than 3 weeks between ski days at most.

Would you consider letting me run that essay as a post at UnofficialAlpine.com? It could be your byline or any pseudonym to your liking.

And...answering your question...that first falling aspen leaf. One of my jobs is outdoors in a large aspen grove. We play a game where every leaf you catch is good for a powder day. Last season there was an early hard freeze that turned every leaf black and they all dropped overnight. No leaves fell last fall that we could catch. Hope to catch many in the next few weeks.

[Meadow Skipper]

^ Do it, C.

[SiSt]

The first cold, clear mornings is what does it for me. A fresh, slightly chilly breeze with a faint scent of decomposing leaves.

Fall is underway, and soon...

[Meadow Skipper]

Seeing Orion in the early morning signals anticipation season for me.

[gone2alpine]

^ Seven Sisters is the constellation I look for signalling snow season.

[Mofro261]

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...light=the+turn

[userA]

did not know you were so fond of turns, it looks alot like straight when your skiing.
b

[LightRanger]

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...light=the+turn

I remember that thread. A little different though.

[PB]

Well said, Colin. Didn't realize things had been dragging on so long - glad to hear it's finally turned around, and The Feeling has returned! Ain't it sweet?

[The Dad]

+1......

[SUPERIOR]

What a great post!

I woke up today and the temps in SW Idaho are in the 80s for the first time in a couple months, nights getting darker. Won't be any snow here until at least mid November, but the feeling is still coming on strong.

I've been laid up for the last two seasons with knee cap tracking issues, and last year managed to get about 14 days despite some pain.

I managed to hold onto a job that lets me out at 2 p.m. weekdays, so I'm looking forward to lots of afternoons / evenings this winter.


Hyndman Peak by Matt Standal, on Flickr" />

[getoutside]

bought my first snowboard. I was hooked.

^^^ amen. glad you are healing up.

[Wandrin*]

One big trigger for me to ramp up The Feeling is season passes going on sale and making the purchase.

[MakersTeleMark]

Alabama football games really get me going.

[Westbasinchutes]

AHHH good post! I definitely have that feeling!

I hope you heal all the way up and have a great season!

[Hugh Conway]

thanks

best of luck with the coming season

[sar13]

The Feeling hit me about 2 weeks ago but I've been trying to keep my focus on biking.
Text today just after my ride - my new skis arrived - the Feeling keeps getting stronger!

[glademaster]

This is around the time it becomes appropriate to bump "The Turn" thread again.

[Slaag Master]

"Hooked on a feelin', High on believin'"

great story of a fall, sacrifice, and redemption!!!! very satisfying!!

here in utah we have lost 2 hours of daylight, from a high of 15.5 hours in june, by the end of august. this is what triggers my desire to get back on the hill. also, a desire to steep in deep cold!!!

hopefully you will never need it again but utah has some of the best sports orthos in the world. i mean lindsey came here first after her fall!!!

welcome back!!! tribe up!!!

[LightRanger]

Would you consider letting me run that essay as a post at UnofficialAlpine.com? It could be your byline or any pseudonym to your liking.

Absolutely. Glad you liked it. Post it under Colin. I want to keep at least some anonymity.

[HansJob]

Thanks for the read. Well done.