End of the Season

Well folks. The 13-14 snowboarding season has come to an end. Since December, I have spent countless hours strapped into my Burton snowboard cruising down App Ski Mountain. App Ski Mountain ended the season with their annual meltdown games and it was a blast to watch. Not that I am an incredible snowboarder or anything but this weekends closing ceremonies made me reflect not only on these past 4 months, but also but the past 3 seasons. When I first started snowboarding, my freshman year of college I was terrible, afraid of everything and my gear consisted of rentals and family hand-me-downs. I never thought it would become something I did more than a few times a season…but it did. I never thought I would ever attempt a rail or a jump…but I did. I never thought I would own my own gear…but I do. I never thought I would make so many friends out there…but I did. In the midst of frigid temperatures and unbearable downpours of snow, getting to go snowboarding kept my spirits high and gave my friends and me something to look forward to. I am thankful for every fall, every lift ride, every jump, every box hit, every ride and every morning I woke up sore. It was sentimental taking my last ride down the mountain. I took it slow and appreciated the view of the Mountains, the sunshine, the snow and the people surrounding me. Every season of life comes to a close so with that I say… bring on spring!! I’m ready for ya.

Crowds, Cold and Chaos

This past weekend, a friend and I headed over to a local Ski Resort where we spent the day snowboarding. Well, I went snowboarding and she tried a version of it on the bunny slope. This day was comprised of my least favorite combination of C’s, crowds, cold and chaos. Being in college I have little sense of the public schools academic calendar. Apparently it was presidents weekend and every youth group and family seemed to have a trip planned to the mountains this weekend. I was there for the better part of the day and into the night. The lines for the lifts, rentals, shuttles and tickets were incredibly long. There was not adequate inside space to accommodate people, there was a crowding on the slopes, they ran out of helmets for rent and the parking extended outside of their parking lots and into local businesses parking lots. All of this and the temperature was in the teens.

However, through all of the crowds, cold and chaos I still had a great day. There was hardly a time when I wasn’t having fun and at times I was snowboarding by myself. So, why was i having such a good time despite the C’s? Once I made it to the top of the mountain, after getting off at the last ski lift stop I realized that it was worth it. As I type this it all seems terrible, like a horrible experience but yet, it was incredible. The wind can feel like little needles on your skin but the snow looks majestic as the wind carries it away, almost like ghosts, towering high to the people on the ski lifts. The powdery snow gets stuck inside my gloves but is a dream to ride on. Riding the lifts at night is like a mid-air haunted hayride but, the trees, covered in snow, look better from this angle. The lines can be a pain to stand in but, i’m glad people are here to experience the beauty of where I live.

Sometimes the weather stinks and people can be annoying but, thats the great thing about the outdoors. A beautiful landscape and some fresh air has the power to change your mood, lift your spirits and transform your day.

Have a good day friends and stay warm.

Costa Rica Part Tres: Manuel Antonio

Well folks, here we are. Part 3 of my 3 part series from my trip to Costa Rica. Don’t worry though, I still have a trip video that will be coming out shortly. (Caitlin Nancy–if you are reading this…I am coming for your video footage) This last leg of the trip was more low-key so I have decided to format it just a tad different.

We spent our time in Manuel Antonio, mostly playing in the water, but, on our way there we stopped to tour an organic coffee farm. It is hard to think about coffee while you are sweating in Costa Rica but, as I sit here and type this post with a coffee in hand, I now appreciate the knowledge that I gained from this tour.  Not only did we tour their coffee factory (all outside) we also got to witness the making of sugar cane liquor and take a short hike through their property. Special shout out to my Mom, who just this morning, texted me regarding how much she was enjoying the coffee I brought back for her. Please email me regarding where you can send my daughter of the year award.  🙂

Once we arrived in Manuel Antonio we went straight to the beach, where we watched the sunset. This was the first time I had ever touched the Pacific Ocean or watched the sunset over the water. I am an atlantic coast girl, we wake up at 5am to see the sunrise on the water. It was a surreal moment and luckily, the water was warm.

The next day we came back to the beach where we entered Manuel Antonio National Park. We had fun playing in the water, eating coconuts, climbing along the rocks and shopping around the local town. Seeing mountains and rock formations along the coast was a new sight for me. In North Carolina the coast is at one in of the state and if you drive 5 hours west, you will be in the mountains. Here I was hiking and playing in the water all at the same time. Dream come true? I think yes.

That same afternoon we went on a snorkeling and boating excursion with Iguana Tours. Even though it was raining we had a great time. We took a 2 hour boat ride where we danced, ate fruit upon fruit (go figure) and even caught a cat nap. Boy do I love falling asleep to the sound of the waves. It was beautiful. As the sun was setting we were served dinner and had an opportunity to snorkel and jump/slide off the top of the boat. If you give me a water slide, I can be occupied for hours. The rain cleared just in time for the sun to set and it was picture perfect. Shout out to our friend Thomas that posed as an enthusiastic tour guide and pal for our tour.

As I wrap up this 3 part series I have been able to reflect on this incredible trip. This Blog has given me the opportunity to share and remember all of those special moments. Rain or shine Costa Rica is a beautiful country with so much to offer. As I look out the window in the library and see nothing but snow and ice, I have enjoyed reflecting on the warmth of Costa Rica. Hopefully i have helped convince you to get your tails down to costa rica!

Thanks for reading friends! Movie coming soon!

peace out–HAYUP