Greetings from Vail

I made it. I have been in Vail now for 4 days and I really am happy to be here.

I flew into Denver the day after Halloween with a bunch of hungover skate and board kids, pretty quiet flight really. Joe Schramm picked me up at the airport and I had the chance to hang out with him for 3 days in Denver. He has a nice little setup with Nick Kjolhede, Jason Bulter, John Hickey and little (but now all grownsies) JoJo. I got to play some disc, tour the town, hit up some bars and just kick back with some faces from the past.

I took the CME from Denver to Vail, it is essentially a van that they load up with ski bums and rich people. My first day in Vail was a little trying, I got to town with about 1 hour of daylight but most of that was wasted with paperwork at my apt. complex's housing office and just getting all my shit into my apartment and set up. So by the time I was ready to get my bearings about me it was already dark out and I just had to hop on the city bus and take it where it took me and figure out as I go. Luckily Vail is accomodating to the hiker. I stopped into a coffee shop and a cool cat named Quincy gave me a lowdown. So after drinking the free coffee Quincy gave me I hopped on a different bus and took it to a grocery store. Life is expensive out here. I shall be consuming tuna, trailmix, granola bars, eggs and beer, nothing else. So eventually I made it back to my apartment and just passed out.

Every day thus far has consisted primarily of training classes. Today is my first free day in Vail and I plan to just stroll the streets with my camera and get to know the place. I have plans to go hiking up one of the mountain sides with my friends Jeff and Philip so that should also give me a good idea of what else Vail life has in store for me.

I have two roommates, Cesear and Tyler, we are expecting one more by the time ski season starts. They are both good guys, Tyler is a fellow lift operator from D.C. Cesear has been in Vail for a year and a half and is working as a cook at one of the ridiculously expensive restaurants in downtown.

Life in Vail has been good but busy. I am looking forward to ski season and finally getting up there on the mountain and having the whole day to waste on shredding through powder. I am surrounded by people my age and of my mindset so making friends has never been easier. All in all life is good and just keeps getting better the more you let it.
LB