On the Slopes

David R.

December 27, 2009 - 6:59 PM

Waking up in the mountains this morning, it was difficult to get back in the skiing mode, as I haven't been for quite some time. The last time I was skiing in Colorado was exactly a year ago, when I made my last visit to Beaver Creek. I got out of bed, threw on some clothes, and went downstairs to enjoy the delicious complimentary breakfast.

When I came back to my room, I started the sometimes frustrating process of trying to decide what to wear out on the mountain. Obviously, no one wants to be cold, but at the same time, no one wants to be too hot either, which is possible, even in the mountains, if the sun happens to be shining in full, which it was today. I threw on a sweatshirt over a few thermals and began to walk out the door, when I remembered that I packed my Oregon basketball jersey in my bag. After a few minutes I decided that en light of the bowl season, I would wear my jersey over my sweatshirt to show my proud support for one of the best college football teams in the nation. Throughout the course of the day I heard some "go ducks" yelps from the crowd at the lift lines, which I acknowledged with a smile and wave. One of the lift operators commented on my jersey and how "sick" the Ducks are. As I was walking away I noticed that the worker was from Hot Springs, Arkansas. It made me glad to know that people from parts of the country other than Oregon have noticed and come to respect the accomplishments of the Ducks. Not only is Arkansas across the country from Oregon, but in it lies a school that competes in the SEC. It is nice to see that Oregon is gaining respect from even those people who live in an area that is over-run by the SEC, arguably the nation's most competitive conference. And, lets not forget about the notorious east coast bias towards teams on the west coast. People on the east coast rarely view west coast games, because of how late it is when these games are broadcasted. Because of this lack of exposure, those on the east coast, and in some parts of the southeast, have few reasons to believe that any west coast team is as good as the best teams located in the eastern and southeastern part of the country. Hopefully, on January 1st, these people who think this way will be given a reason (an Oregon victory) to think differently.

As far as the skiing goes, the conditions were great. The snow was soft for the most part, and the sun was shining constantly, which made for a perfect day on the mountain. Being out there today made me realize how fun skiing is, and how much I miss it when I cant go for some time. I am glad I attend the University of Oregon, because the surrounding Cascade Mountains give me the chance to continue participating in a hobby that I enjoy. The University of Oregon is located in one of the prettiest regions in the country, leaving students with plenty of options for leisure away from campus.

Waking up in the mountains this morning, it was difficult to get back in the skiing mode, as I haven't been for quite some time. The last time I was skiing in Colorado was exactly a year ago, when I made my last visit to Beaver Creek. I got out of bed, threw on some clothes, and went downstairs to enjoy the delicious complimentary breakfast.

When I came back to my room, I started the sometimes frustrating process of trying to decide what to wear out on the mountain. Obviously, no one wants to be cold, but at the same time, no one wants to be too hot either, which is possible, even in the mountains, if the sun happens to be shining in full, which it was today. I threw on a sweatshirt over a few thermals and began to walk out the door, when I remembered that I packed my Oregon basketball jersey in my bag. After a few minutes I decided that en light of the bowl season, I would wear my jersey over my sweatshirt to show my proud support for one of the best college football teams in the nation. Throughout the course of the day I heard some "go ducks" yelps from the crowd at the lift lines, which I acknowledged with a smile and wave. One of the lift operators commented on my jersey and how "sick" the Ducks are. As I was walking away I noticed that the worker was from Hot Springs, Arkansas. It made me glad to know that people from parts of the country other than Oregon have noticed and come to respect the accomplishments of the Ducks. Not only is Arkansas across the country from Oregon, but in it lies a school that competes in the SEC. It is nice to see that Oregon is gaining respect from even those people who live in an area that is over-run by the SEC, arguably the nation's most competitive conference. And, lets not forget about the notorious east coast bias towards teams on the west coast. People on the east coast rarely view west coast games, because of how late it is when these games are broadcasted. Because of this lack of exposure, those on the east coast, and in some parts of the southeast, have few reasons to believe that any west coast team is as good as the best teams located in the eastern and southeastern part of the country. Hopefully, on January 1st, these people who think this way will be given a reason (an Oregon victory) to think differently.

As far as the skiing goes, the conditions were great. The snow was soft for the most part, and the sun was shining constantly, which made for a perfect day on the mountain. Being out there today made me realize how fun skiing is, and how much I miss it when I cant go for some time. I am glad I attend the University of Oregon, because the surrounding Cascade Mountains give me the chance to continue participating in a hobby that I enjoy. The University of Oregon is located in one of the prettiest regions in the country, leaving students with plenty of options for leisure away from campus.