Summer Musings: 50 Reasons for 50 Days

It's warm in Michigan today, and July is almost here. It seems so long ago that we were hitting fresh snow on our last day in Utah. Back then, we were tired and weary from a long season. The quest for 2 Michiganders to get 50 days of riding seemed like a suicide mission. Now that our bodies are repaired, all we can do is sit around and dream of winter. With that sentiment, here are 50 reasons we do what we do every winter.

Knowing the football season is great, but really it's only a prelude to winter
The first snowfall of the year
The K.G.
Being there when parole pulls the rope (and fighting our way down the hill dogem style)
White rooms
Sticking unexpected rock hucks
The view from the top on a sunny day
Face shots (no, not that...these involve snow)
Cranky lift ops on a powder day
Chair lift conversations that unexpectedly mean something
Powder day hoots
November: riding and watching football on the same day
Freshies
Egg McMuffins in Gaylord, MI
Busting under a chair
Corn snow
Baby parks
End of the day beer
Getting the "local discount" out of state
Rock star moments
Out-of-state season passes
First chairs
Putting on powder hunting pants
Knowing our Bohemia lines – down to each individual tree
Gettin’ epic
Weatherbands
Yurts
Rock-hard energy bars
Looking back and seeing the line carved in the powder
Rocking Spartan apparel on warm days during March Madness
Boarder-cross courses
Local mosh pits in the lift lines (and the crazy skis on display)
Cornices
Hinting at (but not calling) last run
Winter Weather Advisories
Organic, California food
Trail map shirts
Duane from Boyne Mountain, and his Sunday, Jesus messages
Gates with skulls and crossbones
Freshly tuned boards
Parking lot tunes
Sierra cement
Lakechutes. Lakechutes. Lakechutes.
5am Boyne drives
Hike-outs
The smell of fresh snow
April dumps
Dirk’s “Ski Boyne Mountain” song
Seeing really old couples still skiing together, and having some hope
Last run, day 50, knowing we did it