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February
18, 2012. Powder days Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
Took Thursday off because I needed to rest, regroup and engage in money-making
activity. I feel like I have to apologize for having no money and for
having to work. I tried to ride at Alpine Friday but the holiday weekend
thing was already in effect so I didn't get to do the things I normally
would.
Snow conditions improved enough to have fun at Alpine and Kirkwood
for a few days but there still isn't the kind of coverage that really makes
a lot of terrain and features do-able. There are still rocks and bushes everywhere
there is usually solid, deep snowpack coverage. We need a real storm cycle
with at least a 3 foot storm and some little follow up storms behind it.
I've been trying to get some filming done but not getting much I would use
for anything. I usually don't have that problem, even inbounds I can find
spots and get away from the crowds. Maybe Alpine doesn't lend itself to my
little ninja filming technique. Looks like a warm, sunny week for park riding
this coming up, maybe I should just try to work on tricks and that aspect
of riding on jumps for awhile.
January
24, 2012. It snowed. 3 storms back to back Friday through
Monday. Friday it was pouring rain even at the resorts so I didn't
go up -- went swimming
indoors instead. Saturday was good at Alpine, the new snow was fairly
cold and good, but the lines were very long and since the Summit chair
wasn't running it was a slow process taking runs. Sunday was a little
better, it was really very fun. The not so filled in terrain on the
lower mountain was nice with some powder snow on it. It was snowing
harder and windier as the day went on and still very crowded but it
was nice and reminded me how good things can be. It snowed a lot overnight
Sunday into Monday, the snow that fell was very wet, dense and heavy.
Now Tahoe is looking at another dry spell for about 2 weeks. I was
really interested in trying to make a Japan trip happen in late Jan.
or early Feb.
but while I was watching and waiting for this one storm cycle to happen,
the Japan thing lost momentum. Also the lack of money to make it work and
not having time to learn Japanese this month are factors. When the Tahoe
pattern looked like it was going to change I figured I might as well just
wait it out and see what happens.
And so here I am in Tahoe. We have better runs open and more to do now than
before but with the off-piste already toast and also still not covered enough
in many zones it is kind of tough to face another dry spell. Time to regroup,
and figure out what I can do to make something worthwhile of this winter
and get myself to where there is good snow. In every moment there is a decision,
and I have a chance to decide to do something proactive to make things happen
or I can sit and wallow about what a miserable ordeal this winter
is in Tahoe. Yes, it is too warm here too often and the snow that falls is
often not powder -- this is true even in good winters. Yes, it is time to
reconsider and be open to relocating. But there is nothing I can do about
that right now. I need I place to live and I Iive here. I have passes to
a lot of places. I am not even sure it is worth it to try to make sure I
am
here to make something of the next Tahoe storm cycle if it is anything like
the last one or the wetter/warmer ones last winter.
I wish I could just up and leave and go to a better place, but I can't. I
have to work to make money to live. That makes things much more difficult.
I must balance being fully engaged with what I am doing
with snowboarding with a very structured and demanding logistical
challenge.
January
10, 2012 Still Hasn't Snowed... Still no snow here, the mountains
are almost completely bare except for the snow the resorts have made.
It is sad but not as sad for me as it is for the people whose livelihood
is more directly related to work hours from ski resorts, sales to visiting
skiers and the like. And of course one can watch Frontline and see
the bad things they do to girls in Afghanistan and realize that our
lack of snow to do fun creative things is not the worst thing happening
in the world right now. There is perspective to be gained, yes. But
there is also action to be taken. I worked double triple overtime through
summer and fall to have enough money to be able to live here in an
expensive mountain resort area and to be able to afford season passes
and new snowboard gear (which I have not been able to afford for a
few years, so finally having everything at once is very exciting) and
new snowboard clothes and all of that. It is difficult to feel the
sense of accomplishment and relief to have finally made it to winter
-- only to realize that winter is not happening.
I spent the rest of my disposable income to get that Northstar pass
in December so I would have a place to ride while I waited for it to
snow (and on a new old
stock T6 so I would have a board I like to ride until I can figure out a different
board I like to ride that is still in production -- fairly stiff and responsive,
yet light with a narrow waist width, that comes in a 156 and a 158 or 159. And
by all means with regular camber, no rocker, no hybrids). And in December the
lack of snow was still a matter of patience and waiting. But now looking at the
first half of January almost gone and realizing that storms for the second half
aren't a sure thing in the Tahoe area, patience is only going to get me more
of the same -- more riding the white ribbons of manmade and ice at the local
resorts, sometimes hitting some jumps if conditions are good and its not crowded.
This does not a season make, nor does it exciting filming opportunities offer.
It bothers me that it has to come back to money and my lack of it. Even heading
somewhere 10 or 20 hours away by car to chase a storm costs quite a bit of money.
10 days ago I thought I would be able to get ahead a little by now, but now I
realize that was unrealistic. It is challenging just to make ends meet let alone
come up with significant money for travel. All I can do is hunker down, work
hard and do the best I can and maybe something good will come of it.
December
28, 2011 Some thoughts... I was out on the snow almost every
day before I went home for Christmas and the holiday pass blackout
started
and
now
there
are
only 3 more days left of the blackout. I could go do Boreal nights
but it is pretty nuts over there with people so I may not go just out
of concern for my basic safety.
Dealing with this snow drought in Tahoe is about knowing when to go
all in and push really hard to get to good snow and make things happen
versus knowing
when to hold back and wait and see and perhaps consolidate limited resources
for some greater trip or "taking of action" down the line. Deprivation
hones focus, makes one become very specific about exactly what one is trying
to accomplish and what snow conditions, terrain and general logistics and
atmosphere are needed. I would love to see a pattern change that puts down
a snow base here sufficient enough for Tahoe to be doable but I think if
I sit here until mid-February or however long it takes (like the dry spell
that lasted from New Years until Feb 16 last year) waiting for that I am
not going to be particularly happy.
I packed up my old computer with all my graphics software on it and had my
mom ship it to me the day I flew home so I should have it here soon so I
can redo my web site. It really needs it, it has been a long time. I like
it to be simple, but it could use some change.
November
29, 2011. It is only November, but the forecast doesn't look
good. No real snow storms on the horizon all the way into mid-December.
Now
is not the time to panic, nor is it time yet to travel. The best thing
to do now is love every little thing there is to ride as much as possible
and make the most of whatever jumps and snow features Boreal and Nstar
can build, find a universe in those firm groomers of manmade snow.
It is supposed to be cold for snowmaking this week so more runs should
open at Nstar. If for some reason the pattern change doesn't happen
like it is supposed to, I have time windows where I can get away for
a week or two at a time in Jan and Feb where I will just have to look
at the best possible places that are in the storm track that I can
get to and go there. I bought a Nstar pass today I wasn't planning
to buy. It is better to get on the snow than wait any longer. Boreal
nights are fun but some daytime riding is good too.
November
23, 2011 I've been riding at Boreal as much as I can. Hoping
for some more terrain to open up at the other resorts available to
me soon.
I feel like Tahoe is not the place to be right now. Not much snow
yet this season. I've been feeling cheerful and optimistic yet at
the same
time there is an awareness of the way things are and the consensus
snowboarding reality that a lot of people live in and the pressures
of the logistical elements involved in doing something that isn't "invented
yet" (or that I haven't made happen yet). I don't know where I
would go if I left here. It can be lonely everywhere.
I've
been
pretty
assertive
when it comes to meeting people on chairlifts, at the resorts etc.
to ride with, trying to find like-minded people. But it is hard, really
quite difficult. We live in a world where many people love the status
quo, doing things the same way, being predictable, safe and comfortable.
Do I want to surround myself with people just to have people around,
even though they aren't on the same page as me in terms of being motivated
to snowboard (or to do the kinds of snowboarding I like) and do actual
creative things? Obviously not. There is true learning and compromise
when you
find
like minded
people
but
in
a mountain town so many snowboarders are just living to maintain, to
go get drunk sometimes and go to hit boxes in a park or whatever, you
hear the same point of view over and over on the chairlift or wherever
you go. And there is the same thing going on with the freeride side
of things. Some people will always be happy with just "whatever".
You have to take action to push yourself, to make great art, to do
great things. There are sacrifices, there has been much darkness.
There is now much light and happiness, but there shouldn't have to
be so
much loneliness. I
feel this dichotomy between so much hope and happiness doing what
I love and yet a there is a sort of status quo that is unbearable.
I have this vision of what can be. I nurture that vision. It is special.
I trust my aesthetic judgement and values. I get to decide what I like
and what I don't
like. I get to make the art I want to make. I get to think the thoughts I want
to think. I get to ride the terrain the way I want to ride it.
I gleaned this quote from twitter..."IF YOU ACCEPT THE EXPECTATIONS OF OTHERS,
ESPECIALLY THE NEGATIVE ONES, YOU WILL NEVER CHANGE THE OUTCOME" --MICHAEL
JORDAN.
November
6, 2011 Boreal is looking pretty good. They are making snow
full blast non-stop and it was snowing off and on all day. I
think I am going back to a wordpress blog, this sucks.
November
1, 2011 Boreal opened on Friday October 28. I went up
and took a few runs, just wanted to get on some snow.
October
12, 2011 I found this postcard at a thrift store. Snow on
the beach on the Côte d'Azur taken in 1985.
September
23, 2011 I am going back to an html style blog for awhile
because I am having problems with the wordpress one and I don't have
time to fix it right now. All blog entries from Fall 2009 through summer
2011 will eventually be archived somewhere on this site. I'm busy working
and making preparations for the winter. Did a lot of running and swimming
this
summer, some
surfing
but not vast amounts of surfing. Didn't go anywhere far away to snowboard,
not enough money. Last
day was Boreal's summer shred in late July. I got to ride at Alpine
and Sugar Bowl over July 4th weekend and rode
at Donner Ski Ranch in June.
What do I know? I know I
am snowboarding this winter, and I am still based out of the Tahoe
area. I plan to ride at completely different
places this winter, I may not even have weekday Northstar pass as a
back-up. I may still get Boreal nights so I have it for the very early
season days. Probably doing the Alpine-Kirkwood pass of some kind.
I am going to be filming my snowboarding some way, somehow. More focus
on
doing
what
I actually
enjoy doing and do well, not concerning myself with spending so much
time lapping park and resort runs that are lacking in interesting natural
features just for something to do on heavy storm days. I have some
miles I need to use, I want to go somewhere I haven't been before.
And I am making sure my gear and outerwear situation is completely
under control, as it hasn't been for awhile. It is hard to pay student
loans and health insurance and all of ones living expenses and have
anything left over. And it is hard to find women's outerwear that actually
lets me move my body, especially when I need something with a 36 sleeve.
I am in the process of watching a bunch of this season's snowboard movies. I don't think I am reviewing any of the major ones, but may review one or two of the ones that are getting less attention than most if I find them interesting and think they deserve more attention.
I have been painting a lot but these new paintings are taking longer to finish because they involve a lot of detailwork and layered glazes. I am putting my newer paintings in a new "etsy" store called cortneyharrington. It is linked with the "shop" label on the home page of this site. My ModernArt etsy store is still up and has some of my older paintings and now also lots of vintage and boutique items.
I am really excited about snowboarding right now. I have a reinvigorated sense of what I want to do and feel very inspired and in love with snowboarding again.