You ski. I ski. Hold on while I make this awkward.

Single life comes with a bizarre layer of ego that creates some very "neat" opportunities. Put me in a board room and I can play with the best of them. Put me in a social situation with the opposite sex, and this kind of crap happens.

Face down, skis up.
*Reenactment of actual events. 

Case and point. My friend Stacey and I were making mad turns at Solitude this season and I started chatting with a gentleman (ski dude) while traversing after coming off the Sunshine Bowl. We got over to the far side of the mountain and I slapped my skis together and took off.

Like 'jacket flapping in the wind' took off and blazed past the guy and his buddy, feeling rather pleased at my parallel form and wind on my face. 

As I stopped at the bottom, I turned to face up the hill and wait for Stacey. Ski dude approached first and said, "Wow, you totally bombed it down that run. Your friend says you're single." I turned around to say "Thank You," but instead crossed tips and stuffed my face into the snow on the way around. 

He laughs. I laugh. 

Does this pose make me look like less
of a jackass? Didn't think so, but I am charming.

I prop myself up and quip, "You know; when I left the house today I thought, I should totally biff it in front of some dude before I go home. Now, here I am."

He states, "I am so glad I got to see that. It was amazing."

Me to him, "Glad I could assist. My name is Dani."

Him to me, "My name is Mike. Do you blog? Because if you do you should totally write about this." 

I last saw Mike getting onto the chair and have yet so see him again. 

So, "Mike," if you're out there. I'm blogging, and this one is for you. 

Today's lesson, "B"

It occurred to me this weekend while peddling up switchbacks on Antelope Island, that this season, all my favorite things start with the letter "B."

1. Bikes
2. Beers
3. Boy (Jason, of course!)
4. BBQ
5. Beauty

It makes for a very nice mantra as I'm plodding along through life.

Inspiration from the Sun

A week after being on the White Rim trail, I'm still reminiscing of the sun on my face and the dirt in my teeth. While at times grueling and quite often cold, I would jump at the chance to hop on my bike and do the trip all over again (and again, and again).

I am inspired when I'm in the mountains, but this trip was exceptional. My riding pace often put me in position far behind the rest of my fellow riders, but far enough ahead of the support vehicles, that I was alone to take in the beauty of my surroundings and merge my body and mind into the ride. With skies as far as I could see and snowy mountain tops in the distance, I whispered to myself, "It's good to be alive."

Joy and excitement were accompanied with muscle fatigue and the worst case of ass pain I have ever had to negotiate, but it was all part of the experience. By coaxing myself through the tough stuff, I was able to mark my milestones of accomplishment....Riding a majority of the trip, climbing big hills and weathering the cold.

After four days of being surrounded by amazing friends and making new ones along the way, Matt, Arikka, Jared, Jason and I were all riding in the truck back to our car. We climbed, then coasted the rolling hills with big smiles on our faces while Eddie Vetter sang to us about the "Hard Sun."

At that moment that Jason said, "There are credits rolling behind us right now."

It was perfect. The perfect ending to the perfect trip...which provided me inspiration for this.





Photos Courtesy: Jared Hargrave, Jared Anderton, Adam Tolman, Arikka Fullmer, Matt Walker, Dave Hert.
Music Credit: Into the Wild Soundtrack