Day One: Little Lost Puppy

On Wednesday I woke up around 8am, packed my car and began the hour and a half drive from Steamboat to Breckenridge. I was completely unsure of what to expect because this was my first time attending a professional ski/snowboard competition, but I knew there was only one way to find out. So I strapped on my seat belt and prayed that my two wheel drive car would make it to Breck without breaking down.

When I was about a half hour away from Breckenridge my fellow blogger Ali texted me about getting her credentials. It was reassuring to know she'd be there if i needed help with directions or anything else.

Once I arrived in Breck I got my credentials and made my way up to peak 8. I felt like a little lost puppy as I roamed around the mountain, slowly gaining more confidence as time passed. I eventually met up with Becky, another blogger and we made our way to the competition gates. All we had to do was flash our media pass and we were in. It was like having a backstage pass to a concert because we could go anywhere and meet with the athletes if we wanted. By 2:30 I was tired from the long drive and decided to call it a day.

I took this picture on my first ride up the lift... behind some Dew Tour competitors.

Here are some athletes waiting to compete

Winter Dew Tour 09: Breckenridge

After spending four days in Breckenridge I am back in Steamboat and ready to report on the first stop of the 2009/10 Winter Dew Tour. I have to admit it’s a little strange to be home. For the past several days my bed has been in a very kind woman’s extra bedroom, or on a friend's couch depending on the night. Please bear with me as I try to sort through the past few days which have been a complete blur. Somewhere between working the CMC booth, taking countless photos and finding the best after parties in town I completely lost track of time. I'm trying to piece the days together in chronological order based on photos and videos as well as a few notes I jotted down. As I sort through the 400+ pictures on my camera I'll do all I can to give you a behind the scenes look at the unforgettable first stop of the 09/10 Winter Dew Tour!

What do you want to know?

This coming Wednesday I will have the opportunity to interview a few Dew Tour athletes. Seeing as the interviews will end up on here I thought it would be fun if you (yes YOU) suggested questions. If there's anything you've been dying to ask a professional athlete let me know! Just leave a comment or e-mail me at bthoman@mail.coloradomtn.edu and I'll be sure to pose the question throughout the interviews!

Free At Last!

Yesterday I finished my final essay of the semester so I am officially free of school for a month. Although I enjoyed all of my classes I am happy to be on break. However, it seems as though the chaos never stops and this winter break will be very busy.... which is a good thing. What's the point in living if you're not living each moment up to your full potential? Over the next month I have the following things planned....

Dew Tour- The college has offered me a unique opportunity to work at the Winter Dew Tour in Breckenridge. To put it lightly I am beyond stoked. Wednesday we'll be able to interview athletes and for the rest of the competition we'll be manning the CMC booth and enjoying the games. It'll be a great experience and I couldn't be more excited about it!

Hot Springs- This semster has been pretty stressful and I found the best way to relieve that stress is through my favorite high school sport, swimming. Unfortunately there's only one lap pool in town and a membership there is rather expensive. Luckily they offer a unique volunteer program where you can trade work hours for a free membership. I talked to the man in charge last night and it looks like I'm in! Free membership here I come!

Carribean Cruise- So far I've been pretty out of the loop on this one. My family decided we'd go on a cruise in January instead of trying to fly everyone to Colorado or me home for Christmas. Although it'll be a bit delayed and there won't be any snow for Santa's sleigh, it looks like Christmas will be in somewhere in the Carribean this year. Originally we were going to go to Alaska but that fell through. I couldn't even tell you what time my flight leaves or which islands we'll be visiting which makes it a bit more of an adventure.

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff- You may or may not have realized it but I'm a complete book nerd. If this wasn't proven true through the countless books I burned through over the summer you can take last night into account. I took a few of my textbooks to the bookstore and somehow managed to make more then I spent at the beginning of the semester which was awesome. But my new found wealth didn't last long. After finishing my essay I took a trip to Off The Beaten Path which is a great bookstore off of 9th street. They didn't have the book I wanted in stock and since it's a two week back order I simply had to pick something up. The gentleman taking care of me suggested Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff by Christopher Moore. I just started it but so far it's really funny, and a great way to finish up a semester that included countless religious based conversations.

Those are just a few of my adventures planned for winter break. Hope everyone enjoys their time off!

Update

I apologize for the lack of blogs lately, but finals have been keeping me very, very busy. This week has been all about finding ethical solutions to the Terri Schavio case, figuring out the motives behind the Taliban, understanding the stages of grief and exploring the outer most planets of our solar system. This week it feels like I'm out to solve the world's problems. Next week I'll be just another ski bum livin' la vida loca in Steamboat. Gota love college. Every time I look at the calendar a bit of panic strikes as I realize Christmas is creeping up on me at an incredibly fast pace. I have yet to buy any presents... or decorations for that matter. Suddenly the Dew Tour is next week and my cruise that seemed so far away will be here in the blink of an eye. This is just an update to let everyone know I'm alive! I promise to bring something more exciting to the table once finals are over. Until then, good luck everyone!

Thanksgiving Blues

A little over a year ago I moved out here on my own. I didn't know a single person in this town and had no idea what to expect. Living far away from home can be difficult, especially during the holiday season. I have a huge family and every time my mom talks about a new baby or wedding coming up I can't help but feel like I'm missing out by not being there. These are the functions I used to despise but now miss more than anything. If you are at school for Thanksgiving and feel a little homesick here are some ways I like to kiss the blues goodbye...

Sleeping In- When I lived at home my mom had one rule about "sleeping in". We had to be up be 11 because by that point enough of the day was already wasted. I still find it difficult to break that rule even though my mom is 1500 miles away. Although I agree with her philosophy I sometimes let myself sleep in until noon and feel a little mischievous knowing that I have broken one of the rules I both loved and hated back home.

Care Packages- There is absolutely nothing more exciting than going home to find a care package on my front door step. Every time I take a bite of my dad's homemade salsa I am reminded of the countless concoctions we were forced to try as he perfected his recipe. Nothing says "we miss you" like sending a little piece of New York to Colorado.

Imitating Mom's Home Cooking- When I create a meal my parents once made for me on a regular basis I can't help but feel at home. The familiar tastes bring back memories of our hilarious dinner conversations. Plus it's fun sharing recipes with friends and seeing if they enjoy them.

Pictures- Our apartment is loaded with pictures. I recently put up about 30 of my favorite memories above my dresser. It's nice to step back, look at each of them and laugh at the good times they represent.

Try New Things- I came out here for a change of pace. I was tired of living in the city and wanted to explore the ski town lifestyle. Every time I have the opportunity to try something new I try to embrace it. It's a constant reminder of why I came out here- to grow as a person and keep learning more.

Facebook- It's not just for college kids anymore. My mom came from a family of 11 so I have plenty of aunts, uncles and cousins to keep track of. Thankfully, many of them are signed up. I can't make daily phone calls to everyone so it's a great way to stay in touch. In fact, it puts me ahead of the game as I often find out big news (babies, engagements, etc) before my gossip queen mom.

Frequent Phone Calls- Thankfully my parents are there to answer phone calls almost 24/7. This may mean 2am when I forget that there's a time difference or 6am when my dad is up way too early working. Talking to family and friends back home always cheers me up because I am reminded of how little distance really matters.

Hypnotist Frederick Winters

On Tuesday night Student Activities brought Frederick Winters, a comedian/ hypnotist to Colorado Mountain College for entertainment. It was a packed house and everyone was laughing hysterically as he convinced volunteer students to sing, dance and make complete fools of themselves on stage.

At this point Frederick convinced everyone they were on a roller coaster


Here they are as senior citizens dancing


These gentlemen were lead to believe they could sing opera


Apparently he is a strongman competitor


Overall it was an incredible entertaining night! Upcoming student activities include a trip to the trampoline gym for only $3 on Tuesday December 1st and a Coffee Night at the Steaming Bean on the 2nd.

Pre- Registration

Pre-registration officially ends this week and I signed up for a few too many classes so I have some decisions to make. As of right now I'm taking the following classes:

Fundamentals of Report Writing (3 credits). I don't know if I could see myself running a weekly column for some ritzy newspaper but I definitely enjoy writing. The only problem is I have absolutely no experience other than this blog. I'm thinking about taking this class because it teaches the basics of journalism and interviewing. It would be a great way to see how interested I actually am in the field.

River Orientation (2 credits). From what I've heard this is a really fun class that gives you the opportunity to hit up some gnarly rapids. Unfortunately I think I'm going to drop this class because I'm already going to Guatemala and taking countless other mini trips next semester and my boss is too kind with my work schedule as it is.

Tai Chi (1 credit). Okay, so meditation is not really my thing-- scratch that, working out is not my thing period. The only time I really enjoy exercise is when I'm swimming laps or cruisng around the mountain. I opted to take fly-fishing this semester so I could go camping, get a Phys Ed credit and learn something new in the process. However I've decided to give Tai Chi a chance as I've heard it's a phenomenal class from everyone I've talked to.

Work Experience (3 credits). So this was the class that ultimately inspired me to go to Vegas last year. Unfortunately I failed to get any more hours of work experience and had to withdraw from the class. I'm going to attempt another round, hoping that I can make it to SIA in Denver as well as a couple of on snow demos.

Intro to PC Applications (3 credits). For some reason this class is a requirement for both my Associates of Arts and Ski Business degrees. I don't understand why it's necessary this far in the game. Having been raised with a computer in the house since Commodores came out, I am very familiar with Word, Publisher, PowerPoint, Excel, Photo Shop and so on. I just installed Adobe Premiere Elements which is a video editing program. As of right now I am struggling with how to use it (thus the reason I have yet to post video) but I'm sure with all the online tutorials there are out there I'll be able to figure it out. I just don't see what this class is going to offer me other than an excuse not to go out due to a homework overload.

Current Political Issues/ Culture Studies (6 credits). This is the Guatemala class I blogged about a month or so ago. I could not be more thrilled about taking it!

Philosophy of Religion (3 credits). I loved taking philosophy and ethics and I just can't get enough. I feel like my mind has expanded so much and I'm gaining a greater understanding of the way the world works. Unfortunately, this class is at a very inconvenient time in reguards to my schedule next semester, but I think I'm going to tough it out and stay in the class.

So there it is. The 21 credit schedule I created for next semester. The funny thing is I convinced my parents that 12 would be plenty during the season, but there are too many classes that I want to take. If you haven't preregistered be sure to before Friday!

Stuck

Two nights ago I went to bed listening to the sound of rain lightly tapping on the roof and woke up to a majestic winter wonderland. Somewhere through the night the God of Snow decided to bless this little town with that powdery white stuff that makes everyone smile a little brighter and opening day seem that much closer. If you know what I'm describing you know exactly how I felt waking up yesterday morning. Unfortunately that ecstatic feeling quickly wore off as I began to wish I had listened to my gut telling me to get snow tires put on my car. Instead I procrastinated because my schedule was just too busy and I didn't really want to spend the money.

When I went outside to see if my car would made it I rejoiced once again because the snow was wet and heavy which meant I should make it just fine. As I drove to work I couldn't help but smile at the beauty of the town. Somehow all of the stresses from the day before had disappeared and everything seemed to be okay. Work was a little busier than normal and most people were cheery even before they got their coffee.

After work I went to pick up Cali for the weekend. The snowflakes were huge and falling fast but I prayed my little car with summer tires would make it out of my friend's development. As I slid around the corner I was thankful that I lived in Buffalo and had a lot of experience driving in such terrible conditions, but as I began my descent up the hill to the main road my car got stuck. There was nothing I could have done. The snow was simply too deep and the tires had no tread to dig through it. Some very friendly neighbors came out and tried to help me but there was no hope. I'd simply have to wait for the snow to calm down and for the plows to come. We attempted to park my car but even that was difficult. The snow that had fallen in the half hour or so made navigating around their small development nearly impossible.

Since my friend who lived there was in Copper ski training I called up everyone I knew with a car to see if they could come pick me up but they were all working or out of town. Finally my friend Mike agreed because he had to go to work and I was only slightly out of his way. Once I got home I began brainstorming. Should I leave my car there for the night or should I figure out a way to get it to a shop and have tires put on? Since I had the dog and couldn't take the bus, getting my car to the shop seemed like the only reasonable solution. I decided to call my friend Ian who grew up in Steamboat, loved cars, and lived only a few seconds down the road. Luckily he had a few hours to spare before he had to work. I'm sure I looked like a complete amateur standing there as he drove my car as far up the hill as it would go and then latched it to a tow rope. At that point it was pretty easy to get it onto a main road, and from there Ian lead to me the only car center in town that was able to put my tires on. I got lucky, most places said it would be a few days but Doc's auto took care of me in just a couple of hours and they were really friendly and affordable.

I've definitely learned my lesson. The scary part about having a car out here is not having my dad to come bail me out when I get myself into trouble. I am fortunate to have great friends who are willing to help and friendly neighbors that will lend a hand. If you haven't put you snow tires on yet be sure to do it soon because it doesn't look like this snow is going to stop. If your car is good to go I hope you are enjoying the beautiful winter weather we've all been waiting for!

Caliboo

Nope it's not a mix drink or some type of foreign food. Caliboo is the nickname I have for the cutest German Short Hair Pointer in existence. Her real name is Cali and for the past few weekends I have been puppy sitting this adorable pooch. I watch her for my friend on ski team because they train in Copper on weekends until Steamboat Mountain opens. Growing up my sisters and I went through our share of pets. We started out small with a fish tank, then progressed to newts and hermit crabs. From there we moved on to hamsters and then somehow convinced our parents to let us keep a kitten a friend was getting rid of. We never even thought about having a dog because my sister had been attacked by one at a young age and is still terrified of them. Perhaps growing up without a dog is the reason I never understand how people could love them so much but I've definitely fallen for this four legged cutie. She's spoiled to the core. She'll chew anything she can to pieces, drinks toilet water at will and has no qualms with pushing you out of her way if she thinks your spot on the couch looks more comfortable. But seriously, how can you get mad at her cute little face?

Captain Planet

This Halloween I decided to honor one of my all time favorite childhood heroes. Forget finding clues and interactive dance along shows, when I was a kid I was all about Captain Planet. I mean I think it's pretty cool that this guy was showing us how to take care of our planet before it became a huge political issue and a way for corporate companies to promote themselves. And rather than making us feel guilty about being wasteful he educated us on ways to live more sustainable lives. Forget learning conventions and sustainability classes, Captain Planet did it all in a half an hour kids series!

Unfortunately I couldn't find enough people to be planeteers, but here's a photo of my friends dressed as Mario, Zombies and a Pumpkin!



It was a pretty mellow Halloween this year. I went to CMC's bowling night on the 30th followed by broom ball. On the 31st my friends and I handed out hot cider to trick-or-treaters at the Bean. The little kids were absolutely adoreable in their little costumes. We saw everything from tigers to unicorns! That was about the extent of my fun as I had to work at 6am on Sunday but it was all worth it.

Keep a look out for some videos in the near future as the CMC marketing department has recently supplied me with a camera!

Ultimate Chilli Cook-Off

Chili is a pretty simple concept right? You throw some beans, meat and chili sauce into crock pot, let it sit for a few hours and voila. At least I thought it was that simple, until I was entered into the first ever Colorado Mountain College Chili Cook-off. Having never made chili before I had no idea what my friend Justin and I were in for. Turns out it takes a couple hours of preparation including onion chopping, pepper slicing and lots of cooking. With about twelve entrants and plenty of hungry taste testers the event was an overall success. We had everything from Vegetable Chili to Homemade Elk Chili. Joe's Green Chili came out on top which wasn't too surprising considering he was the winner of Steamboat's summer chili-cook off. Congrats Joe!

Nut Up or Shut Up

It seems that Travis Pastrana had a lasting impact on some of the students at Colorado Mountain College. After the extreme sports enthusiast left town he inspired one student, Vince to make the ultimate jump. Amazed by his feat I asked him for an interview and he agreed. Here’s what he had to say:
Name: Vince
Major: Associates of Arts
Hometown: Sonora, CA
Age: 21

How long have you been mountain biking?
I started around seventh grade with a really crappy Wal-Mart bike. I kept breaking bikes and returning them and realized it wasn’t what I needed. Eventually I made a trip to the bike shop and got one that stood up to what I needed. From there I began doing stair gaps and jumps with my friends. I also rode with the local bike shop crew taking really long night rides and weekend trips.

What is your favorite part about the sport?
I think one of the coolest things about any action sport is riding with people better than yourself because you can learn so much from them.

How did you come up with the idea of gapping 25 feet of stairs?
When you do an action sport for a certain period of time you start to see the world differently. You look at something and think wow that looks like something I can do on my bike, where ordinary people would think nothing of it. We were training for ski racing on the soccer field when I first saw the gap. It got into my head and I began contemplating it every day.

Did you have any reservations?
I told a few people about it and they thought it was a really cool idea but there was a huge fear factor involved. I got really scared because I knew I could seriously hurt myself.

What inspired you to finally make the jump?
When Rally America came to town I got a chance to interview Travis Pastrana. One of the coolest things he said was, “Everybody has pain, everybody has fear. But it’s how we deal with fear that sets us apart”. As soon as I heard him say that I knew I needed to do the jump.

What kind of planning was involved?
It’s about being a calculated person. Day after day I would sit at the jump and think about how fast and how big I’d have to go. I checked out the landing to make sure it was safe-- which it really wasn’t-- and built a ramp for the take off.

There were a lot of kids watching you. Did you feel any pressure?
There was a skate comp at the school and I was practicing the run up to see how much speed I’d need. People started gathering around and I didn’t really have a choice. I either needed to do it or stop talking like I was going to. As the movie Zombie Land put it, “nut up or shut up.”

What were the very last thoughts running through your head before you did it?
“God, I hope this works…”

Do you have any regrets?
I guess if I had one regret it would be that I didn’t pursue mountain biking harder when I was younger.

What’s next?
Ski racing is something I love and have a really big passion for. I’d like to pursue it for a few years assuming I can stay injury free. I’d also like to continue to pursue mountain biking. The fact that I successfully made the jump made me realize some things are not as hard as they seem. If I see something bigger I’d like to do it. The future is very unpredictable. Hell, I’m in Colorado now!

Endless Opportunities

I am going to college in one of the most beautiful towns I've ever seen while living within walking distance of a major ski resort, and the best part is I'm not being sold short on my education. The classes offered at this school are mind opening and, obviously, educational. In fact I fear going to a larger university because I'm not sure I'll have the same opportunities as I have here. I just wanted to take this time to share a very exciting class that is being offered next semester. It's a six credit class that is split into 3 Poli Sci credits and 3 Art credits. There are a few lecture classes that lead up to a nine day trip through Guatemala. Throughout the trip the class will be visiting art museums, meeting with political figures and visiting Mayan ruins. I'm planning on taking the class because it will be a great follow up to my Intro to Political Science. Rather than sitting in the classroom learning about political issues we are going to explore and see the effects of US policies first hand. Not to mention this would be my first time traveling outside of the United States (Canada not included, I used to live by the border). I also think getting to see the Mayan ruins will be awesome after spending time learning about the Mayans in my Philosophy and Lit classes.





The class has limited availability so if you're interested be sure to pre-register! For more info check out the CMC website: http://www.coloradomtn.edu/cms/one.aspx?pageId=3447601

"New" Car

After living in Steamboat for over a year I've decided to purchase a car. It's not that you actually need one in this town but it does make things more convenient, I was really starting to dread the half hour bike ride to work at 5:30am. Thankfully, my friends Jordan and Mike accompanied me to check out vehicles listed in the classifieds for under $2000. Without them I would have been lost due to my limited knowledge of anything automobile. Jordan and I wound up finding a 91 Honda Accord Station Wagon. It's old and defiantly screams "college student" but I love it. The seats fold down which will be great for taking skis and boards to the mountain and the previous owner gave me snow tires. It might not be the ideal "new" car, but it if it gets my from point A to point B that's all that really matters!

Coffee House

Last week Student Activities hosted a Coffee House for both on and off campus students. A lot of people showed up to hear Doug Wood play instrumentals and enjoy free coffee.

Doug really got the audience involved.

It started with one student dancing

and next thing we knew it was a full blown Congo line...then a dance party!
we even had students perform a rendition of "Spider Pig"overall it was a great night!

Thanks to everyone who helped out and everyone that came out and made the night a success. Be sure to check out the "This Week" for more upcoming activities including these:

Wednesday October 30th there will be a musician playing in at the Dining Hall starting at 5:30pm. At 9pm he will be giving free guitar lessons! SA is also getting involved with the Steamboat Film Fest this year. We will be offering discounted tickets to movie premiers such has TGR's re:Session and Matchstick Production's In Deep. For more info on show times stop by Tamara's office or go to http://www.steamboatmountainfilmfestival.com/

I saw an Elk!

This morning I woke up around 6am to head to Denver. My friend Ryan flew to NY for the weekend to surprise his Dad at his 50th birthday party and I agreed to pick him up at 9am. After stopping at The Bean for some caffeine I began the journey to Denver International Airport. Around 7am I began my way up Rabbit Ears Pass with the sun rising. I was thinking about the classes I'd be missing and the test I had to take later in the day when low and behold, standing on the side of the road was an elk! I know this is not something a typical driver wants to see because danger may ensue if he decides to run out into the middle of the road but I was thrilled. After living in the mountains for over a year I finally saw a real live wild elk! For obvious reasons I was unable to snap a photo, but I want to share with everyone that I will now cross this off my list of "Things I want to do in Colorado".

Rally Car Races

Last weekend was a big deal for the town of Steamboat Springs. You could hear engines revving everywhere you went because the Rally Races came to town. Although my knowledge of cars is minimal and awareness of celebrities is even lesser, I decided to check it out. Unfortunately the only event I was able to attend was the opening ceremonies where the riders got to show off their cars and everyone got a chance to meet them. This is where I snapped a photo with Travis Pastrana, possibly one of the biggest names in motor action sports. I'll admit I've seen his show Nitro Circus a couple of times but until this weekend I knew little about him. Apparently he used to be into motocross and retired from that when he became the first person to attempt a double back flip in the X games. Now he travels the country doing Rally Racing and has won the cup for the past few years. I was unable to see the actual races because I had to work, but my friend Mariah volunteered at them and got some great shots! Enjoy...

Chris, Me, Travis Pastrana and Mariah

This one was by far the cutest car at the show

My favorite car in actionAnother sweet shotThe pit crew doin' work

I'll take a large latte with an extra shot, sugar free vanilla and whipped cream

I'm currently standing inside the Steaming Bean Coffee House downing my second Italian Soda of the day. The sugar rush is starting to kick in and Jason Mraz is playing a little louder than usual as I haven't seen a soul walk through the front door for the past forty-five minutes. Don't worry, all the dishes are washed and put away and the coffee is fresh and ready for the next customer that comes in. I do like working when it's busy because time flies by so much faster but slow days come in handy when I have a lot of homework to do. Since today is an unusually slow day and a majority of my homework is done I figured I'd take the free time to update this blog.

So far this semester has been going great. I'm really enjoying living off campus. It's nice to go home after work and have my own place to escape to when I don't feel like dealing with the rest of the world. It's also nice to be able to make dinner whenever I want and I really like only worrying about one other person's laundry being in the machine rather than an entire floor.

Classes are going really well. The other night we had a "Star Party" for our Astronomy lab. Rather than sit in a classroom and try to understand the sky based on charts and equations we went out there and explored. I'll admit I could have thought of at least fifteen other things I'd rather have been doing on a Thursday night from 8-10pm, but this lab was my favorite so far. Jimmy put names of stars and constellations on pieces of paper and had us split up into teams of two. We randomly picked one of each and preceded to find them in the sky. If I had to try to find a constellation a month ago I'd show you the Big Dipper, which as it turns out isn't an actual constellation, it's an asterism. Yet there we were, finding Hercules in the sky.

I'm also enjoying my Ethics class. It's really interesting to learn about different philosophies and religions and what they consider a virtuous life. Being raised a Catholic I am thrilled to learn about the history of the church from a historical standpoint rather than religious. I also like exploring different ideologies and the ways people think.

Aside from classes and work, I've been working on this year's campus reader The Translator. It's about a man who grew up in Darfur and all of the terrible things he witnessed there. He wrote the book hoping the rest of the world would read it and come to help these pour impoverished people. It can be difficult to read because it's a complete reality check as far as what has happened over there, but it really drives the point across. I recommend it to anyone who's interested in learning more about the geneocides that have been committed in Darfur.

Gone Fishin'

The day first day of the trip started out early, around 6:30am when I woke up, double checked everything I packed and ate breakfast. Shortly after that my roommate Mia drove me up to the overflow lot on campus where I met up with the rest of the group. We loaded up the trailer, waited for a few stragglers and hopped into the Van Terra. It was a long, bumpy ride to Utah filled with conversations, card games, sleep, and even a trip through the Green Glass Door. Somewhere between Craig and Utah I hit the power button on my phone, making the weekend an escape from technology. Once we arrived at our camp site we set up our tents and grouped up so John could brief us on the necessities for the day. We then grabbed the gear we neglected to pack and headed to the Flaming Gorge on the Green River for some fishin'.

I learned quickly that fly-fishing is quite the complicated science. Believe it or not one of the first things I learned is that in order to catch a fish you actually need to see them. This may seem like common sense to some people, but I'm used to the type of fishing where you put some bait on a hook, cast it out and wait for something to bite. In order to fly-fish you need to understand the fish you are trying to catch and their eating habits. When you look in the water you need to look at what type of eating they are doing. You then choose an appropriate fly to match those habits. Essentially you are trying to trick the fish into believing that what you are offering them is real food. And that's just the thinking part. Once you've figured all of that out you need to learn the proper technique for catching a fish.

On the second day of class we woke up around 7:30, ate some delicious breakfast burritos if I do say so myself, packed up our gear and headed back to the river. Since we had a full day ahead of us we were given three options. Our first was to go back to Little Hole, where we had gone the first day and fish. The second was the get dropped off at Little Hole and hike the gradual seven mile up hill hike to the dam throughout the day. And the third option was to get dropped off at the dam and fish there for ten hours. After much debate, my group decided to skip hiking and hang out around the dam for the day. Since Bruce, John and Tim (the teachers) decided they wanted to hike we were left with very little aid. We had to rely on our minimal knowledge of the sport in hopes of catching a fish. Needless to say, no one in our group caught anything that day. My friend Ryan got a bite but that was about the extent of our excitement. We watched fish swim up to our flies, check them out then blatantly reject them as if they were only putting on a show to get our hopes up.

After losing four or five flies without even so much as a bite, my spirits were down. I had pretty much given up hope for catching anything. I attempted a few more flies before we hiked back up to the vans and waited for everyone to regroup.

On day three it was time to leave. We packed up camp and then headed to the river for one final attempt at fishing. Although I never caught anything on the trip I did manage to get a bite. It was difficult watching a kid posted about fifteen feet up the river catch a fish but it was also really exciting to watch. Overall it was a very relaxing trip. I learned more about fly-fishing than I could have ever imagined and had a great time in the process! Oh, and did I mention it counted for one of my mandatory physical education credits?

Welcome Back

Classes have officially started.

On Monday I was not so excited about this because I felt like my summer ended too soon. I guess that's what happens when you decide to take summer classes, so I can't blame anyone but myself. As I attended class after class my excitement began to build as I realized how interesting my course schedule is this semester. I'm taking 18 credits which include Astronomy 1, Masterpieces of Literature, Intro to Political Science, General Psychology, Ethics, Intro to Fly-fishing, and Avalanche Safety 1.

You may have noticed I am not taking any Ski Business related classes this semester. This is because I'm trying to knock out my most difficult classes in attempt to get my AA degree. Hopefully I'll be able to take a lighter course load next semester and enjoy the winter a little more. Many of these classes are requirements for the AA degree and can be used as electives for my Ski Business degree.

I'm most excited for Ethics with Pam Burwell. This will be her first time teaching it so it should be interesting. I had her as a professor for Philosophy during the Spring semester last year and loved it. She is a great teacher because she can put really difficult concepts into prospective and always has great stories to tell. I also think this class will help me decide if I want to major in Ethics at a four year University once I'm done with CMC.

I'm also stoked about Fly-fishing. It's a one credit class that includes two lecture classes and three days of camping and fishing. I'm excited to once again be trying something new. It's something completely random that I would have never seen myself doing before I moved out here. And the best part is I can skip the yoga and pilates because it helps fill my physical eduation requirements!

The class I am most nervous about is Astronomy 1. Everyone I've talked to says it's a very difficult class. Apparently it's a lot more work than most classes offered here, but everyone that's made it through claims it was worth it. I've heard Jimmy Westlake is a great teacher. Astronomy truly is his passion so I know I'll be learning from the best. He even has an column in the Steamboat Pilot!

All in all it should be a great semester. I'll be sure to get back to everyone who reads this about fly-fishing sometime next week because the trip is this weekend!

King Salomon's

As my summer job as a Conference Assistant came to an end I began a new job at the Steaming Bean Coffee Shop. Working two jobs and trying to finish summer classes made the last couple of weeks very hectic, and I'm relieved to be done with both Summer Classes and Conference Assisting. However it now seems as though summer is coming to a screeching halt as classes start up again this Monday. In a last ditch effort to enjoy these final days before a full class load and work begins, my friends and I went to King Salomon's Waterfall. I had seen pictures from previous trips that my friends had taken but never went there myself. I was completely unsure of what to expect. My friend Tello described the area as "A little hidden treasure of Colorado".

He was right. After driving down seemingly unused dirt roads then hiking up a narrow path for quite some time, we found our way to King Salomon's Creek. From there went bouldering for about another half mile where the creek opened up into a beautiful little canyon. Before I could even figure out how to cross the creek, my adventure seeking friends were already jumping off the thirty foot cliff into a pool of ice cold water below.

My fear of heights and falling made me quite hesitant at first, but with my friends at my side I eventually jumped. Of course I screamed bloody murder the whole way down but I was able to put my fears aside and enjoy the rush of free falling through the air.

After most of the crew jumped a few kids decided to go further up the creek to try and find the second waterfall. Since I was the only one who decided to wear flip flops rather than sneakers I chose to stay back and enjoy the sun. A few of the others stayed with me and we explored our surroundings. Although we didn't come across any unusual wild life we did find an awfully cute chipmunk that kept running away and coming back as if he were playing a game with us.

Overall I wouldn't describe the day as relaxing, but it was a fun adventure!

Hairless Fox

The other day while walking to the bus stop I came across an incredibly rare animal: the Hairless Fox. I've heard all about them living in Steamboat, and only Steamboat, but haven't seen one since I moved here exactly one year ago. Apparently they are the same species as regular fox, but they have a disease that causes them to lose their hair. They are said to be no more of a danger than any other wild animals in the area. Unfortunately, it's difficult for them to stay warm so they have to eat a lot more than regular foxes in order to survive. It's believed that they can regrow their hair to help them survive through the winter. Regardless of how ugly they are I was very excited to see one and have the opportunity to take a picture!

This is the picture I took

Here is a close up shot I found online

Visits from afar

Last week turned out to be a special treat because my parents and little sister came to visit me. I was able to get a few days off work to spend time with them. Since they've never been here we decided to go see as many things as we could. If you are a new student coming out in August or simply coming to visit, here are some of my favorite things to do in Steamboat!

My family flew in late Sunday night and I eagerly awaited their arrival. After what seemed like an eternity they called me to tell me they were outside. I was quite excited to see we'd be rolling around in style all week, as my dad decided to rent an H2

The first day we walked around town and checked out all of the shops on Main Street. We stopped at Johnny B. Goods to enjoy some of the best milkshakes in town. Corrie, my younger sister, and I decided to see who could drink them the fastest. (Can you say cold headache?)
The next day we tubed the Yampa. We put in at the Mt. Werner exit and got out right after C-hole. Unfortunately, the water is getting low so it may be hard to go that far but C-hole is always fun to go through.
After a lazy day in the sun my parents went on a wagon ride/ dinner at Saddleback Ranch. They said the food was amazing, the hosts were entertaining and the views were awesome.

Wednesday we went to the Strawberry Park Hot Springs. I had never been there during the day before and couldn't believe how many people were there. The hot tubs were a little too hot considering the weather, but my dad and sister had fun playing in the creek.

Thursday I had to work SOAR II, the orientation for incoming students. I sent my family to Fish Creek Falls which they really enjoyed.

After that they took a ride up the gondola. Then we met up at the Old Town Hot Springs for one last relaxing night in town. We ate breakfast the next morning at the Creekside Cafe, a great place to get breakfast or lunch. The week flew by, and I was sad to see them go, but overall it was a great time!

Cattle Drive

Steamboat is a majestic town that you can't help but love. I'm sure it has a lot to do with it's location but there's something more to it. Perhaps it's because of the wide variety of people you find out here- from the former city slickers who needed to get away, the ski bums who want to "shred the gnar", and the venture capitalists who simply enjoy the scenery. Then there's my favorite people to see around town... the good old fashioned ranchers. You know the type. They own more land than you can imagine, and still walk around in cowboy gear. They own cattle and actually knows how to handle them. They are my favorite because I am amazed that with all our modern technology people like that still exist. It's awesome... and they definitely made my 4th of July celebration great.

It started as I was waiting for the Yellow Line, aka the one good thing that comes from paying 8% sales tax. This bus will drive me up the treacherous Bob Adams Drive when the sun is beating down and I feel too dehydrated to trek it. Yupp it was 9am and sunny, and I did not feel like walking up that hill. So, I contacted the bus driver about getting a lift and he informed me that he would not be able to make it for at least forty minutes because of the "cows".

It may have been the morning after Independence Day, and my brain may not have been functioning at its full capacity, but this guy couldn't come pick me up because of cows? What was going on?

That was when I noticed the crowds of people that were forming on Main Street. I knew I had missed the parade (something I had been genuinely looking forward to the previous day), but was it possible that they were having another one? I asked a random passerby what all the commotion was about. Before I could get my hopes up he responded "The cattle run."
"I'm sorry, the what?" I asked.
"I guess they are going to run cattle through the streets".

Huh. Cool. For some reason images of "The Run of the Bull" in Mexico gathered in my head, but I knew Steamboat tourists weren't that crazy.

Upset that I missed the parade, and too lazy to walk up Bob Adams, I decided to join the rest of the crowd and watch as the cattle were herded down the street. I got excited when I saw the first cowboy riding horseback leading the drive. They were coming, slowly, but they were coming. Just as they were about the cross my path the lead cattle suddenly stopped following the cowboy and took off down a side street. Although hesitant at first, the rest of the cattle soon followed and things started to get out of control. Luckily the men on horseback leading the parade were real cattle ranchers and knew exactly what to do. A few of them went down the side street to round up the run away cattle, while the rest stayed back with the remaining cattle and kept them in place. It was really funny to see, although I'm sure they weren't happy about all the commotion.

One poor little guy was so confused and unsure of where to go he began running back and forth between the two separated herds.

After a few minutes of mayhem everything was once again under control.

The "cattle drive" ended as quickly as it started with people resuming back to their normal routines. It was one of those not-something-you-see-every-day moments that I love about Steamboat.