YOUR AD HERE »

Fresh powder buries New Year’s resolutions

Matt Zalaznick
A snowboarder rides through some soft powder at Beaver Creek on Wednesday.
ALL |

And with two powder days in a row to kick off 2003, skiers and snowboarders on Vail Mountain this week say they’re not in the mood to rein themselves in with some sappy promises they probably won’t keep anyway.

So what are they resolving not to stop doing in 2003?

“Doing whatever I want to do – stuff that makes me happy,” said Barry Miller, a skier from Austin, Tex., who is working in the valley during his winter break.



The non-resolutions being made –or not being made – on the mountain Thursday ran –or didn’t run – from the educational to the occupational to the culinary.

“I probably won’t stop smoking or eating Frito pie,” said Philip Green, a skier from Long View, Tex., who was shocked to learn that some people in the valley might never have tasted that beloved Southern delicacy.

Support Local Journalism



They don’t eat Frito pie in San Franscio, South Dakota or in Boston. The Kennedys don’t eat Frito pie –but the George W. Bushes probably do.

“It’s just Fritos, chili and cheese. I thought there was a global network of Fritos and chili,” Green said.

Well, Phil, there’s no such a thing.

And on the subject of actual New Year’s resolutions, Green says they’re just a way to for people to set themselves up for failure – such as folks who resolve to lose weight, gain a few pounds the first few weeks of the year and then have to lose more than they’d originally resolved to.

Unfortunately, international Frito-pie ignorance forced Green into making a resolution.

“I’m going to spread the joy of Frito pie all over the world,” he said.

Frito pies notwithstanding, we’ll bet that skiers and snowboarders this year will not prefer icy crud or muddy slush to fresh powder.

“The snow’s awesome,” said Alysia Kline, a snowboarder from Denver, whose non-resolution was not to stop having a good time.

“I’m not going to stop drinking. I just have too much fun doing it,” said Kline, who added she’s frustrated by the people who have sued McDonald’s, blaming the fast food chain for making them fat.

“That’s really bothering me,” she said. “People need to take responsibility for their own actions.”

Not surprisingly, it appears that in 2003 people will still spread rumors, be fascinated by scandals and talk about their friends behind their backs.

“I won’t stop gossiping,” said Shelly Anderson, a skier from Vail. “Gossip just seems to happen a lot.”

So Shelly, do you usually stick to the resolutions you don’t make?

“I do quite well with those,” she said.

And what does the F stand for in F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Franklin?” she guessed.

No.

“Ferninand?” guessed her friend Kristen Tjaden, from Chattanooga.

Ferdinand?!? That’s an absurd guess!

Why don’t you stop skiing?

“I resolve never to stop skiing,” said Kevin Roach, a skier from Edwards, in Vail Village Thursday. “Or waiting for friends from out of town at 9 a.m. at the Vista Bahn on one of the busiest days of the year.”

Alas, all of us locals will still submit ourselves to the aggravating experience of trying to hook up with friends on the mountain, waiting anxiously and powder-deprived at “Chair 11 at 11” – more like Chair 11 at 1:45 p.m.

But no matter how long we wait, we’re not going to ski like wimps, apparently.

“I’m not going to stop jumping off cliffs,” said Jordan Wein, a snowboarder from Denver. “Sometimes you get to the edge and it’s a little scary, but if my resolution is not stop jumping off them, I’ll get better.

“Vail,” he added, “has the best cliffs.”

Ferdinand. That’s the name of a bull in a children’s story. That’s a chef’s name. Ferdinand was the King of Spain and a dictator in the Phillipines. By the way, why don’t you get a job?

“I’m not going to stop looking for a job,” said skier Ashley Bullard, from Long View, Texas. “And when I find one, I’m still going to be looking for a better one.”

Sprague Hinmon, a skier from Edwards on winter break from Colgate University, said she’s not about to start sitting around doing nothing on Friday and Saturday nights.

“I’m still going to live it up and party with my friends,” she said.

Hinmon said she’s got a month to ski and she plans to ski every single day.

“It’s been crowded but there’s such nice snow,” Hinmon said. “We really needed the snow this week.”

And what about the F in F. Scott Fitzgerald? It stands for ….

“Fitzgerald?” Miller guessed. “That would be kind of cool.”

“Francis,” said Steve Kramer, a Colgate University philoposphy major, who was exactly right.

Matt Zalaznick can be reached at 949-0555, ext. 606, or via e-mail at mzalaznick@vaildaily.com.


Support Local Journalism