Tuesday, March 8, 2011

A suprise twist of events

Well, on 2/28/11 I went to shred the gnar but Mother Nature had other plans.  We were on wind delay at Moonlight Basin (and Big Sky for that matter).  Moonlight decided to offer free tickets for those interested in riding just the Derringer lift.  Given the circumstances I was feeling pretty down about things until I realized I had an opportunity....

It just happened to be the Special Olympics event at Moonlight Basin, so I decided to volunteer my services.  They were already sacrificing a great deal of course length and challenge because of the wind, but all the organizers and competitors shared an immense amount of excitement and enthusiasm.  Like many die-hards, cold and wind did not deter this group and I felt inspired by their attitudes.

That's not to say my day went any better, as halfway through the day my binding high-back snapped in half on my way to the lift!  Luckily I had the Tanker 200 with to sub for the remainder of the day.  The wind-hold was lifted around noon (except for the Headwaters lift) and I did get a lap in only to discover the wind had deteriorated the snowpack to Mid-West ice.

Feeling defeated, I returned in time to film the remainder of the Special Olympics racing.  The energy was still high for the duration, but sadly my battery was dead before the awards.  No matter what it was great to see others with a smile on their face while enjoying a day on the slopes.  I hope you also enjoy the video.

Special Olympics at Moonlight Basin from Former Flat-Lander on Vimeo.


-FFL

PS: I have some great footage to work on next with different software.  Looking forward to sharing some hiking, powder, and smiles with everyone :)