Winter:
An awesome day for me begins the night before. This night, I am preparing for a fun day of slaying fresh powder. I pack and repack my gear. I wax my split board as I listen to music thinking about the lines I will ride tomorrow. After my gear is packed and loaded by the front door, I switch to food prep. I grind my coffee and fill the french press. I pack a small bag of food including macadamia nuts, walnuts and cheese. I pack three Raw Rev Bars for the journey; one for the parking lot before I ascend the mountain, one for the top of the peak and my favorite Double Chocolate Brownie Batter for post ride celebration. I set my alarm for 4:45, but I won’t need it. My eyes open at 4:40. I get up and slip into my base layers. I let Buddy the Wonder Dog outside and fill up his food dish. Then I begin a version of the sun salutation. This yoga routine was taught to me by my guru in Costa Rica. After my final pose, I do what I call age-ups; one push up for each year of my age (plus one bonus one for the future) Now I am ready for coffee and smoothie. My smoothie was made the night before and is ready to be blended. I blend up my coffee with some butter and coconut oil; I pour one cup for now in my mug and the rest goes into my thermos for the ride to the hill. Buddy and I head out the door for his morning walk. In his prime, Buddy would be on the mountain with me, but he is aging gracefully into a stay at home pup. When we return, I load up the car with my bag and board. Music is one of my most favorite things, so I will be rocking some hip hop or rock at this point of the morning. The road early in the morning is almost always empty and after a large snowfall it is peaceful and quiet. I enjoy my drive up the windy mountain pass road. I turn into the dirt parking lot; I am the first one there. I turn the car off and leaving the music playing. I pour my second cup of coffee and watch the sun peak over the horizon. I gear up in solitude. I check my blood sugars and double check all my insulin gear. As a type-1 insulin dependent diabetic, having the correct supplies can literally be the difference between life and death in the backcountry. I crack open a pack of hand warmers to keep my blood glucose meter warm enough to function. Raw Rev Bars work well for me as they provide high levels of nutrition without the sugar. The Creamy Peanut Butter & Sea Salt Raw Rev Glo bars are a perfect pairing with my coffee. I’ll be riding with two friends today and I see them turn into the parking lot. We share high fives and smiles as we all get our boots on and load up our packs. We discuss our approach line and do a beacon check. Then we start skinning up with our boards in ski mode. Moving fast and only stopping for quick water breaks, we reach the summit in under three hours. I have my 2nd Raw Rev Bar and check my sugars. We claim our lines and take turns making big, arching pow turns. We lap our area until we are content and tired. We agree to return to the parking lot. After our descent, stories are shared and pictures exchanged as we enjoy a cold beverage. Returning home I think of each turn I made today. I relive the day as I unload my gear. Buddy and I head out for our evening walk. I get home with enough time to get ready for tomorrow’s adventure.
Summer:
Summer days are long and fun. I begin the morning with a trail run to my secret spot. Here I practice a version of the sun salutation taught to me by my teacher Enano. I then do what I call age ups. One push up for each year I’ve been alive and one bonus push up for the future. Returning home, I make a cup of butter coffee and take Buddy the Wonder Dog on a walk around the neighborhood. The rest of the morning is spent lounging and listening to podcasts. Mid morning I have a Raw Rev Bar to get me fueled for some afternoon fun. As the sun gets high in the sky, I’ll visit the skatepark for some bowl riding and chill lines. After getting worn out in the park, I’ll grab a sandwich from my favorite deli. I like to spend the sunset on my longboard cruising a run I call “Mini Scorpion Bay” after the infamous Mexico surf spot. It’s a mellow and beautiful ride. Buddy the Wonder Dog runs beside me as the sun sets. I will stop by the river on my way home and soak my feet in the cool running water. Even after the sun sets, the air is warm and comfortable. I head home to enjoy relaxing with a movie or good book. I stay up late in the summers thinking about the winter snowboarding that is right around the corner. Cheers to long days and warm nights. Summer days are long and fun!
