Utah - This is the End, My Friend

It wasn't supposed to be, but life has a way of altering plans.  I had trouble sleeping (runny nose) and, of course, I hurt a bit.  I ended up sleeping in til 10.  I can't blame it all on my back or groin, but maybe some impending illness (cue foreshadowing music)--I was very lethargic.  My thought was to stay in and ride the Canyons with my remaining day pass tomorrow.  Then I got to thinkin'... riding by myself again? While hurt? There had to be a better way.  My main concern about rescheduling my flight was the extra fare that most certainly would incur at the last moment.  But it can't hurt to call...Wow! no fare difference, just that unconscionable change fee.  Still, not a bad idea, given that the ticket was acquired on FF miles.  So I pulled the trigger and got the redeye out early--very early--the next morning at 12:55.  Bit of a swing in plans.  (And who the hell travels at that time of night?)  That meant I had to rush to get out and use up what was left of the day.

Sarah's Folly

 I caught up with the guys on Iron Mountain around 1 (just Peter and Josh--the Big Boys had gone to Deer Valley, where we aren't welcome anyway).  The first order of the day was to attend to/comfort Sarah who had crashed on Lead Foot.  Unfortunately we couldn't be as much help as the ski patrol, who took her down in a sled. Ouch.  It was a tough run, and I fell more than once getting down from there, on my sore hip, no less. Ouch also.  Come to find out 2 others of our party had gotten stranded on Iron Mountain earlier in the day. Bad day for our averages....

After Sarah was safely on the way to the clinic (she turned out to be OK, just "tweaked" her knee), we went back over to Day Break, but a lot of the powder was skied out. Fortunately not all of it, but enough to limit our runs.  I lost the guys on the ride home, but worked my way back to Cascade.  Had I been just a bit quicker to get into the run, I'd have been golden.  But I delayed long enough for a boarder dad and his two skier munchkins to clog up the run ahead of me.  When I tried to pass on the side, they'd swing that way and I'd have to slow (and fall) to keep from cleaning them out.  On the bad hip--ouch.  After about 3 of those maneuvers, I burst through and was sailing home.  Little bastards!

Uneventfully returned to my room, packed (after taping my ripped bag), and left for the airport.

This is where today would normally end, but since the day started on Saturday and sped through the night ending on Sunday, I won't post separately for Sunday.  What a trip.

I had paid extra for a reclining exit row seat. When I got to my row I had to smile, being (apparently) between two ladies of indeterminate age, but slight of build.  A few minutes later, I was informed I was on the wrong side of the plane and that my seat was E, not B.  My row companions there were a sizeable man by the window, and a man-mountain in the aisle, who took about 1/3 of my seat with his overhang. Truly Jaba-esque. There ought to be a law!

So, no good sleep for me to Atlanta, and not much of the bad kind either. The flight from Atlanta to Tampa, however, was great. Got a reclining window exit seat at check-in and the middle seat was empty.  I was out at wheels up and not fully awake until time to exit. Glorious. And glad to be home.