Eastcoast Slopeside

I would love to be able to catch a flight to Utah everytime a big snowstorm hits, but that is not (yet) in the cards. So instead, I have bitten the bullet and taken to East Coast skiing. Meghann and I went to Ascutney in February for a couple of days. I decided to do a little snowboarding, which I am still working on...

We were up there we a few friends. That's Kenny with Meghann and I. This is the view from the top!

And here is looking up from the bottom, and us with the Storm Trooper.

Meghann is the one who taught me to snowboard. She is pretty sweet.

So the skiing is still good out here. You just have to get used to a few things. Actually, just one thing really. Ice. In Utah we complain when we have to ski over icy patches on the trails. They are hard, frozen snow. Here, that is the good kind of ice. The bad kind here is like a frozen river under the snow. There will be huge 30 ft wide sections with clear/blue ice covering them. It gets nasty, especially when those sections are hiding under a thin layer of snow.

We found some good groomed runs through, where the ice had not infiltrated. The video below was cool as I tried to imitate Kenny and do a slide on this ramp. It actually ends with by most painful crash of the day. You don't get to see it, but it you look at the last image of the clip, you will see me cringe in pain. I remember feeling like my rib-cage had been crushed.

I brought my skis too, just so I could feel capable again. But I am improving on the board!

The Theory

So I have no conclusive proof about the theory I am about to propose. I want you to consider what I know and tell me what you think. I have proposed this idea before but I've never had a chance to present my evidence.

Theory: Robert Ricks is a secret agent

Fact: Robert speaks 5 languages (that I know of), including Arabic and Farsi
Fact: Robert has had weapons training at a secret, remote desert facility (see photo exhibit A below)

Fact: Robert spends long periods of time “studying” abroad in middle-eastern countries
Fact: Robert admitted to being recruited by the CIA and turning them down (when do they ever take no for an answer? I'm sure they just had to find some leverage)

Fact: Robert is super-humanly intelligent
Fact: Resides in Washington DC, though he is on loan to BYU currently

Further Evidence
First you have to trust your eyes. Do you see a resemblance? Take note of the black pea coat and non-descript hairstyle. He looks like any normal student abroad, heading back to his hostel because he lost his passport.

Now how about in this picture. How quickly he can change his appearance! Looking like he was born in that suit, with a beautiful woman on his arm. He is truely a chameleon!

I would appreciate comments if you have any other knowledge that links Robert to the CIA, NSA, 5th Echelon, or any other clandestine agency. Also, be cautious because I have in no way ruled out that Nancy may also be an agent.

Quick Utah Trip - I must SKI

I promised myself that I would never miss another ski season if I could help it (after some difficult winters in Hawaii.) I looked at my 2009 calendar and saw that with all the business trips that I had to take during February and March, I had better go skiing fast, like that week! So Meghann and I were there over Civil Rights Day in Utah. These are just a few photos to chronicle our trip, and while the snow wasn't all that fresh, there was plenty of it and it was beautiful in the mountains!

Okay, I know that none of these jumps is anywhere near as big as the ones from my "Big Air" post from last year. Cut me a break, will ya? I turned 30 since then, and I don't recover from massive impacts like I used to.

In the 5 years that we have been together, Meghann has been changing from a Mid-West ice-hill skier (though she did once end up with a concussion off of a jump in those conditions) into one radical chick on a pair of sticks!

Utah was so beautiful! There is a big difference between being above or below an inversion in Utah (when all the pollution is trapped in the valley by atmospheric conditions). While it looked like this below...It looked like this above!!!It was great to spend time with my brothers now that we are all grown-ups (hypothetically). And nothing ends a ski day better than an upside-down garbage can lid full of BBQ like they serve it at Famous Dave's!

Kansas City Christmas - and trying to stay Fit

Christmas was spent in Kansas City this year. We spent two full weeks with the Maddens! Now some people will say that there is nothing to do in Kansas City in the winter, and normally they would be right. We like to try to prove them wrong, though...

First there was all the fantastic food! We had to keep a strict running schedule each day to burn off the layers of cinnamon rolls and cheesecake that were accumulating on us. I am the one of the CT kids that runs the least, so I had a little trouble keeping up. But I pushed myself, knowing that I was not short on calories to burn. However, I also tried to invent other, more fun ways to exercise.

I am lucky that Joel shares my passion for inventing games and playing them with me. Our main successful game was Dodgeball on the trampoline. Jared is trying to get me out in the picture by using a technique attributed to Grandpa Ben, where you throw the ball slowly under the high flying opponent, and then let him helplessly fall on to the ball. The only defense is to try to flap your arms and try to momentarily fly, as I am demonstrating.

Joel also tried to demonstrate his incredible strength for his size by being Meghann's horse. Well, maybe next year.

We also tried to stay in shape by using the Wii Fit! In this picture Meghann hits a striking pose while all us inflexible males look on. However, my records on Wii Ski Jump and Penguin Slide are yet to be broken!

Strangely though, the Wii Fit graphed my progress on weight throughout the trip, and I ended up about 2 lbs heavier than when I got there. How could this be with all these fun and intense activities? Well, one suspected cause is the one activity that is ALWAYS available in Kansas City...BBQ.

When in Kansas City, you must visit Arthur Bryant's at least once. If you are hard-core, you will shirk the Casino location, and visit the location that started it all, in a brick building in the middle of an industrial area. There you can get burnt ends prepared by a man with the last name Bacon, and have it served on a cowering slice of wonder bread that is suffocating under the heaping mound of BBQ. There is a new celebrity photo on the wall inside. McCain and Palin came to Arthur Bryant's while on the campaign trail. I was impressed! That would have had me thinking twice about my vote, but sadly Election Day was two months past.

Christmas Gifts were given aplenty this year! And boy was it exciting to open them:
Alejandro seemed to enjoy the wrapping paper more than his gifts, but that is okay. Some gifts seemed to be enjoyed more by others than those who received them. This is Tom Madden enjoying Meghann's new earphones and my Ipod. He appeared to achieve a state of nirvana listening to The Who!


Kaitlyn wanted things with Poka-dots. This is a fun request to run with. Among other things, this included new socks and a new blanket.
The best present of all was being with the Maddens, and I know that Meghann never really enjoys her holidays without her Joel close by. Thanks to Tom and JoEllen for creating such a fantastic holiday for us.



There is one other BIG thing that we did over Christmas break, but it is going to get it's own post later. Stay tuned...