Capitan Powder!
I am currently sitting in a coffee shop in Salt Lake City staring at my computer for one of the first times since I left for Powder Mountain 10 days ago. My body is feeling strong, skin is tanned and my eyes have been loving the break from pixel gazing – it’s been a good couple of weeks.
Reflecting now, I smile big-time, thinking about all of the amazing people and experiences that I’ve been amongst lately. From the 2 foot Bluebird Pow day at Powder Mountain (First Tracks!) to a Top to Bottom Tram lap on a Mono-Ski in Jackson Hole to singing Whitney Houston at the top of my lungs in an almost silent Sushi restaurant., life has been delivering big time.
All last week, Ben, Scotty and I were in Jackson Hole for Powder Magazine’s ‘Powder Week’ – their version of the Ski Test. Basically, they invite 33 ski brands to come to Jackson Hole to get together, ski, party and enjoy this sport that we feeds so many of us – literally and theoretically. On the last night of Powder Week, there is a celebration dinner/reception in which awards are given out for various recognitions during the week – the most highly regarded of those, being, “The Capitan’s Cup”. The Capitan’s Cup is named after Capitan Powder –the Founder of Powder Magazine and in many’s eyes, a model of what skiing is all about. Having just as much fun with equal amounts of passion both on the hill and off. Or something like that.
Anyhoo, I ended up being awarded the Capitan’s Cup – a TREMENDOUS Honor that I am still kind of in shock about. It is a 8 lb Pewter Cup with a nice trophy base with room for winner’s names to be engraved. The names that have come before me on this cup are some incredible humans – SO stoked to be amongst them!
On my skin up to the top of Snow King this morning, I was thinking about how the Hell I ‘Won’ the Capitan’s Cup – and the immediate answer that came to me is simple: People. Sure, I like to have a good time and have a lot of energy, but that wouldn’t get me anywhere in life if I wasn’t surrounded by people with equal amounts of energy and passion that feed me and teach me and visa versa. I feel unbelievably blessed to be surrounded by such amazing people who can recognize and appreciate the really good things in life – from a Stuffed Tiger (#KIRN) to a Pewter Cup to a box filled with candy bars on a Snow Cat (Snack Time!!) – life is pretty damn good.
This is, I think, a big reason for why we’re all here – and why we started First Tracks – to bring this type of energy together to remind us all of this and to stock up on these positive vibes for those times when life isn’t as exciting… which we all know happens from time to time – that’s life 😉
So here’s to you – for being you and for getting SO damn excited that you have a Dessert Pear Eating Contest at 1 in the morning (someone Please ask about this in the First Tracks page… gold).
Much Love and Pow Pow –
Annelise
theharpandthesword 