Went on some test drives today, and I'm thinking I like the Acura. I'll probably also start looking for the lowest price I can find on the Accord as well, and see if I can play a couple of dealers against each other to get a bargain. My uncle is pretty good at that sort of thing, and he enjoys it like you wouldn't believe, so it will be good to have him along. The actual purchase will probably have to wait until I've been working a couple of months since I don't really have any money to put down right now. I could go the zero down route, but that means even more debt...just in case I didn't already have enough with the student loans. The only reason I'm even thinking about getting a car right now is because the economy is so soft. I'm looking for a ridiculously low interest rate, and if I can't find it, I have no problems staying in the civic until it absolutely will not run any more. Anyway, the next phase of research is to call the insurance company and find out how comprehensive on a new car compares with liability on a car that's worth less than a grand. And that will pretty much be the entire schedule for Monday. Aren't vacations great? I hope you all are enjoying yours.
posted by Tom 11:41 PM
Friday, December 27, 2002
This one, this one, this one, this one, or this one? The civic has served me well, but it is long past its prime. I'm also still debating between the car as an investment philosophy, which would lead me towards the purchase of a new car, and the car as an unrecoverable expense philosphy, which would lead me towards something with a few more miles under its belt. Any thoughts? Hit that comment button and let me know.
I have edited the previous post to include details of the rest of the road trip. Enjoy.
Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Mine was peachy.
posted by Tom 1:58 AM
Wednesday, December 25, 2002
HOMEin a manner of speaking
Here's to new friends and new experiences. Nine semesters at LU and--well, you've all heard me gripe about the adminstration and the teaching styles, or lack thereof, of certain professors, but when it comes down to it, I have only one real regret. I missed the opportunity to get to know some amazing people. I started to get that feeling as I watched my last semester fly past, everyday realizing a little bit more that soon I would be thrust from one of the greatest peer groups I would ever have. Living off campus didn't help matters, but that's probably just an excuse I make to cover for the fact that I'm not the most outgoing person I know. It seemed like everyone was busier than usual as the semester wore on. Another excuse; I know people can always make time. Maybe this isn't going where I want it to, or maybe I'm just a little too tired connect what I just said with what I'm trying to say next. Let's just skip to a couple of examples and then we'll move on to a brief rundown of the last week. Or we could just use last week as the example. Schwan, Fester, Sol, Amber Ronningen and I spent the week on a cross country snowboarding trip. Of my four companions, Schwan is the only one I knew as more than a vague acquaintance before the trip. Sol has been on my floor for a year and a half. Amber has been in half of my classes over the past four years. Fester, well, okay, there's no connection there. The point is that I had a blast getting to know these people over the last week, and I'm kicking myself for not developing the friendships back when I still had a couple of years to spend on the same side of the country as these people. Okay, enough of that. I know that the real reason you all are reading this is to hear about the snow conditions in select ski destinations.
Monday, Dec 16, ~5:00am Chris, Amber, Matt and Sol roll out of Longview in Amber's jeep.
7:30am They meet up with me at a gas station outside of Fort Worth.
They got there first.
They were kicking a soccer ball around when I arrived.
The soccer ball went on the roof of the gas station.
Chris and Matt scaled the wall of the gas station to retrieve the ball.
Amber said something along the lines of this is going to be a long trip
Midmorning Stopped on the side of the road after the jeep in front of me (Chris was driving) slammed on the brakes and swerved to the shoulder.
I was worried something had gone wrong with the jeep and we would be stranded before we even made it out of Texas.
It turned out we were just pulling over to play in a cotton field.
We got back on the road pretty quickly.
I was glad that we weren't going to be stuck in Texas after all.
Later that morning Stopped on the side of the road again.
This time I wasn't so worried.
It turned out to be bales of harvested cotton.
Chris and Sol got out of the car to climb up the bales and jump up and down on top of them.
Midafternoon Left Texas.
Couldn't have been happier.
Moments later Stopped on the side of the road again.
Small patches of snow.
Sol hit Chris on the back of the head with a snowball.
Chris responded by getting his paintball gun out of the car and chasing Sol down the highway.
The trucker that drove past us at that point must have though we were crazy.
Fortunately, if he called the police, they never caught up with us.
9:00pm Stopped for dinner.
Chris and Sol did push-ups.
I needed a break.
Chris and Matt got in my car.
I rode in the jeep with Amber.
Sol fell asleep in the back of the jeep.
We figured we were about three hours out of Grand Junction, our destination for the night.
Three hours later Not anywhere close to there.
It started snowing...hard.
The civic didn't like climbing mountains in the snow so much.
The civic doesn't like climbing mountains in general; lack of traction just made it more fun.
At least if the roads are this bad, the top of the mountain should have some great snow by morning.
Now we just have to make it there alive.
3:00am Arrive in Grand Junction.
Sleep.
Tuesday, Dec 17, 8:15am Wake up.
Shower occupied.
Roll over.
Go back to sleep.
8:30am Wake up again.
Shower.
9:30am Car finally loaded and ready to go.
Head up to Powderhorn.
Wait for Matt, Amber and Sol to rent equipment.
Rent locker.
Sol locks gloves in locker.
Find a place to get change to rent locker again after Sol unlocks it to get his gloves.
10:30am Ride chair lift to top of bunny hill.
Start down bunny hill.
Fall down, get up, repeat.
Snow conditions for the day Excellent.
Snowed all night the night before.
Snowfall continued throughout the day.
Fresh powder on the runs every time you get back to the top of the hill.
4:00pm Wait for Amber, Sol and Matt to return rental stuff.
Get in front passenger seat of jeep (Amber is driving).
Amber looses control; jeep starts to slide into opposing traffic.
Amber manages to change the direction of the slide, but the jeep is still out of control.
I assume that sliding to the right is better than sliding to the left; that snowbank will stop us.
Realize snowbank on the right is actually a large rock.
Fear for my life.
Jeep stops sliding inches (no exaggeration) from large rock.
Praise God.
Sol falls asleep.
5:00pm Return to where we are staying.
It turns out to be the home of Amber's aunt and uncle.
I am now concious enough to realize this.
Chris, Sol and Matt did push-ups.
Aunt gets Papa Murphy's pizza for dinner.
Kassia comes over for dinner.
After dinner Guys go with Kassia to hot tub at her friend's house.
Sol falls asleep in the car.
Amber stays to catch up with her relatives.
Kassia shares her newfound interest in stargazing.
I come the conclusion that this is a difficult hobby if you are too blind to see the stars without your glasses and the hot tub is fogging them up.
Kassia recommends making snow angels on the deck.
We attempt to do so, despite the fact that there is no snow on the deck.
Return to Amber's aunt and uncle's place.
Sol falls asleep in the car.
Wednesday, Dec 18, 7:00am Wake up to Amber's uncle cooking bacon and eggs for us.
Get on the internet to check road conditions.
Find the road we are planning to take is restricted to necessary traffic only Scout possibilities for alternate routes.
Pack up and load vehicles.
10:00am Head to Wal*Mart on the way out of town.
Purchase six quarts of oil (three go in immediately and three are saved for later) and tire chains for the civic.
Start driving north.
Afternoon Stop at visitor's center for Dinosaur National Monument in Dinosaur, CO.
Wake up Sol.
Drink free coffe.
Find out that actual dinosaur site is in the Utah side of the park.
Drive twenty minutes across the border to get to the fossils.
Take picture of Chris sitting on the back of a dinosaur sculpture which is sitting next to a sign that reads Do not climb on dinosaur.
Look at fossils for awhile.
Continue driving north.
Evening Reach point where we must decide which route to take.
Declare that SNOWBOARDING IS NECESSARY to justify our use of the road restricted to necessary traffic only.
Drive through blizzard.
Matt calls on radio to tell us that Amber has to pee.
Stop for Amber to pee.
Matt calls on radio to tell us that Amber has to pee.
Stop for Amber to pee.
Matt calls on radio to tell us that Amber has to pee.
Stop for Amber to pee.
Matt calls on radio to tell us that Amber has to pee.
Stop for Amber to pee.
Almost hit elk crossing the road.
Matt calls on radio to tell us that Amber has to pee.
Stop for Amber to pee.
Matt calls on radio to tell us that Amber has to pee.
Arrive in Jackson, WY.
Check into hotel.
Thursday, Dec 19, 8:30am Wake up, dress for cold, and head for Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
Amber elects to spend the day shopping in Jackson; drops us off at the lodge.
Snow conditions for the day Not the best.
Some powder at the top of the mountain.
Lower runs all packed and icy.
JHMR nicknamed the ice cliffs.
~Noon Experience minor fall about half-way down the mountain.
Notice on returning to my feet that board feels a little loose.
Find piece that should be permanently attached to boot lying on the ground.
Wonder how to get down the rest of the way.
Attempt riding board with only one binding secured.
Decide this is bad idea.
Take off board and walk.
Talk to nice resort employee at ski lift.
Nice employee offers free rental equipment for remainder of the day so my lift ticket won't be wasted.
Spend rest of day trying to get used to rental equipment.
4:00pm Return rental equipment.
Meet up with the other guys, who laugh at my misfortune.
Take picture.
Head to the Mangy Moose resteraunt for dinner.
Discover that the Mangy Moose does not open until 5:30.
Sit by the fire in the lobby and wait for the dining room to open.
Order appetizers from bar.
Chris and Matt argue over whether or not ask for the nacho topping to be made without beans.
Chris doesn't like beans.
Appetizers are premade, so we just have to get it the way it comes.
5:30pm We are seated in the dining room.
We admire the odd decorations that adorn the ceiling, including the demon moose and a life-sized rag doll, which closely resembles Dave Wahl, sitting in a bathtub.
The ceiling is covered with oddities.
It looks a lot like what they do such a poor job of at Applebee's.
Order dinner.
Laugh at the irony when Matt tries to have his meal special ordered, only to be told the ingredients are premixed and he will have to take it the way it comes.
Split pitcher of Moose Drool; discover it is a close second to Guiness.
Return to hotel.
Guys did push-ups.
Attempt to watch 12 Monkeys; fall asleep after ten minutes.
Quote of the day The guy in the rental shop, upon hearing that we planned to go to Big Sky the next day.
"Big Sky?! That's the big lie. They tell you they have so much snow up there. They'll call down here and say, 'Yeah, we got 24 inches of fresh last night.' Too bad their rocks are 36 inches deep."
Friday, Dec 20, 9:00am Wake up and decide what to do that day.
Options:
1. Ski Jackson Hole again
2. Drive to Big Sky and ski that afternoon and the next day
3. Drive to Grand Targhee to ski the afternoon and then continue to Big Sky
Choose option 3.
Guys did push-ups.
12:30pm Arrive at Targhee.
Rent equipment.
Return to car to drop off shoes so we don't have to rent locker.
Decide not to leave Sol's wallet in the car as asked, since he hasn't bought his lift ticket yet.
Return to rental shop.
Sol asks for keys so he can retrieve his wallet.
Purchase lift tickets.
Ride the lift with Amber, Matt and Sol.
Decide to take an easy route down the mountain the first run.
Watch Sol slide off the edge of trail into thigh deep powder.
Turn around to see Amber is no longer with us; don't know what happened to her.
Decide that if she has broken a leg or something, ski patrol will find her.
Otherwise she'll eventually make it to the bottom.
Enjoy the rest of the afternoon.
Don't see Amber again until the lifts close.
Snow conditions for the day Amazing; thigh deep powder all the way down the mountain.
Wide open runs.
If you're ever in the area, I would highly recommend Targhee.
4:00pm Return rental equipment.
Start driving to Big Sky.
5:00pm Stop for dinner.
Chris (driving the jeep) decides to do some donuts in the parking lot.
Chris decides donuts are easier when not in 4 wheel drive after nearly colliding with light pole.
Get back on the road.
Again, the civic struggles with getting up the mountains.
10:00pm Arrive at the residence of Brad Lartigue, Big Sky resort chaplain.
Guys did push-ups.
Amber joined us.
Saturday, Dec 21, 7:00am Wake up to go to breakfast at the Huckleberry Cafe.
Chris won't stop talking about their biscuts and gravy.
Biscuts and gravy with two eggs on special.
Everyone but Amber orders special.
Eat.
Drive up mountain.
9:00am Arrive at lodge.
Start rental process.
Try to figure out where Sol went so we can get him to sign the rental form and get our equipment.
Locate Sol ten minutes later.
Go to purchase lift tickets.
Try to figure out where Sol went so he can give the ticket agent his credit card.
Locate Sol ten minutes later.
Ticket agent returns with credit card receipts.
Try to figure out where Sol went so he can sign his receipt.
Locate Sol ten minutes later.
10:00am Finally get up on the slopes.
Find that the rental guy in Jackson Hole wasn't kidding.
I decide I'm glad my binding broke so I don't have to worry about running my board over all the rocks.
Thank God for rentals.
Brad shows us the cross by the side of one of the trails where he leads afternoon worship on Sundays.
He also gives those of us with less snowboard experience some pointers that help us improve quite a bit.
Snow conditions for the day Good, with the exception of the fact that the top 8-10 inches of small trees which dot the trail are still sticking up above the snow.
For the most part they don't cause problems, but if you hit one just right it'll trip you pretty good.
4:00pm Get in one last run before the lifts close.
Legs feel like rubber.
Decide 'one last run' wasn't the best idea, but manage to survive.
Check in rental gear.
Return to Brad's house.
Brad, who is from Louisiana, makes us the most excellent Gumbo.
After dinner We get in the hot tub.
We get out of the hot tub to make snow angels.
It works better this time, since there is snow on the ground.
Sol enjoys making snow angels a little too much.
He gets in and out repeatedly, each time bringing a little more snow back into the hot tub and slowly lowering the temperature.
After the hot tub We all sit down to read various magazines.
We all fall asleep.
Later we wake up to do our push-ups.
Amber joined us again.
We ate dessert.
We went back to sleep.
Sunday, Dec 22, 3:00am Matt has 8:00am flight out of Billings.
Billings is 3 hours in the wrong direction.
Amber gets up to take him to the airport.
Sol, Chris and I wake up to say goodbye, then roll over and go back to sleep.
8:00am Wake up again.
Load car.
Sol and I leave to meet Amber at coffee shop in Bozeman.
Bozeman is on Amber's way back from Billings and on our way towards Seattle.
10:30am Meet Amber.
Drive to Amber's house in Cour d'Alaine.
3:30pm Arrive in Cour d'Alaine.
Amber insists on showing me and Sol the sights of Cour d'Alaine.
After tour, Sol and I decide that there are no sights in Cour d'Alaine.
Go to Lord of the Rings with Amber and one of her brothers.
Return to Amber's house for the night.
Monday, Dec 23, 9:00am Wake up.
Wait for Sol to wake up.
Eat breakfast.
Still waiting for Sol to wake up.
Go out for coffee with Amber.
Meet Amber's friend at coffee shop.
Still waiting for Sol to wake up.
Return to Amber's house.
Play Scattergories with Amber and her sisters.
Still waiting for Sol to wake up.
Sol wakes up.
Eat lunch.
Sol and I drive to Seattle.
8:30pm Take Sol to bus station in Tacoma.
Return home.
It starts with the shoe. Maybe the next day it's a t-shirt or a sock. You don't know if the washing machine ate it, or your roommate borrowed it a month ago and forgot that it was yours. All you know is that by the end of the week, you're walking to class naked because you don't have any clothes left.
