A Mat With A View

We journeyed up to the top of the world again today. It involves packing a few things, making a lunch, driving 30 minutes, and strapping on the X-Country skiis. We missed you immediately H... TW and RG, you would have loved it! JJ Cook and KP, come any time, the sooner the better!

Five inches of fluffy white, fresh, snow had fallen overnight making the skiing and the scenery just perfect. All the pine and fir trees looked like someone had dumped 50 lbs. of powdered sugar on them from the top, you know the look: each branch drooping under its burden of a pointed heap of snow.

We took new trails today and they were Looooong and mostly uphill. We huffed and puffed for hours, it seemed. At the top of Vista View trail we came upon a bench overlooking a meadow of baby fir trees. We spread out a yoga mat on the bench to keep our bums dry and plopped down, tired and ready to eat. We sat on our bench catching our breath and taking in this new wonderland; over the tops of the trees the sky was dark and snowy looking with a few lazy flakes drifting toward us.

Up on top of the divide, the trees were differently and exquisitly dressed. Each needle and every branch of every tree were coated to three times their usual thickness with pure white hoar frost. They looked like perfectly flocked Christmas trees. As far as we could see in every direction were rolling hilltops covered with pure white fir trees. The sky was a dark brooding shade of gray which faded to mistiness touching the tops of the trees.

Dave uncorked a flask of steaming hot chicken noodle soup and poured out two bowls - it was divine!