Good to the very last drop...

When the opportunity arrives sometimes you just got to jump on and hold tight. Deciding that the snow was pretty much done here in O-town, a couple of friends and my wife headed to the great white north of Montana for the annual Big Sky Pond Skim. While we were in the area we decided to do all things of the great American west. Decided that we better stock up on the high octane stuff that is Idaho beer, and a few groceries, $250 later we were set for the next four days.

Day one: a little RandR at the cabin to recoup from the long drive that ran until the wee morning. Took the day in nice and slow by riding the snowmobile and shooting some clay.

Day two: Big Sky. The weather forecast had been getting progressively worse every day. What was going to be a day full of half naked women and men dressed as women riding into a snow pond of “refreshingly cool” mountain run off, ended up as a pretty decent spring powder day. Lucky for me it got better. My wife gave me her cold the day before we got there... 8am… feeling pretty ill. So I thought breakfast and a coffee might do the trick. Definitely not, after losing breakfast it all just went down hill. We had an hour or so to kill before open sign up. 10:30 am just in time I got in line and waited getting snowed on while it was 26 degree F. All of this was not helping the way I felt. Deciding I had come to far to throw in the towel because of a wimpy little cold, I tried to catch a nap in the back of the SUV for an hour or so.  Woke up feeling the same, then as if a light bulb went on, I had the best idea I had ever had. I am going to feel sick no matter what… So I might as well catch a buzz. A few beers and some Goldschlager and I was in costume ready to go. BIG MOO was on his way to the pond. Trying to get on the chair lift we got rejected and told we had to walk. Slightly buzzed and hiking to the top of a groomed ice run with 5in.of fresh powder in snowboarding boots is just about as hard as it sounds.

We make the journey and I feel surprisingly well (just the buzz talking). We waited in line to skim for and eternity, with wind and snow. Me in my ultra thin cotton cow suit and my buddy in short shorts and no shirt. By the time it is finally our turn, I am almost positive I was hypothermic. Shaking uncontrollably and barely able to control my snowboard into the water I splash, and for a second, nerves confused by cold, the water felt warm all over my body. Then followed by a rush of cold. The next few hours my "cold" caught up with me to the fullest potential brought on by the freezing hours in the wind and numbing seconds in the pond. Two hours puking penance to the porcelain I finally make it to the car. Sleep the way home and straight to bed.

Day three: Still feeling sick. Lost breakfast again. Went for a hike and drive to a few of the historical sights in the area and check out our favorite spot  "box canyon."Lazy night at the cabin.

Day Four: Bicycling in Yellowstone National Park. When we woke up it was cold again so we bundled up and drove 45 minutes to West Yellowstone. This time of year it was almost a ghost town. We saw a small herd of elk with their spring calves.

 Hair matting and clumped as they began to shed their winter coat. A few more miles down the road and we saw a herd of bufflo in the middle of the rode. Mothers and calves mostly so we kept our distance the best we could.

 

Team Texas

All in all it was a good experiance and I would have to say I would do it again in a heart beat! Viva la next adventure.