So the plan was to try to get out to the Knob this week after work to shadow a couple lessons so I could start taking my own. I headed out Wednesday after work, though the prospects weren't good as they had just re-opened after losing more snow to 50 deg. temps and rain. I walk into the lodge, don't even have my boots on, and Pat asks if I want to take a Black Patch lesson w/ two kids.

"Sure!" I say.

Well. I think it would have been much easier trying to teach beginners. These kids were 11 and 12, a girl and a boy. They could rip pretty good. But to get your black patch you have to be able to carve turns. In my teens it took quite a while to learn to carve turns. These kids wanted there black patch to have all "mountain" access. They were more than competent to ride the whole hill, but didn't quite have carving down on both edges. In fact, the girl was quite a bit better than the dude. In the end I gave them both their black patch. WTH.. it ain't brain surgery.. ;) (This is made especially apparent by the whopping $6 I made for that hour... :P )

So I'm glad I got some turns in that night, cuz today they're closed again!! WTF. Just in time for the first day of winter... Blah... I want SNOW!!

All this warm weather is causing quite the dilemma for me and some of my friends. We feel we SHOULD be out training, starting to get our base miles in. But we don't WANNA! If it would just snow and cover the roads with ice it would be some much easier to be lazy and stay indoors where it's nice and warm (at least when we're not snowboarding)... But alas.

And to add to my troubles. I still don't have a XC bike built up. The Bianchi is just sitting there stairing at me. I got the loaner headset in, and now it's a frame and fork, but that's it. Don't have the parts to build out two bikes, and I think I'm finally coming to my senses that I have to stop buying bike stuff for a while.


Well, on that note. I'm off to do some Christmas shopping!

Think Snow!