Sunday Jan 22nd- day 16

I'm up at 5 am (that's pretty painful) and out of the house by 6, dragging my board in its bag on wheels behind me. Half an hour to the University, for a meet at 6.30, and a 7 am departure. On the bus, I talk to an English guy called Joe who is over here from Bristol for a year. He really reminds me of someone- a friend called Jonathan who lives in New York now. It is quite strange when someone strongly reminds you of someone else- I keep noticing it, and it probably affects how I relate to him. On the jounrey (1.5 hours) up to the Cascade Mountains, they show some snowboarding videos on the coach- young dudes sliding off the top of mountains, you know the score- and I start to get into "radical" mode.

Up at Stevens Pass, and after a bit of faffing, I seem to have palled up with Joe (boarder) and two skiers- Shannon from Alaska and Paul from Romania. So we're up a chairlift and off for the first run of the day. Can I remember how to do this? How do you turn? How do you stop? Visbility is quite poor- it's not snowing, but the light is flat (for those who haven't skiied, when the sun isn't out, it can be hard to see the contours in the snow properly, and you can find yourself going over a bump you didn't know was there). But gradually the feeling starts to return. And the new board is good- I can tell it's faster than my old set-up which, as soon as I remember how to stop, is probably a good thing! Good job there is an alleged 10 inches of snow around.


It soon becomes apparent that Paul is incredibly annoying. It's hard to decide quite how or why, and it may be because he's only a young kid (16?). It's not because he's an inexperienced skier but after one descent where he basically slides down on his face most of the way, we realise that the kindest thing is to say that we are going off to do some tough runs, and part company. We go back to base with him, and head back up. We try a couple a double diamond runs ("for experts only").


This is pretty much as steep as it gets, and the scary bit is that if you happen to fall down the hill, you will slide for a loooong way. The only saving grace is that there is a lot of snow about. It's not powder, but nor is it icy, so landings shouldn't hurt TOO much! I even manage a smile, sort of...


The rest of the day goes well. Joe and Shannon are good comany, and we cover most of the slopes in the resort (they are nowhere near as big as the French Alp resorts, and there is not a cafe round every corner selling you a coke for 4 quid!) It's not as busy as the Alps either (where to be honest it can be like playing dodgems) so despite the weather being a bit cold and windy (and we get some snow late on), we enjoy it. Looking down can be a bit scary though.


We leave at 3.30, the time that the big game (Seattle Seahwaks v Carolina Panthers) kicks off back in Seattle. This is basically the game before the Superbowl, and Seattle have never made it to the SB. To do so would be the biggest thing in most fans' lives, so the pressure is on for the game and there has been hype all wekk. We hear via someone's phone that they are winning 10-0 after the first qurter- a good start! Towards Seattle, the coach stereo picks up the comentary, and the team are doing well. Back at Uni, we say our goodbyes and I go to a nearby Sports Bar for the second half. The place is absolutely mobbed, and the atmosphere is great, especially as the Seahawks are doing well. The game prorgresses and the lead increases. I get talking to a guy called Jim who is extremely friendly and talkative and doesn't mind me asking stupid questions. Gradually, time ticks away, the noise gets louder, and as it becomes clear that the Seahawks are going to win, there is much, and I mean MUCH, rejoicing. Maybe it's the fact that people aren't as drunk as they would be in England, but there is no hint of aggression or agro, and apart from the occasional punch-up between loudmouths in a bar, hooliganism is unheard-of over here.

Jim is already plotting how to get a ticket off a "scalper" (i.e. tout) or via eBay, and considering how much it will set him back ($500?) But this is such a big deal for them, it really could be a once in a lifetime event. I buy him a celebratory beer and wish him well, then trundle home with my bag. En route, someone on the street asks me if there's a body in my bag. Cars are drivng round tooting their horns. I see some guys in a sidestreet throwing a football around in the dark. There are gonna be some parties tonight!

Back at the ranch, Ann has cooked and Krishna has come round. I am grateful for some grade A tucker and a bit of conversation before I fall asleep to dream of 360s, wipeouts, touchdowns and fumbles...