On 9/5/05, Marc Guido <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> http://sltrib.com/rollywells/ci_3002373

**********

Perhaps this is the time to mention that all you guys who live there,
and those of us who visit, should promote whatever "version" it is
others have of Utah.

That way, the skiing and lifestyle may - at least somewhat - remain a
semblance of what it used to be like.  It's changed a lot in just the
last 10 years.  And by "lifestyle", I'm talking about the active
out-of-doors kind.

**********

My Utah seatbelt "story" occurred in early May of 1996, towards the
end of a spring 44-day cross country ski and other things epic that
started out in Vermont - the kind of trip I'll probably never do again
in my life.

Anyway, on that day it was "ski for free on the last day" at Kirkwood
for the season.  After skiing the morning, and a 1 pm or so oil change
in Carson City, my buddy and I had plans to take off on Hwy 50 (the
"Loneliest Road in America") across the Nevada desert, with the goal
of getting somewhere near Canyonlands that night (we also had our
bikes with us and wanted to be in Moab the day after that).

Maybe 6 or 7 fast hours later (?), just as an incredible sunset was
going on in the rearview mirror, after crossing the Utah border (we
ended up in Panguitch, UT late that night), large free range animals
looking for warmth starting appearing out on the pavement of the two
lane road.  As I began focusing on dodging them and discerning them
from shadows, I was pulled over by a state employee with the beehive
"shield" shining on his door, who was coming from the opposite
direction.

I was driving a ski company van with Massachusetts plates, owned by
the employer of my buddy, who was nearly asleep.  The trooper took my
license and asked "why were you driving so fast?"  I answered, after
explaining where we started that day and where we were headed with "..
clear, dry roads, beautiful night, no one out here."  He ran the
license and info, came back to the van and said, "Thanks for being
honest.  I'm glad to see both of you are wearing your seatbelts; be
careful of the cattle on the road and have a good night."

Wear your seatbelts in Utah.

(As for the trip, we were living on cc cards, though we hardly paid
for anything but gas (lift tickets included); ate like kings and
relied on the generosity of locals and friends all over the country. 
We skied, we biked, we went and saw bands in California, we surfed. 
We went to industry events, we skied at Vail on free World Cup tickets
and at others through other gratis deals (A-Basin, Snowbird, CB,
Squaw, Alpine...).  We ate at Beaver Creek with those white
tableclothes on the industry's dime.  We got asked for stickers during
a stopover in Lawrence, Kansas, where we went "mountain" biking (a bit
of technical singletrack, believe it or not) and for the same in Santa
Cruz hanging out at Steamer's.  In the former town, the micros were a
bargain, along with being the best reebs on the trip - don't miss the
Free State Brewery... )


> 
> ------------------------------------
> First Tracks!! Online Ski Magazine
> Marc Guido
> Editor & Publisher
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