Moose Drool

5,300 acres of fresh powder, coulees, log slides, and stump jumps - that's ski bum vernacular for some of the best riding in the northwest. I'm spending the week in Big Sky, Montana, living life larger than I ever thought possible. Today I tackled Big Sky and Moonlight Basin near Bozeman, Monatana. The sun didn't peak until mid afternoon but that didn't stop me from enjoying some spectacular skiing and panaromic views. "Go ahead, pick your poison" insists my guide. I'm working up an appetite and my heart rate following a pack of professional skiiers. I look to the right and all I see is treacherous terrain - jumps, bumps, hits and ramps. I look to my left and all I see is 3 feet of fresh powder - barely groomed and trails barely visible. There's no easy way to navigate either so I take my chances wizzing past snow covered tree limbs and flying over mogul bumps. As usual, I'm in way over my head. My legs are burning, my breathing is short, my heart is racing and I'm regreting that I didn't put in 10 extra situps before I got here. "Wooooo" I just clipped a friend's board who went spilling down the mountain. "I'm sorry!" I yell out but I don't think he hears me. I continue on oblivious of the danger I pose to other skiers. In and out, back and forth, I'm nearly at the bottom. "Oh please, let me survive day 1 with 5 more days still left on the itinerary" I plead to myself. Just think Moose Drool, just think Moose Drool. That's the native beer concoction that awaits me at the bottom after a days worth of sweating and panting. "See, wasn't that easy!" barks my guide. "I'll answer that after I down a draft" I retort and fall head first into yet another snowdrift.