Energy
The energy associated with the current snowstorm brewing outside contains an intangible feeling of excitement from within that I have not found in any other realm of life. At 5:00 am I awoke to a welcoming tree branch repeatedly pounding the side of my cabin. With eyes barely open in the darkness I found the g spot of my coffee pot powering up my second favorite liquid. Stumbling over my Sorel’s I open my cabin door to twist the knob to a state of complete exhilaration and awe. One minute into consciousness and within my soul I feel pinkish clouds a top of me, high twenties temperature, and very high gusts of snow to my four day shave. No tangible product of mass consumerism can produce this kind of elation.
Weather and moisture energy has been gaining strength to the far west of Wyoming in the Pacific Ocean. Growing up very close to the Atlantic Ocean I remember waiting for the weatherman to say, “Nor-Eastor” which eventually translated to Noreastah’. When my folks had cable television I would stay glued to The Weather Channel and hope the storm would intensify causing school to cancel, roads to close, snowmobiles gouging pavement on new carbides, and plow trucks in full tilt boogey mode. As a kid I had a lot of energy watching and waiting to see my district number scrolling across the bottom of the television before sunrise to see if school was canceled.
The current storm is comparable to a “Wickahd Noreastah” that will more than likely shut down the airport and every road in and out of Jackson, WY. My inbox has been filling up with electronic newsletters saying that Jackson is forecasted to receive 50” of snow and to fly here before the storm. Online ski forums have been starting new discussions with fervor regarding powder in the Tetons. The daily Bridger-Teton Avalanche and mountain weather Forecast message this morning is very long as the storm is just beginning and the risks of avalanches will be rising by the hour.
The entire town of Jackson, Wyoming is ready to bust at the seams waiting to ski powder. Any serious powder junkee has waxed their long fat skis at least once and are patiently reminiscing skis lines in their head. As I sip on my very strong homemade espresso coffee I begin to imagine what kind of huge breakfast will sustain my storm skiing. Being a tall and slender kind of maple bacon guy, scrambled eggs with pepper jack cheese, a bagel with nutella, bannana, and probably a couple hash browns should hold me over until around noon I hope.
Matt Lloyd “AKA LiveTheDream” waits patiently in the JH tram line
Gliding through untracked powder on my freshly waxed 190cm rockered skis brings a state of complete relaxation. As my favorite twenty minute jam plays on I realize that skiing unadulterated powder is what I live for. Tuned out with day long Dead jams and tuned into sparkling snowflakes not verbalizing in the English language, but by massive smiles illustrating sparkling shiny teeth is what brings joy to my heart.
Folks sometimes ask where I just skied while I can only smile showing years of painful orthodontic work, wrinkles from smiling in high altitude sunshine, and sweat dripping exuberance. I can’t explain where I came from, but rather I just blacked out on the last run and let loose of all conventional thought for a few years. I attempt to explain how the snow rolled into a curved wave off my belly and eventually over my head while it was hard to breathe regularly. . .
Matt Lloyd slashing powder mid storm cycle
livethedreamcafe
