At times the place lives up to it’s name.
Ski and snowboard addicts make a beeline for the hill right when they get out of work or school.
Even the Amish people come in chartered buses.
Middle schoolers pour out of yellow buses with great excitement to get on the hill.
The bottom of the Sweet Express, the main lift on the hill, showcases this well.
This is the busiest area at Bittersweet.
There are about a dozen people sitting around the fire.
Two of them work for the resort and have for years.
There are two middle aged men with red company logos embroidered into their jackets that radiate importance and wealth.
looks like all guests around the fire are participating in the same conversation.
While these people are all different, they seem to genuinely enjoy their time together around the fire.
They are genuinely engaged with each other.
The group even gives the impression of disappointed when the family leaves to continue their skiing adventure.
The lift line for the Sweet Express displays two distinct groups of people.
This side comes from the terrain park, which is where they like to ski and snowboard.
The line is rather unorganized and there is a lot of playful pushing and shoving.
Clouds from electric cigarettes floats above them and their brightly colored jackets.
The left side however acts much more mature.
This group primarily likes to ski and ride on the smooth groomed trails.
This line consists of adults with a few younger children and their parents mixed in.
The line is orderly, silent, and patient.
It is also a bit longer than the line on the right.
The two lines come together just in time to board the lift.
Not many barriers are needed to keep the lines running smoothly.
At times, people from the different lines must sit together on the lift.
One chair fits four riders, two from the right and two more from the left.
After a couple nods of the head, a foursome is formed and proceed to board the lift together.
I decided to abandon my seat on the patio and ride the lift myself.
I rather enjoy experiencing both lines and the lift itself.
This is something I had done countless times before during my many years on the hill.
While in the right-side line, I was cut many times, but I never protested.
I was used to it as this is the line I am regularly found in.
I never really took note of how chaotic the right-side line is compared to the left.
While in the left-side line, I felt out place, yet welcomed.
I ended up next to a dad with his two elementary aged daughters.
I congratulated them on making it this far and we enjoyed about 2 minutes of conversation.
I had nothing in common with them except the love of skiing.
I believe that I would rarely meet people like them otherwise.
While it may seem that everyone is jolly and happy, occasional conflicts do happen.
This can cause tensions to rise.
Everyone there is human after all.
This is understandable as he seems more like a left-sider.
Justin voiced his frustration a few times and after getting cut once again, he had enough.
Justin grabbed the offender by the arm and attempted to pull him to where he belonged.
This was followed by a considerable amount of cussing and some push back.
This is not a normal occurrence.
The yelling and shoving ended quickly, but tensions were still high.
After a few runs down the hill, the two involved ended up on a chair together.
Much to my surprise, one reached out his hand, and the other shook it.
It appeared that everything was in the past.
The conflict would not carry over.
It sounds like that two had an enjoyable ride up.
While riding the lift they found out they liked the same genre of music.
looks like those at the resort are quick to forgive and forget.
It is just part of the culture.
There are not many places like Bittersweet Resort on a Friday night.
Maybe a shopping mall?
Even there people drift to their own preference of stores.
The only thing everyone has in common on the hill is the love of the snow.
All it takes is a love of the snow to do this.
It’s another Friday night at Bittersweet.
If you made it this far, thanks for reading.)
Picture credit goes to the Bittersweet Facebook admin.
