My eyes open slowly to the sight of bright light streaming through my window.
The clock next to my bed reads 10:30.
It’s Sunday, and I’m happy.
I jump out of bed overjoyed, not able to contain the smile growing on my face.
January 26th, the day marked on my calendar since early fall, has come.
I rush down the stairs and check Twitter on my phone.
“Skiing flow »>” says a tweet.
“GOING SKIING TODAY #stoked” says another.
Everybody busltes through the rental lines, eager to get their skis and shred the day away.
After debating who would take the first run, a brave friend agrees to take the plunge first.
I opt to drop in next.
He exclaims, “That was sick!”
and high fives me.
I awed them all by rotating 90 degrees onto a box, and then 90 degrees off.
What the…?!"
“What was that?”
A friend asks me in an astonished voice.
None of them ask what a cork 7 safety is, but it is clear none of them understand.
“Why is his sweatshirt so long?”
Needless to say, freeskiing is other-worldly to most Virginians.
“Full Tilt” is some sketchy online poker site.
Newschoolers.com is pretty much unknown (gasp).
We think 180’s are amazing and Cork 7’s leave us downright speechless.
But for now, to someone living in Colorado or Vermont, these southerners are just your average gapers.
But who can blame them?
In his mind, a gaper kills it in the park, “Did you see that?!”
But above all, these Virginia gapers are stoked to ski.
Stoked to ski any day of the year, through any weather, with any size crowd.
January 26th had in store for us half-hour lift lines, grass-riddled slopes, and icy conditions.
It was the happiest day any of us had had all year.
They’re skiing, and that’s what matters.
