There is a special sort of magic that fills the air Opening Day. While it isn’t Platform 9 ¾ magic, there is a special enchanted energy. It isn’t the same as the excited vigor of a powder day, or the goofy spirit of Gaper Day, or even the exceptional anticipation of riding on a holiday- No Opening Day is in a league all its own.
So here are 7 reasons to get stoked about flying down one run with a board or two strapped to your feet Nov 23rd at Winter Park Resort.
1. You get your routine back
It takes you exactly 15 minutes to roll out of bed, fill a mug with coffee, let to dog out, throw your prepacked ski bag in your hatchback, and get on the road. Or, at least it did by the end of last season when you had the whole thing down to an exact science. But now, you’re basically back to ground zero, as you’ve had no practice time.
Opening Day is a great way to put that routine to the test.
How long does it take you to gear up at the car once you get a parking spot? How many layers do you wear in the car versus pack in your bag for later? How much coffee can you intake and still make it to the resort without a premature potty break? Seriously, we know mid-season you could drive Berthoud Pass with your eyes closed- but you may need to shake out some of the cobwebs before you get back to that top performance.
2. You test out your new gear in a trial run
So you hit the after season sales, the summer close outs, and the fall discounts, and maybe the Thanksgiving week sales just to make sure you had backups for your backups on gear. Now you get to actually put it all out there, against the elements. Plus after the first run, you will totally get “I told you” credits when you prove it wasn’t a waste that night you had a few drinks at happy hour, came home, put on your new snowboard boots, and walked around the house breaking them in. They are clearly much more molded to your foot than you expected them to be on the first run.
3. You can remind yourself other people are crazy too
You’ve been scanning through gear reviews, consuming ski and snowboard movies (not just the 30 DVDs you already own but the new ones for 2016 too). You’ve been planning out your weekend trips, your long-term getaways, mapping the potential storm systems you can follow. You have fiendishly watched weather reports, analyzing the most accurate weather app and snow reports. You’ve outfitted the back of your adventure car so it’s now waterproof and ready to sleep in.
You’ve gone stir crazy preparing- we get it. That’s why Opening Day is so great- you get to meet up with all the other crazy passionate riders who have been doing the exact same thing since the season ended last spring.
4. New trail map smell
Yup. Just take in that hot off the press, new ink smell. Not to mention that crisp crinkling as you unfold it for the first time. *ahhh*
5. Tradition
Tevye said it best. “The Skier, the skier! Tradition!” Okay, that might not be a direct quote- but there is something to be said about the tradition of your first Bloody Mary before after your first run, or using #SeizetheSeven and getting the $1 Coors at Derailer Bar while commenting about this year’s potential snowpack.
(If you don’t understand this gif, try the Google- and get cultured man!)
6. Make your pilgrimage
To many, the mountain is a holy land, and the voyage to get there is an experience in and of itself. The time, the planning, the weather conditions- we know it takes many dedicated souls to travel here. We also know that the journey is all part of the adventure, and when you finally arrive, it is worth it.
The mountain is the place you connect, you feel free, and you truly live in the moment. It is your church, your temple, your place of worship. Return to the site of your Holy Grail, and celebrate the end of Ordinary Time. Rejoice in the I-40 trek, the line for your first ride on the Gemini, and whatever other ceremonial traditions Opening Day presents for you.
7. Because YOU LOVE IT.
You don’t need a rhyme or reason or the ability to put your delight into words. We know there is something you love about it- and that’s all that really matters.
