Memoirs

Before my trip we celebrated the last day on the mountain. First we had the Ski School Prom. Lots of fun, everyone was smashed and we had a great time. Then the next day was the last day on the hill, after a bloody mary we pounded a few beers and headed up for the slush-fest. The conditions were terrible, but it apears that ever beer can solve shitty snow. At one point I ate shit and lost my ski for the better part of an hour, after some intense drunk searching I was ready to hike out on one ski and return in the summer. Just as I was picking up my hat, my buddy pointed out that my ski was no more than 20 feet from my hat. Thank God! I would have been really mad the next day. The following day we were back at it on the hill for the employee party. It was a blast lots of drinking and lots of fun.

Sorry no pictures.

My trip was awesome! It got off to a slow start, but once the trip got going I was unstopable with the one-liners. They were mostly a bunch of "you had to be there's" but you are gonna have to trust me on that one, I was on fire!

We made it to Dallas/Ft. Worth and had a layover of roughly 13 minutes, and what better way to spend a 13 minute layover in Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport then to sprint to your connecting flight. And let me just tell you that isn't easy, This airport is huge!


The yellow line is the train that goes around the airport. Our connecting flight was probablly the furthest point away from our landing flight. And I don't mean to talk shit about Jeff (the pilot), but that fucker took damn near a half an hour to taxi us in!

We barely made it to our connecting flight to Miami as we ran through the airport, and you guessed it, our baggage didn't barely make it... It didn't make it. We landed in Miami and had to wait for the next flight in from DFW. My question is why in the world would they book you on a connecting flight that you barely make and your baggage doesn't make?!?!?!?!?!

Miami wasn't that great, The hostel we were staying was a dump and the town was really dirty. I don't have any plans of returning in the near future. I do have one great story from Miami though, as we were walking down the beach I decided we should drop in to one of the fancy beach-side hotels. We stopped in and had about 3 drinks each and then we decided that we were going to personally break down the social barriers of classes in this world and simultaneously stick one to the man. As we were leaving I requested to sign the drinks to our room, the bar tender graciously complied and printed out a receipt. Thank you Thomas Johns in room 1240. While we were down in Miami we caught a Marlins Mets game, although I wouldn't call it much of a game. The Mets went through their entire starting lineup in the first inning and the Marlins didn't have a hit until the 8th. But we had a good time.

After Miami we were going to head straight to Alabama, but after "slight" detour and about 2 extra hours in the car the night before we decided to stop off in Gainsville, Florida to visit with a friend of mine from ski school. As soon as we arrived we were welcomed with open arms by the coolest waitress in the world. Well it was about 5 minutes from the end of happy hour so naturally I ordered another 4 pitchers to keep the 1 1/2 that we already had on the table company. Following this stroke of genius I challenged "Magic Mike" (I highly doubt that was his real name) to a balloon animal contest. Lets just say I was unable to compete after he made Michelangelo Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle out of two balloons. I conseeded to his everlasting quest to become the first life long virgin. But I am still content that my variation of a dog (with a regular neck) and a giraffe (with a long neck) were superior. Needless to say I was slightly over-beveraged. On our way out of town we stopped in at the Swamp the home of the football and basketball national champs.

Then we were on our way to Auburn, Alabama.

I think I want to move to Alabama, the town was really nice, and the weather was great.

We stayed with my friend Mick's friends in Alabama, and they definately showed us a good time. We went to this really cool bar and rocked out to this great 80's cover band.

Thats Leslie on the right.

I don't think we got any pictures of the five of us, but Mick is on the left, then Gary, Holly and Myself.

After we closed this bar down the girls took us to the next bar, The Supper Club. Let me tell you these guys figured it out, they make you pay $2 to join their private club so that they can stay open and serve until 4:00am. Pretty good idea unless you have been pink eye'd for the last week. Again another painful morning followed.

The next day we went and watched the Bama/AU baseball game at the parking structure with all the locals, its the only way to do it. We actually had a better vantage point here compaired to when we paid for real tickets in Florida.

Alabama was a blast and I miss it. I wouldn't mind returning soon.

After another long night of heavy malt and barley consumption in Alabama we headed to Atlanta for the last stage of the Tour of Georgia. It was cool, but California was better. Following the Tour we walked around Atlanta (again no return trip planned) and after about 2 minutes of discussion my buddies and I decided it wouldn't make sense to drive all the way back to Alabama just to return at 8 for my flight the next day. So I spent the night in the Atlanta airport.

It was interesting to say the least. Of the airports I have visited in my life, The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the last I would choose to sleep in. I first located a reasonable sleeping loaction and then set up shop at the bar. Before I knew it I was again drunk. Sleeping at an airport sucks, but you have to do it every now and then.

I made it home and went straight back to work from the airport. No fun, but it isn't easy or cheap living my life.