Are You Marcel?

I just had the weirdest ski day ever.

I'll spare you the details, but here's the condensed version.

1. Plan to drive to Kirkwood. Check road conditions.
2. Oops. Chain restrictions on Hwy 88. Go to Plan B (Sugar Bowl or Squaw)
3. Check SF Gate while eating breakfast.
4. Oops. Fatal 2-car crash on I-80. Eastbound completely closed. Go to Plan C (Bear Valley)
5. Drive to Bear Valley. See snow blowing off ridgeline.
6. Oops. Wind hold. Only 2 bunny lifts open. Pick butt while waiting for winds to die down.
7. Overhear ski patrol say that backside lifts are turning. No lifts can get you there, but you can walk....
8. Buy lift ticket (only $30 b/c of wind. Score!), ride bunny lift to top and start walking.
9. Get 90% of way to top, see closed lift start to turn. Bastards! Get 1 run in before masses descend.
10. Make a few more runs. Get on one of the backside lifts.
11. Get close to top. Lift slows down, then makes loud whining noise and stops.
12. Oops. Watch as huge clouds of black smoke pour from engine room.
13. Wait 15 minutes. Lifties able to douse fire and fire up diesel generator. Get off lift. Lift then closes.
14. Make a few runs under another lift. Wipe out under lift. Girl on lift looks down. Waves. Asks "Are you Marcel?" Me: "No." Her: "Oh, didn't think so."

So that was my day. How was yours?