Coachella - Fringe, Flowers, and Fannies

Music

So we went to the Coachella Music Festival last week. It was warm and beautiful, a far cry from this, our last serious music festival. 

I freaking hate crowds. Why then would you go to a music festival with 85,000 other people, you ask? Well, the line up was rather compelling. You get a lot of British acts there because festival season doesn't start until summer in the UK and Europe, and I am still addicted to listening to BBC 1 after my time in London. Also, what the hell else do we have to do while on sabbatical? 

You can Google the bands that were there so I won't belabor that. Everyone we saw kicked ass, and we were especially (happily) surprised by the performances we accidentally caught or didn't expect much of, such as Bad Religion, Clean Bandit, Royal Blood, Gorgon City with Jess Glynne, Fitz and the Tantrums, and Marina and the Diamonds. 

Then we were audially flogged by Flosstradamus, it was uhm - interesting.

Oh man was there ever some bad fashion. While entertaining, it was a tasteless mismash of Glastonbury from 5 years ago (the one year it was actually sunny), some weird hippie event, and an exhibitionist convention. Here are some of the worst of the worst trends we saw.

Fringe
Even the fringe was fringed. If you are worried about getting tangled up while dancing, you are over-fringed. 

Macrame everywhere, make it stop

People were calling themselves gypsters, which was just annoying. No really, folks had t-shirts that said "Gypster". I call that an insult to hipsters and Gypsies. Urban Dictionary defines a gypster as: 

"A hybrid of hipster and gypsy. The gypster dresses like a gypsy and is nomadic, frequently unemployed, may use drugs, but in reality probably has wealthy parents, owns a car, and has everything handed to them in life. This person is a hipster in most senses (crappy music taste, elitism, likes things that are obscure just because they are obscure) but dresses in gypsy fashion. The gypster's gross appearance and nature makes them appear impoverished but they likely visit their loving home and are more than willing to spend their inheritance on the latest Tegan and Sara EP.

Weird Fake Flowered Headbands
I am not sure what it is all about, but it looks weird and you are not unique when everyone else has one. Perhaps I am being too harsh but seriously 80 percent of the women had these.

Reminds me of those giant baby headbands

Butt Cheeks
I am sure I was likely guilty of this sin in high school, oh man - a little underbutt. But now that I am 40, I can judge. I don't care how rocking your bod is, I don't want to see your butt cheeks. And I really don't want to see the awful camel toe you also get from jacking your shorts way up in there so your butt hangs out.

I am in physical pain looking at this.

Is anyone else worried about a possible yeast infection?

Wow, I can't un-see that - guys are guilty too.

Bandanas
This look was big: bandanas and sunglasses - even at night. Maybe it was really dusty last year or something, or people are really high and think they are at Burninng Man. I would say they were being gangsta, but Coachella is an expensive hipster festival. Maybe they are just being sun-savvy (no one wants skin cancer), but then their butt cheeks are hanging out in the back of this picture. No idea.

Wha?

Hey you sexist a-hole (internal voice) why aren't you commenting on the dudes? Well, because 80 percent of guys were shirts and shorts and weren't being douchebags. OK there were a few bad ones.

In short, I am going back next year:).

Coming Soon
In case you are wondering what is next for the Flying Monkeys......

This would make an interesting caption contest.

The End of a Ski Era - Almost

In the past three weeks we have traveled from Colorado to North Carolina, then back to Colorado, then to Utah, and then to British Columbia (not kidding, 16 hours in the car to ski a few inches at Whistler). Now we are back in Tahoe. Woosh!

Our 2008 Subaru Outback has been a trooper, so has the dog - and man that dog hates the car.

Our ski odyssey is almost over for the winter  and I am feeling melancholy about the whole thing - everyone cry me a river. Despite the relatively dry winter throughout the entire western United States, it was a blast!

So what to write about?

I am at a bit of a loss. In this case, I will follow our brilliant friend S.J.'s example and keep it simple with a report card summary of the last few weeks.

• Surprising the J.M. family in Charlotte, North Carolina with a St. Patrick's Day visit. A+

• Our trip to the local Charlotte Walmart for a green shirt for Dave for the J.M. and K.M. St. Patrick's Day party spectacular. He ended up with a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle t-shirt with a cape (for $7.95). C
• Dave's weird green-colored party beard, just not OK. D
• Amie drinking Irish whiskey all night at the St. Patrick's Day party. D-
• Amie taking a 10:00 p.m. nap and rallying the rest of the night. A

• The beard, fear the beard. B-

• Having to leave Utah early because there was NO SNOW. C-

• Hiking with Dave's dad instead of skiing. B+

• Uncle S.M. giving us his old ski, which we fashioned into the official house shot-ski. A

• Eat, drink, sleep, ski, repeat......for days. A+++++

• Arriving after a 16 hour drive in Whistler and seeing almost no snow at the base, I almost cried. D-
• Making the best of it with a local Okanagan Valley Gamay (good) and Pinot Gris (a bit sweet for me). B

•  Mountain biking around Lost Lake on the days we didn't ski in Whistler. C+

•  Being back in Tahoe and getting warmly welcomed by 4 new inches of snow at Heavenly - YAY. B+

•  The beard. B-
• The ceremonial shaving of the beard this afternoon. I sort of miss it. B

Next up is Coachella (I have NOTHING cool to wear) then a week in San Diego goat-sitting at J.Z.'s house in Valley Center, California.

I posted our future plans at this site on the right-hand side. Email me if you want to join us anywhere along the way or will be in the area at the same time. We have extra reservations at most of our campsites along the way. Miss you all!

Crested Butte - I Hardly Knew You

We have been meeting the dual Radical Sabbatical goals of skiing a lot and not becoming alcoholics. That second one is a toughie.

Our most recent ski escapade involved a trip to Crested Butte in central Colorado. Why Crested Butte, well - everywhere we went people told us we HAD to go there. OK, why not. 

Despite the fact that 2014/2015 has been one of the driest years in history in many states throughout the west, we got lucky......really lucky. It snowed about 3 feet just before and during the days we skied. We rented the most adorable place in downtown Crested Butte, the tiny Love Shack. It had everything you need and nothing you don't. I especially loved the 2-foot-tall sleeping loft. 

Our faithful travel companion!

Did I mention it snowed?

Downtown Crested Butte is freakin adorable with an assortment of bars and restaurants in old-timey, gold-mining era buildings, which I love. I could almost live there if it weren't so damn far from a major airport or another town...... The place needs a decent brewery though. Hmmmmm, business idea?

I mentioned the snow, right?

After Crested Butte, we took a short (mother effing 13-hour) drive to Scottsdale, Arizona for Giants spring training. Because again - why not, what the heck else do we have to do? So we drove through the San Juan Mountains, past Telluride (it was so hard not to stop there to ski but we had no time), and met JP, JS, and AC in Arizona. The San Juans are insanely beautiful, photos cannot capture it. We will be back!

It was good to see friends and check out the Giant's games, but AZ is a weird place - I can't quite put my finger on it. We had perfect weather, it isn't too expensive there, we fit in with all the older retired folks doing their morning power-walks; but still it is an odd place. It reminds me of Vegas. The town feels fake and fragile, especially with all the irrigated grass everywhere. Seriously folks, aren't we in a drought?

Beers and peeps

Gorgeous day, baseball is meant to be watched while sitting in the grass

We are in Pagosa Springs, Colorado today. Next week we are going back to Vail. I am not sure if you all are paying attention to the weather, but it sadly appears that winter wants to be over. Our upcoming week in Vail will likely be spent on the groomers in spring-like conditions. We'll make the best of to and look forward to Part II of Radical Sabbatical, which will include loads of camping!

Margy's Hut Trip (possibly the hardest thing I have ever done)

A few months ago a coworker (the brilliant CS) asked me, "Hey - you wanna join me and some friends for a hut trip in Colorado?"

We obviously have a lot of spare time during our Radical Sabbatical. So this is what I tell people nowadays when they invite us places, "Make sure you really want us to come because we will show up." And we did.

Margie's Hut is a 10th Division Mountain Hut located near Aspen, Colorado. It is one of about 30 backcountry shelters within the Rocky Mountains that is managed by the 10th Mountain Division system. The huts are fairly primitive with pit toilets (let me tell you how cold an outhouse seat can be when it is 10 degrees outside), sleeping cots, and very basic cooking facilities. The huts are heated by wood fires. There are sleeping cots and pillows but that is about it. Everything you need and nothing you don't.


It is a 7.3-mile hike to the hut from the trailhead parking lot. Oh and you gain approximately 3,000 feet along the way to the hut, which is situated at an altitude of 11,300 feet (gasp for air now). Also - the day we skinned in, it snowed. A LOT. We essentially had to break trail for a good chunk of the journey. If you have ever skinned up a hill, you know how hard breaking trail can be. Like really hard, and we are in pretty good shape and are used to the altitude since we have been in the mountains for a few weeks.

Combine this with the fact that we were woefully unprepared for the day, and crap - did I mention it was really difficult? We skinned from 11:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. with only two small bottles of water, which where were empty about one hour into the trip.

Hey a-hole newbies, you cannot melt snow for water when it is 20 degrees out!!!!! Lesson learned the hard way.

There *may* have been some freaking-out on my part. OK, I did freak out. First when we ran out of water, and then when we took a break and my body temperature plummeted and I lost feeling in my hands (which happens when it is like 65 degrees outside so maybe that part isn't so scary). Our saving grace was that we are stubborn, had a good map, and never got lost.

This was a beautiful sight let me tell you

We were welcomed at the hut by CS's family and friends. There were eight of them already there, the fire was lit and it was warm and cozy in the hut. They shared their food, beers, knowledge of hut etiquette (where and when to get water, what do to with your trash, when to feed the fire, etc.), and ski tips. I imagine you rarely get douchebags at these huts, the journey humbles you, but this was a cool group - not to mention great cooks!

Skinning up on day 2

On day two, we headed out to ski a bowl near the hut. In the backcountry, this consists of skiing down fields of deep powder - then skinning back up the hill to do it again. It is exhausting but exhilarating! Once again thanks to CS and family for being our expert guides. The avalanche risk was deemed "Considerable" for Aspen during the time we were at the hut. I am not sure Dave and I would have gone out to ski that day had we been on our own.

Looking happier on Day 2

Sick views

Trying to catch up, mother that is hard

CS and an epic bail in the deep pow

So crowded out here

More skinning

What a gross blistered mess

So what else happens in a hut when you aren't skiing or doing "chores" like getting water or firewood? There is relaxing, chatting, puzzles, reading, cards, whatever you want.

There is also DIY emergency surgery - yes, you read that right.

As often happens during hut trips, my feet got mangled by my ski boots - in particular my left big toe was throbbing just under the nail. This is a normal occurrence I was told by my hut mates. So here is what you do: heat up a pin, stick it through the nail (it melts right through), the fluid and blood under the nailbed explodes out (here is a video for all you sickos), and you have instant relief. Dave was the lucky surgeon. I am pretty sure he'll ever do that again, but the surgery was a great success.

Post-surgery glee

On day 3, the ski out was fast and fun! It took us about one hour and thirty minutes to ski 7.3 miles out (as opposed to our five hours and thirty minutes to skin up). Again thanks to CS and the gang for showing us how to wax our skis so that we could avoid the pain in the ass of putting our skins on over flat stretches on the way down. There is so much to learn about this sport. Dave and I have a ways to go till we are really competent backcountry skiers. Intimidating to say the least.......

Snowing again for our departure

Safely out and back at the trailhead to say goodbye

Well what did I learn from this trip? I need a lot more backcountry day trips to build my confidence. This sport is NOT for wussies, especially if you happen to be a cold-prone wussie (like me). Also, for the next trip (assuming that I ever do another trip) I need to remember to:

• Bring a lot more water, way more than I think I will need 
• Get a Camelback thing for water
• Bring more layers and have them in an easily accessible place
• Get a better pack with a good spot for my helmet, shovel, and probe so they aren't jangling around and about to fall off
• Travel in a larger group (more than two people)
• Bring more sugary treats, salty snacks were unappetizing when working that hard at altitude 
• Did I mention more layers?

Refueling with fondue, nothing better

Best February Ever

Do I look like a turkey here?

Skiing My Pants Off
So the real question is......how can I ever go back to skiing just weekends like "normal" people. Tuesday skiing is spectacular, just us and the really friendly retirees. I can count on one hand the number of lift lines we have waited in over the last few weeks. Perhaps an evening waitressing job is in my future (so I can ski days), oh yeah - and I'd have to move closer to the hill. That the 3+ hours separating the Bay Area from Tahoe is not OK.

We have skied at about 12 different resorts throughout the west over the last few weeks. Keystone has been a surprising favorite of mine for it's mellowness and terrain, as has Grand Targhee. Dave is partial to Breckenridge, especially Peak 6 on a powder-day. Our Epic Passes are worth ever cent of the $749 paid for them. We have been lucky with snow dumps in Colorado and Wyoming, especially considering California was bone-dry in February (speaking of, is anyone else freaked the eff out by the drought besides me????).

So many people.......NOT

Douche

Cousin's bubble bath gone awry

In case you are wondering what we have been doing in addition to skiing (and drinking at every brewery on both sides of the Continental Divide), we have been spending loads of time with family and friends. We seem to be lucky enough to know the most awesome people throughout the west! This is what the Radical Sabbatical is all about and what will make it an unforgettable year, all these folks who have been nice enough to let us crash on their couches. Having the time to spend with everyone is the ultimate sabbatical luxury (right after lots of sleep).

Cousins

More cousins

And uncles

And friends

And skiing with cousins and friends

And random meeting with a high school friend

Get in touch with an old friend, it is life-affirming and will make you damn happy

A special amount of love goes to this hot babe right here. I have known J.G. since I was 4 and we went to Pre-school in the Park together. I had not seen her since her wedding like 12 million years ago and then I got to see her and her beautiful family twice in Colorado in February. There is nothing better than hanging with an old friend. I am getting all misty-eyed thinking of it now. Seeing her was like seeing my sister, I even knew her Iphone security code without even thinking about it (freaky). I am hoping to sneak in another visit to see her before we leave Colorado.

Sayulita - Gringos in Golf Carts
We also exercised our passports and our god-given right to cheap tacos and Pacificos in Sayulita, Mexico. We went with Dave's awesome sister and her kids. These are some amazing well-behaved kids who will sit down for a meal and chat with adults, remarkable - I can barely do that and I had beers in front of me.

We stayed at Casa Brava in the loft, which I highly recommend for an in-shape couple - it is a tough walk up the hill to get to the house. Though, perhaps only a long-married couple should stay there (there is no door around the toilet area so nothing is left to the imagination). We got a great deal at Casa Brava and the loft is modern awesomemess, with a spectacular view and AC!

Get ready for crazy sunburns you white kids!

The waves were perfect for boogie boarding

Perhaps this is why we don't have kids

Debbie Downer's View: We have been going to Sayulita on and off for the last 10 years. Let's just say that while the place is fun, beautiful, and beachy - it has jumped the shark. I think that it has been officially declared "safe" by whatever American agency declares such things. Once the yoga studios and vegan restaurants move in (WTF I want carnitas), it is time for me to move out. And what is up with the golf carts that are there now? The town is only a few blocks long. The lengths to which Americans will go NOT to exercise astounds me.

And one last shot just because I miss these ladies so much and I love the big, generous hearts at this table.