Flathead Lake spring picture

I decided to add this photo (above) to this post. I took it from out in the canoe as night fell on Flathead Lake. My hands got cold as I made my way back to the cabin.

Since the doctor said I can't ski this weekend due to my thumb injury, I decided to go to the lake and take the canoe out for the first time this year. It was supposed to rain and be nasty but it was clear and nice out. Here's a picture of the bay on Flathead Lake as the sun went down. He was a great doctor BTW. Didn't charge me to look at it again after he sewed it all up. That meant a lot to me. I'm already playing the mandolin again. (not very well..) Hey, I need my thumb for that!.. and many other things actually.

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Freak skiing injury

This was one of the last pictures I took before disaster struck.. I was down in this bowl taking pictures yesterday, did a step turn to get a different view, and my ski came off. I fell into the ski with my gloves off and it sliced my thumb open down to the bone with the sharp edge. Then I started to slide down into the bowl. I pushed my arm into the snow and came to a stop but realized I was cut pretty bad and my day was over.

I had a bunch of tissue in my coat pocket so I used that to stop the bleeding. I got my ski back on (no small feat when it's so steep and with the snow so soft). You couldn't stand up without skis on but I didn't get seperated from the ski so that helped.

Then I still had to ski out of the bowl. I put my wounded hand in my coat pocket and I made a traverse over to a groomed run falling once along the way. I skied down to the bottom of the backside where I cleaned the wound in a bathroom then I rode lift up, and skied to the front and to the ski patrol who dressed the wound proper. Then off I went to the doctor who had to sew it up inside and out. It didn't cut the tendon or joint so if it doesn't get infected I should be ok. They gave me a shot in the hip and put me on antibiotics.

I guess there won't be any skiing for me this weekend.

Spring skiing

The ski searon is coming to an end, but it continues to snow. There's enough snow now and I just wish the sun would come out again. Here are a couple of pictures from Lookout Pass. I guess they had the most snow at any ski area in the world for a period of a week. Over six feet of new snow.

I raced, and I got third (out of three in my catagory..) but I was only out of second place by .5 second, so I didn't fee too bad about it and they gave me a medal.. My bronze medal looks exactly like my gold medal from last year.. (exactly..) So last year I got the gold (because the only other guy fell.) And this year I got the bronze (because there were only three of us)... Hmm...

Well it was a beautiful day to be skiing anyway, and I didn't get hurt.. that's always a bonus.

Bitterroot Valley picture

I took these pictures down the Bitterroot Valley in Montana a while back.

My uncles horse, or one they take care of.

Ski chair

I think I'm going to make a couple of ski chairs like this. I have a bunch of old skis and I've been wanting to do something with them. I recently saw this chair at Blacktail in Montana. I like the design except for the seat. I think I'd use flat boards for that. Curt said to use Lodgepole pine for it. There's plenty of that around. I'd probably bark it and seal it and make it look more finished. Then I can put a couple of these down by the lake.

Heck, I have enough skis to make all of my furniture!

Hauling water

Decided to go on a ski trip to Montana. Here's a picture of my friend Curt going down to the lake to get some water. (Yes,.. I have a friend..) The bay was frozen over in places. I haven't seen that for a while. I've been wanting to go out on the canoe but that will have to wait I guess.

Montana Highway 382

Here's what Montana Highway 382 looked like today. It's not far from the road pictured below. I wonder how many times I've gone down this road?.. Quite a few.. It's a great road because the best thing about it is going down it. You go down it, the view changes and you leave. There's really no place to stop and stay for a while. I guess that's a good thing. If too many people stopped and stayed that would change it.

Montana Highway 28

When I was a kid I used to hate going down Montana Highway 28 in the backseat of the family car. It was usually hot and dusty, and my sister was back there too. For the most part it went like this,. Dad drove. Mom rode shotgun,. I sat behind mom and my sister sat behind Dad. Good thing there were only four of us..

I don't mind driving down that road now but they recently improved the highway around Niarada. It's kind of sad in a way, and I miss that old road. It had more character. Felt more like Montana should..

Here's a picture I took of Highway 28 before they changed it.