A-Basin closing day

Howdy,

Today was the last day of the season at A-Basin. And of course, the end of pond skimming season.

The forecast was a high in low 60's. So I got there early, wanting to get my laps in before things got out of hand.

Those are my Blossom 78's in the rack on the left.

A-Basin closing day always draws a crowd. The parking lots had filled up.

All there was to do today was pond skim Lake Reveal. Which means it's time to say hey to the Official Lake Reveal Life Guard. This guy is here every year, he's epic. He live streams the event, adds commentary, and even blows a whistle (more on that below)!

And he does his job. Here he is saving a pond swimmer - defined as someone who doesn't make it across Lake Reveal.

By about 10am, the crowd was starting to rock. Pond swimmers were piling up.

This chick was won the award for best pond swimmer of the day.

By 11 the crowd was goin' off.

I did 3 pond skims - here's 1.

I was also a pond *swimmer - once. I put an asterisk on this because if you watch the video, I had to make a last second course correction due to the two guys in my sight just before the entrance. So I lost my line of sight, course corrected, got off line. If not, I'm 4/4 pond skimmer.

After about 9:30 or so, it becomes a Chinese downhill to get to Lake Reveal. I like my chances in a downhill, especially against this crowd. But this time it didn't work out. Why not? Read on.

The Life Guard had blown his whistle at me once for "wasting film" - because I aborted. The Life Guard doesn't care. If you come to Lake Reveal, you go across. I appreciate the Life Guard's rules. And for that reason I took my chances and went across even though I'd lost my line. I didn't want to get another whistle. But then he blew it at me anyway, for being a swimmer!

My boots were wet, it was time to head down. I thought about one more crossing, leaving on a high note. But I was cool with the last one being a swimmer, because I'd have made it otherwise. I had a ball, it was all too much fun.

I hung out at the base, ate my sandwich and people watched.