Page 55 - Flathead Beacon // 5.11.16

WARREN’S WORLD WARREN MILLER TIME TO QUIT THE
CITY JOB
THE EARTH SPINS THROUGH space at a rate slightly faster than 24 hours per revolution. We are all stuck to its surface by gravity unable to free ourselves from its surface except by arti cial means of propulsion.
Fortunately, for those of us who live far enough north or south of the equator, the warmer rain can get cold enough to become solid and fall in the form of ice or snow. Then those who a ord themselves the cost of skis, boots and lift tickets can defy gravity from time to time as they y o of bumps in the snow, a cli or wher- ever their adrenalin lets them go that day.
Anyone who has skied and been air- borne for even a half-second knows the feeling of being weightless. However, we are almost weightless as we glide over snow akes. The only boundary to skiing is the lack of snowfall leading to our enjoy- ment that gravity, ski lifts and snow can bring.
As the white snow is replaced by bare brown earth under the hot sun, we are forced to replace our skis with some other form of bodily movement. That’s because we are a restless bunch who can never just sit still for very long.
Take a moment and look into the dark recesses of your garage or your storage unit and you will probably nd a variety of what I call “freedom vehicles:” roller blades, a skate board, maybe a water ski or two, a sur oard, a windsurfer, a bicy- cle. These were all designed to get you farther away from anywhere in a shorter amount of time but require the mastery of certain skills.
Are you in a nancial position to travel south of the equator and enjoy those pow- der snow days in July, August and Septem- ber? Unfortunately, unless you were born
with a silver spoon, this is the time when you work overtime to buy all of those ski lift tickets in the winter at Old Hickory Hollow.
As I meet people from all over the world, I ask them where they live and they tell me and I always ask them why they live there.
For some, it is several thousand miles from the closest ski resort. So I tell them, “Most of the jobs that you can do in the city are now necessary in a ski resort, par- ticularly at the larger ones.” If you had to put a price on that perfect powder snow day what would that price be?
The father of our mountain manager here in Montana was on the Aspen Ski Patrol for 40 years. He raised a ne fam- ily that all skied all winter, shed all sum- mer and went hunting in the fall. I would like you to think about that ski resort life- style as you arrive at work and stare at the poster of someone in waist-deep powder snow on your wall.
How many revolutions will the earth travel around the sun before you say, “enough,” and move to a ski resort some- where? So do you really have to own that second car, make the suburban com- mute, pay for private school for your kids and think about those responsibili- ties instead of living and doing the same work in Aspen or Killington, with them on the junior ski racing team? While you are running a computer for the ski resort company at night and skiing all day every day until the world revolves around the sun one more time and all of the snow has melted. Now you can get out your shing rod, your mountain bike, your backpack and your sunscreen and wonder why you didn’t quit your city job a long time ago.
LAMINATE & LIGHTING
THAT ALL OF YOUR GUESTS WILL BE ASKING ABOUT!
This column was originally printed in 2013.
Flathead Valley Chapter
Trout Unlimited Annual Banquet Saturday May 21, 2016
Grouse Mountain Lodge
Social Hour 6:00 pm Dinner 7:30 pm
Tickets $45 each RSVP by May 18, 2016 Ticket Information :
www. atheadtu.org 260-1198 • 250-5064
Photos Courtesy of Armstrong and Elk Lighting.
MASTERPIECE CARPET ONE
family owned and operated
2541 US HIGHWAY 2 E • KALISPELL (406) 752-0924 • WWW.CARPETONE.COM
(855) 757-4351 • WWW.MASTERPIECELIGHTINGONE.COM
MAY 11, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
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ELEVATEY O U R VISUAL