Okay the region is coming out of one of the snowiest periods in memory and it came at a perfect time for every resort from Tennessee to Maryland. You see when a perfect storm drops over a foot of snow on a Friday, all of the incoming guests from the flatlands wonder if they can make it to their favorite resort. But when a snowfall of this size occurs like it did this time during the midweek, the incoming guests get big eyes knowing the highway crews will do their magic and when they hit the roads on Friday, life will be good and conditions on the slopes will be great.
However some of those travelers just might be a bit too eager to get to the resorts and think the posted speed limits on the way to the resorts mean that’s the speed they should be traveling. Well the truth be told, those signs are for when the road conditions are prime for traveling, dry and clear and the sun shining. During my 16-seasons at Snowshoe Mountain Resort I saw all kinds of folks with various type of driving skills. The ones that thought they were daredevils on and off the slopes and the ones that took their time and did things safely. They were also the ones that actually made turns while skiing and snowboarding on a trail. Novel thought, huh?
I guess what I am saying is when the weather is a little dicey, slow down and give yourself plenty of time to get to your favorite resort in a safe fashion. So if saving five or ten minutes here or there means so much to you, well I’ll just say you are a lost cause, because you aren’t going to listen to reason until your vehicle has slid off the side of the road because you took that curve too fast because you want to get to the resort just a little bit quicker than the next person.
Now if everyone would just slow down a bit when the weather isn’t perfect, I truly believe there would be a lot less claims being made to insurance companies for dented fenders and such. That would not only make the folks riding with you much happier, but all the folks at Allstate and State Farm as you are saving them a bunch of paper work and having to listen to those “Well the deer jumped out in front of me stories and I had to swerve to miss it” stories, when in reality all you had to do was slow down ten to 15- miles per hour and well you know the rest, don’t you?
Come to think about it, not only are you going to make the insurance companies happy but everyone else that may be getting in your way as you head to your favorite resort. Folks this is not brain surgery, All of the highway departments located throughout the region, especially the ones close to the resort, do a very good, if not awesome job of keeping those roads as clear as possible, meaning as safe as possible.
When you are not taking the weather conditions into consideration traveling to the resorts located mostly in the region’s mountainous areas, what are you saving, five or ten minutes here and there. The main thing is you might not even get to ski or snowboard at all and that also goes for the folks that maybe traveling with you. Just don’t worry about it and be happy you are going to be able enjoy some very nice conditions on the slopes when you get all settled in safely in your nice accommodations at the resort. So there’s a word you need to keep in mind every time you put the key in the ignition and head to a resort while there is active weather – “safely;” it just makes things go so much smoother for all concerned. Just slow the heck down folks it’s as easy as that and by the way have a good time on the slopes.
Finally this week, I would like to return back to last week’s column about the meaning of the Olympics and how it means to compete, not necessarily to win or bring back a medal at all costs. I knew it was coming and sure enough, it came, as I keep seeing headlines stating “disappointing finish or effort”. Well I am here to say again, not one of those reporters writing that stuff could hold Bodie Miller’s ski pole or carry Sanie Davis’ skates. These competitors put every bit of effort out there when they competed and deserved more than a pot shot from a non-competing reporter. This just makes the hair on my neck stand straight up, that’s all. Now go USA!
That’s it for this week, just remember whether it be cold or whether it be hot, we’ll weather the weather, whatever the weather will be. Think about it! See you on the slopes.