3/6/2011 Spendy prep day

One thing for sure, getting set up for the ski-bum life isn't cheap. Today we bought a ski rack and some chains, though we'll have to return the chains because they don't fit, and because Subaru says "don't use chains" on their cars (not enough clearance around the wheel well).

Why a ski rack, you might ask? Because we're going skiing this weekend (!!!), and I just can't bear to do rental skis again, not after the awesome demo skis I rented last time. Demos are the same kind of skis that the place actually sells, so you can try them out at a higher rental cost, though you can apply the cost of the demos toward a ski purchase.

So I wanted to rent demos again and bring them with us to Truckee. With the car completely packed with everyone's stuff this time, I probably couldn't get away with squeezing them into the back of the car as I did last time when I went on a quickie overnight with the boys (which has become my favorite ski memory). That only worked, barely, because the car wasn't very full and because my skis are just short enough to barely fit diagonally.

But renting demos isn't a sure thing. Sports Basement was out of my size when I called today, and they said usually by Wednesday of a week, they're pretty low on demo inventory. I could try another place, but I've already done a demo at Sports Basement and want to apply the demo cost I already spent there.

This sucks. It's just time for my own skis. And Sports Basement had the same skis I'd demo'd on sale, with one pair left in my size.

Whenever there's only one thing left in my size, I suddenly become superstitious. It's a Sign. It's Fate. It's Bad Luck not to get them. I already live in fear of the World-Wide Conspiracy Against Size 6-1/2 for shoes, there's no need to tweak the noses of the same deities that reign over other foot-borne items.

And the skis were marked down $125. Really, did I need anything else?

So I made a rare fast decision and bought them. I blindly took the advice of a salesguy on bindings, then and zoomed home to get my ski boot which I'd forgotten, handed it all to the tech department (they need your boot to fit the bindings), then made a fast decision on poles too.

I don't even want to add up how much we spent today, I'm too excited. My own skis! My own boots! My own poles!! My own ski rack! I've arrived! (oops still need a helmet.)

Now let's see if I can make it down from the top of Mount Lincoln this time without total terror. Then I really will have arrived.

Poor kids didn't do much today, just played at home, went shopping with us, and got to watch a rare movie (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) after cleaning up and putting all their laundry away. But even they know it's worth it for the great weekend we have coming up. The only damper was the return of a slight temperature to Katrina tonight, so Dave will stay home with her tomorrow, but odds are good we'll all be in good shape for Friday.

My own skis! Yippee!! Too bad there are only a few weeks left in ski season, but I intend to make the most of them.

3/6/2011