Ahh…Smells like Spring Spirit

It smells like Spring. And it is a good smell. Warmth. Longer days. Puddles. Asphalt on the roads instead of ice. Spring is a good season. It just seems a tad early this year.
Leaving the ice rink in Gunnison Sunday, it was raining. Not snowing sloppily, but raining. People have started talking of mountain bike trails instead of ski runs.
My kids are taking the CSAP tests this week and so get to leave school early. They grab the bus and head to the hill. They say the skiing is still great. They tell me Funnel is sunny and slushy in the afternoon. It is a treat to grow up in a ski town.
Part of being in a ski town is preparing for Spring Break… other people’s spring break. And that time has come. The initial reports actually indicate we will see some people in town the next two weeks. Planes will have people in the seats. Hotel rooms will be full. There might be lines at the lifts and it could be hard to find a seat at some restaurants. It’s the money time in terms of the sweet spot in the ski season and well, the money.
The rash of issues facing this town isn’t going anywhere. But it is time to enjoy the longer days, the energy of people filling the hill and the towns, the fresh aura that spring brings to these mountains as we start to sense the end of another winter season. Hey, Big Air on Elk is back for goodness sakes. How good is that?
Now, don’t be fooled. Winter could return at any time. And you have to turn your clocks ahead this weekend, which can hurt you if you wake up early.
But it is a treat to live in a ski town and the scent of spring is a good one. Take a second to breathe it in…