May 3 Muir-Faceplant-Chutes-Handlebars-Bridge

If it's true day two after a "high speed" crash is the worst, then tomorrow I should be back to normal.  ;)

Ed (Kneel Turner) and I parked at the bridge, committing ourselves to at least looking into the Chutes.  Thumbing for a ride, we were picked up by one of the prettiest and fastest skinning mountain guides on the mountain (Thank you, Leah!)  She later was our pacemaker, although she passed me like I was standing still.  I was, probably.

It was just another of many beautiful climbs to Muir (Was it Jimmy Buffet who said "Just another s***** day in Paradise"?) Even if our parking lot 10 AM start was a little on the late side.  It was tee shirt warm and almost zero wind.  Three sunscreen apps was 1 less than my face needed. With nary a sit down break, it was a pretty good workout for this geezer and probably my best in many years.  Picture tongue hanging out, sucking wind, pressure breathing, rest stepping, and stuffing my dwindling water bottle full of snow several times, kind of workout.  Picture Ed lapping me on the upper snowfield and carrying my pack up the last few hundred feet.  To quote Silas, " Thanks, Ed, for senior sitting!"

The trip down was exciting.  One terrific spread eagle face plant later we were searching for the entrance to the chutes, and after studying it for a solid 10 seconds, decided to head in.  It was a little schmooey, (read late start) but the steepness made it ski really well.  I tried to leap frog Ed down, but my thighs only had enough burn for the leap, needing a rest before the frog. 

Once we hit the flats, it was work just to keep moving.  I had hand rubbed a little wax on my skis in the morning, but, even so, there were many times I nearly went over the handlebars - the snow brakes were definitely sticky.  We followed tracks that stuck to the skier's right side of the river - and had to portage over rocks once.  If you go - stay left at the bottom if you can.

So day two after a really awesome face shot, and my neck and shoulders are starting to loosen up, I've re-bent my glasses so they fit on my nose again, my pulse rate has settled back down to normal, and I'm looking to ski again.