Hi John!

Gabe & I returned from the Burton US Open late last night.  Well, it wasn’t all that late..just too late to write.  As a matter of fact, we emptied the car, hugged the dogs, and went to bed.  Sue and Dylan invited us again this year.  Sue is great with figuring out all the details of what needs to happen when.  She is amazing.  We had a great time.  I loved my talking time with Sue.  Gabe loved his boarding and goof off time with Dylan.

The crowds seemed less this year and the party scene felt a bit quieter.  Maybe the economy?  It still was heavy in the steez factor.  I was the only person with a fleece head band and down vest (until Jane B. showed up).  I did have Gabe’s old torn blue Burton jacket so I wasn’t too far off.  My favorite activity was crowd watching.  I enjoyed watching the dynamics of families and kids. 

We arrived Friday morning and Gabe & Dylan took off riding.  Sue and I visited the publicity tents and then went for a snowshoe.  Both days were sunny and beautiful…a real Spring feel…actually it felt passed the beginning of Spring.  We spent the late afternoon watching the quarter pipe event.  This was right below the half pipe.  It was awesome to watch.  Big air was part of it.  Gabe reminded me how scary it must be because you are riding down fast into what looks like a wall of snow.  I won’t go into the body hits some of these athletes endured.  You would wince several times.

After the quarter pipe we stayed for the boys to watch the RJD2 concert.  They had interesting and disturbing old & new films playing while the DJ played the music…or created the music.  The crowd was younger at this point.

Saturday we dragged the boys out early so we would get a good parking place.  That was not even really needed like last year because they were still parking in the same lot an hour after we arrived.  Still is was good to get there early.  Again the guys took off and we shopped, ate and sat in the sun watching the half pipe finals. 

Oh, I did stop by the High Cascade tent and talked to Matt who was the counselor in Gabe’s chalet 2 years ago.  Nice guy.  It was good to talk with someone from there.  Most other camps you stop in and say “hi” at the end.  This one ends with most kids getting on a plane.  Gabe stopped over later to talk with him.

So that was our weekend.  Right now it is snowing and I woke up to an inch of snow on the ground.  Now I am going to unpack from the weekend and take the dogs for a walk.  Gabe will probably head up to Bolton.  Here are some pictures…

                  

Gabe, Dylan & Sue.That is where Sue & I enjoyed the sun while we watched.

Well I am off.  Talk later.  love…diane