Years ago, when I was a university student back in Boulder, CO, I spent countless hours at my work-study job surfing the internet for any and all things skiing related. I would scour the backlog of websites like Biglines.com and Freeskier.com for any video updates or interviews with professional athletes. Trip reports on the TGR forums consisted of photos with some blurbs about how difficult the access route was and what type of skis the author was stoked on. I would watch, and re-watch the trailers for the next Fall’s ski movie premiers. But, there were very few places to satiate that thirst, that hunger for snow-shredding. At the time, I was desperate for anything that would fuel my desire to be outdoors, outside of the confines of CU-Boulder’s Financial Aid office.
Now, that dream is a reality. I have found myself road-tripping thousands of miles across Western Canada and the greater United States. Friends call me up to throw back a few brews in every ski town I visit. My van has a 10’6″ stand-up paddleboard on it’s rack, right next to a Thule box full of skis, boots, poles and various other skiing gear. Inside the TatsVan, my ‘mobile office’ consists of a handheld computer, so often referred to as a cellphone. Our ability to connect through social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter have opened up a whole new world of possible ventures and adventures alike, with new friends and newfound locales that make it on the bucket list.
My goal with this site is to continue to build upon that ever increasing mountain of information conveniently available with just the tap of a finger on a touch-screen. Yes, I am a ski bum, and yes, I have skipped many days of work to go play in the mountains. Yet the stories, photos and videos I plan to deliver are all in hopes that the next kid sitting around, done with his or her homework, bored to death of sitting inside all day, will stumble upon this simple URL and begin planning their escape into the wild. To them I pass on the words of advice my ‘ski bum’ mentor once told me:
“Do what makes you happy. When it doesn’t make you happy anymore, do something else.” – Dick Dorworth, Author and Ski Bum
See ya on the open road!
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Tats
Cool web site – need your help with mine.
Heard you took good care of my girl friend (Julia) today.
Thanks
john
Dorworth is a friend – nice find on his quote. Like Cambell’s “Follow your bliss”.