ANGEL FIRE 2004
January 8, 2004
By Mary Jo Shelton

Our first day skiing at Angel Fire this year was indeed a very good day.  Fred & Harriet Vaugeois, Robbie and Jerry Colaner, and Mike Shelton and his beautiful skiing companion (yes, I mean me!!!) took off from the ranch for the 2 hour trek thru Vermejo, Cimarron Canyon and Eagles Nest.  This early in the season you have to get up prior to dawn’s crack to get to get ready. The sun doesn’t come up until after 7 but by the time we got to Vermejo it was light enough so we could begin watching for animals. Fred has yet to see either the Vermejo or Philmont elk herds and does not believe that they exist. He thinks I have an over active imagination.  Very funny, Fred.  On the way, the Vaugeois’ & Colaner’s treated me to a sulfurous olfactory experience gorging themselves with hard boiled eggs.  Apparently this is the new Atkins Odiferous Breakfast. Once we got to the mountain we divided and conquered but we all met up for lunch and skied together for the rest of the day.

From Left to Right: Moi, Jerry Colaner, Robbie Colaner, Fred Vaugeois, Harriet Vaugeois and Moi’s husband, Mike

Mike and I were sporting new ski’s and any guilt I felt about buying them was soon over come by the extraordinary FUN TIME I was having skiing on them.  They are sports cars.  At one point I was thinking of asking my friends, “Do I ski better with my new skis?’ That’s kind of like asking…

The conditions at Angel Fire were marginal at best. They basically had two runs open on the back side and the long green catwalk open on the front.  If this warm weather keeps up they are going to be in a world of hurt.

Jerry Colaner on his grass skis!

The star of the day was Fred.  He first started skiing 2 years ago and on this day he was awesome.  Let’s face it, skiing is not that easy and when you are tall and ruggedly handsome, it can be a real tuff sport to master when you don’t start until after you turn 60.  But today he made some great turns and smiled pretty much full time.  J

I was so pleased and so was his bride.  It is always good to see a friend do well. Makes me smile, too!!!

Harriet, Fred’s Bride & Princess of Cool

Jerry Colaner, or Uncle Jehwey, as I like to call him is a very impressionable man.  He saw a sign in the cafeteria and it is now his life’s motto.

While Jerry was busy doing his impression of the Incredible Hulk, his bride was shredding the slopes quietly but efficiently

Mike and Fred discuss the benefits of facing downhill when skiing

Mike embracing his new skis…….hey don’t let me get in the way, Buster!!!

So remember to be safe

and finish all your turns………………

If anyone is interested in skiing with us you can call me at 719-845-9688.  If we are not going, we usually know who is and can hook you up with them.

That’s all from the Western Front……

mj

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