Sometimes I Go Skiing

First inaugural #followcamfriday winter edition. Disclaimer- there is no MTB in this video. If you hate snow, keep scrolling. 

Sometimes I go skiing. If I am being honest, I love skiing just as much a riding bikes and could have happily gone in that direction as a career choice. Thankfully I didn't, and ski for fun, without sponsor obligation or much of an agenda. Riding bikes pays the bills. Skiing keeps me sane.  

Japan has been on my bucket list for a very long time. The skiing, the food, the culture. There is nothing not to like about Japan. I had the best ramen and sushi of my life on this trip, by far. No question. I had better sushi off of a conveyor belt than I had ever tasted previously in my life. For $28. True story. 

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I have been so busy riding bikes and shooting videos , and answering questions about bikes, that I almost forgot how much I love to ski. Correction- need to ski, to be happy. Skiing is in my blood. My mind and body need a reset from the constant bike situation that I have created around myself. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the situation I have created, each and every day, but at times, I need another focus in life. When it is time to ride bikes again, I will be fresh and stoked, not burnt  and tired. Balance is key to most things in life. Skiing gives me balance. 

So yeah, Joey Schusler, Thomas Woodson, Blake Gordon (who took this photo above) and myself, skied our brains out for 9 days, drank sake, and ate fish. We submitted 3 volcanoes and skied balls-deep pow, the rest of the time. We all work in the outdoor film industry, take photos for a living, and travel the world doing so. This was a solid squad and the goal was to basically NOT work. We all work hard, year round. This trip was for skiing. Yes, photos were taken and obviously I made a video, but there was no agenda. Just ski.  

When traveling the world with these cats, it is never a bad idea to bring a head lamp. The tour will always be longer, we will always run out of food and water, and get lost more than once. Some people are looking for a relaxing vacation to chill out and get some rest. These are not those people. That said, we did spend our fair share in the onsen after skiing every day. Would be rude not to. It is important to keep those hygiene levels in check while ski touring for 7 hours a day. 

 Mount Yotei is the classic Hokkaido volcano ski line. The skiable crater at the top offers 360 degree pow lines. We were fortunate to get a clear day to make the 6K climb to the summit. After banging laps in the crater for a couple of hours, we decided to circumnavigate the rim, before descending into the sunset in the valley below. That day will go down as one of the most memorable ski days of my life. Very fortunate. 8 hours later, we were at 7 Eleven, panic eating fried chicken and ice cream. 

I would never be caught dead at a 7 Eleven in my country. Not a chance. The 7 Eleven's in Japan however, are top-notch. We started and ended every day here. Snacks, Sake, and the best damn fried chicken a man could ask for. Seriously. I was apprehensive at first, but am now missing this place at home. This was where second breakfast, and first dinner went down each day. 

The gas in this photo is reasonably poisonous. It burned my lungs for a bit, but I think it somehow gave me superpowers. Science says different, but who listens to "science" these days anyway? The gasses that escape from the earth smell like eggs, just like the gasses that escape from me. Coincidence? I think not. 

I haven't ridden my bike in almost a month and I am very okay with that. It's not like I am just sitting on the couch, eating cheeseburgers, I am just taking a little break. When I walk into my garage and look at my bikes, I am almost getting the urge to ride one. Almost... There is still some skiing to do in Colorado. The longer I can abstain from cycling, the better my return will feel. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.