Picto Diary - 01, 02, 03, 04, 05 January 2019 - Skiing Deer Valley
Above: Me 'n Mark. Snow Park Lodge. 01 January 2019. New Years Day.
Mark: Hyper skier introduced to me by Guzzi a couple of years ago at 'Bird. Very few eligible days over last 40 years when Mark hasn't been skiing Utah resorts as a ski instructor, a ski patroller, or on his own account, as he's doing these days. — eating breakfast at Deer Valley Resort.
Bishop, like Mark, showing up early at Snow Park. Bishop aspiring to be ski groupie?
Above: Rudy, Jr. Deer Valley. 01 January 2019.
The best of ski partners.
Father, son outing.
Started out skiing below zero F.
Above: (5) Bishop. Deer Valley, UT. 01 January 2019.
Standing at the lip of Dew Drop. Next, the plunge.
Above: (06) Mt. Timpanogas. Deer Valley. 02 January 2019.
Fun morning skiing with 'Cake.
Above: F350 thermometer. 03 January 2019.
Finally, some respite from the cold.
Above: (07) FeeBee and B1B in gondola. Kids are in there too. Deer Valley, UT 03 January 2019.
Serendipity meet by Mwah (sic) in following gondola car: Bob Fuller, 81, from Heber City. Bob took a marketing class from my dad, Weldon J. Taylor, at BYU in 1962. Bob was in General Council office with GE, living in Fairfield County, Connecticut.
While in CT Bob Fuller knew The Monk and Flute.
Bob bemoaned the sad fate of GE to me as we conversed together in the gondola.
Two connections (Dad and Monk). Small world. — at Gondola At Deer Valley Ski Resort.
Above: Bishop 'n Mynduveroan 'n Bud. Snow Park Lodge. Deer Valley, UT. 03 January 2019.
Above: Mynduveroan and B1B exit Deer Crest gondola. Deer Valley, UT 03 January 2019.
Above: FeeBee and Dad. Deer Valley. 03 January 2019.
Daddy daughter ski connection.
Above: Main Street, Salt Lake City. 03 January 2019.
Image from Bombara Restaruant, where TIMDT and Mwah (sic) enjoyed a pre concert dinner.
Above: Jay Lawrence Sextet. Jazz. Gallivan Center. Salt Lake City, UT. 03 January 2019.
Smooth fluglehorn.... what I'm talkin' 'bout. "Full Moon in Havana," from Jay's latest album, "Sonic Paragon," recorded in NYC, December 2017. Bishop, Executive Producer, attended recording sessions.
Above: Deer Valley. File image. 04 January 2019.
(9). Skied alone. (file image). Jabbered with Mark pre ski in 2002 room.
Singles line usage facilitated quick lift access. I'm not prone to starting conversations with lift riders. I will say good morning. And, if someone wants to build a conversation, I'm fine with that.
50% of lift riders push my "good morning" into a conversation, 50% do not.
On the Empire chair I talked to a Nashville guy about the strong reputation of his hometown. He was senior in some health care entity.
I joined a dad and a toddler on the Silver Strike lift. Dad looked at me and said "we're four." I said, "you don't look like four to me," and proceeded with him and the kid to the chair. No further communication.
I don't have to have the first available seat as a single. If there is a twosome to join on a four seat chair, but, no one behind me, I'll wait to take the next chair up alone. When there's a queue behind waiting for a chair, however, its rude to expect to ride with empty seats.
DV is busy, but big holiday crowds are dissipating. I'd presume it's been a good season start. Good snow, early. Good economy. I'm glad to see this success, even though, as a local skier, I'd prefer to see fewer people on the runs.
Lots of buzz about whether DV, under new ownership and management, is living up to the lofty, stellar standards set by the departing Wheaton-god.
Most locals I talk to have something negative to say.... like, "grooming not up to par," or "soup dishes smaller." Others note that internal organizational changes, or unanticipated, departing employees are compromising standards.
I have had my own "first world" disappointments this year at DV. I requested a DV parking supervisor to relinquish a preferred customer parking spot where she had parked her own DV truck. She was initially resistant. "I'm only going to be here for 5 minutes," she said. I pressed the case. I was polite. Belatedly, she saw the error of her anti customer behavior, and immediately moved her truck.
Look. My truck has been three times blocked in in the Snow Park lot over the last 15 years. I go early to get the parking spots where I know my truck can't be blocked in.
On the 3rd of January there were no cashiers at Snow Park to accept my payment for breakfast. Patrons were directed to the barista, who did double duty making lattes and taking payments from breakfast customers. When I got in line there were ten people ahead of me. When it came time to pay, the barista couldn't figure out how to ring up my order. Frustrated, I laid enough cash down to cover the order and just walked away.
It has seemed that there are more slick spots on groomed ski runs, early, than normal, which could result from grooming short cuts.
Its tempting to say that if the Wheaton-god were still around, none of these problems, minor though they seem, would occur.
To be fair, though, it's far too early to make inferences about new ownership/management performance.
We're in the "tweaking" period at DV. New DV management has to figure out how to squeeze more profits out of the resort than the previous owners were able to do. If they weren't tweaking, they wouldn't be doing their job.
I've never seen an operationally intensive business where it wasn't possible, via intelligent tweaking, to up the returns.
Were I the new guy at DV, I'd ask each of the cost or revenue center heads for an operational plan to lower costs and/or boost revenues in their respective sectors by 10%.
Its key under these tougher, "tweaking," conditions for sound operational management to know when, and when not, the brand is stressed.
New management needs to find out quickly which of their department leaders are able to operate under the increased pressure of being required to do more with less.
Accordingly, its important to get weak, underperforming, people out if the way, fast, when they don't meet heightened expectations. Turnover is expected in new ownership takeovers.
Hyper capable and successful Bob Wheaton likely had earnings sufficient to spend lavishly on the DV brand. The new Altera guys, with their huge investment nut, don't have such luxury. Look for more tweaking, more grumbling, more stress. If new guy is any good, look for a more profitable DV than ever before.
Repeat. Way too early to pass judgement on new DV management. Watching, waiting. Meanwhile, I'm having a great early 2018/2019 season ski experience! Kudos to Altera for diving in to the Deer Valley project. I watch their progress with interest...and patience.
Note: On the plus side, I was impressed about being caught out twice by lift staff for having the wrong pass.
Following my pass 2x faux pas, I received excellent, compassionate service from the ticket department in allowing me to ski out both days with a temporary replacement of my season pass...which I had purchased months ago. — at Deer Valley Resort.
Addendum:
Steve,
Good to hear you are off to a great ski season after a fabulous trip. I want to be you when I grow up. Hope to get back to PC one of these days. Will let you know. Happy New Year to you and Margaret. Love your reports.
Barbara and Dennis doing well.
Carpet,
Atlanta, GA
Better to keep ITYW upside down image in for the record. Current software applications can't figure out how to turn it.
Ended the year with a New Year’s eve ride. I’m on top of Twin Buttes reservoir over looking San Angelo regional Airport and South West San Angelo. I think I’m blocking the view of the twin buttes. They are spectacular! I’m loving the R 1200 RS. It’s quick light and well-equipped and a damn good roadie. Really enjoyed your cruise diary. I’ve had the pleasure of an extended cruise I believe it was 26 or 28 days on a troop ship from Tacoma Washington to Quy Nhon Vietnam. Anyway, I really enjoyed your trip and glad you’re home safely.
ITYW,
San Angelo, TX