Picto Diary - 01-28 February 2018 - Back on Skis
Above: Bishop on his favorite run at Deer Valley... early February 2018.
Partly because of inertia... lassitude in my comfort zone of PT therapy and snow shoeing... I didn't get started skiing until about the 8th of the month. I had been planning to start on the first of February.
February one was not a surgeon certified date to resume skiing. It was my own target date. I asked Dr. Davis when I could ski and he said... "well listen to your leg... listen to your leg." I had asked Wendy and Marline, the PT professionals at Park City Hospital, if February 1 as a ski date start sounded right based on their personal experience. Composite reply: "Well February 1 sounds OK... but, you better talk to your doctor."
Knowing that half the season was gone, I bought only a Deer Valley season pass and skipped the Epic Pass that would have enabled me to ski Park City.
TIMDT only skis Deer Valley and our kids and their families ski with Deer Valley season passes. I'm warming up to Deer Valley as a full-time ski venue for next year. Friends say Vail has been very successful in upping the number of ski visitors at Park City. If that's true, I'm happy for them... but, it's not necessarily a good situation for a spoiled local skier. Deer Valley continues to cap the number of people on the mountain at 8000. Park City has no limit and can have as many as 16K skiers on a given day. Both resorts are about 4000 skiing acres.
Timing was good. Through the end of January there was a record amount of "no snow." Sure, you could ski. Both Park City and Deer Valley are prodigious at snow making. But, around the time I started skiing, it started to snow a lot. By the end of the month, snowpack had progressed from 30% of normal to 70% of normal.
By the end of the month, I had about fourteen days skiing.
The leg is fine. As far as I can tell, I have 100% usage. The leg still swells... I wear a compression stocking, but, I'm told that there is a long recovery after such a trauma.
Trauma: In early August 2016, a motorcycle fell on my leg as I couldn't control it while ascending a steep, rocky track in central Colorado. Five days later, the broken tibia plateau was set in place with the help of a titanium plate - the largest plate he ever used... so said Dr. Davis of the Metcalf, Cooley, Rosenberg Orthopedic Clinic in Park City... and eleven titanium screws.
For the first week of February skiing, I was tentative... I suffered lactic muscle pain in my thighs and calves... but, this is fairly normal. By the end of the month, I was feeling pretty close to getting up to stride.
Good friends helped me ease into the ski experience.... Montage, 'Cake, Stockli and Johann Palmstruch, from Atlanta. Of course, my favorite ski partner, TIMDT was there to join. She had already skied a dozen times at Deer Valley by the time I started skiing early February. Some skiing with kids and grandkids on the weekends, too.
I won't get a million vertical feet this year.... nor will I ski 100 plus days... but, I'm already feeling like I'm back in the groove (knock on wood).
Addendum:
Good legs
Zib, New York City, NY
Asymmetrical legs.
Hi Steve,
Thanks for the update. Lots of hard work to get to this point. Great job. Humbling experience. You have adjusted well with all the changes. Margaret is your white night. Hope that is ok to say these days. Simon and I are enjoying the California weather, friends and family, great food, bike ridding and walks in the park. Strange not being in Utah this winter. Miss you both.
Hugs,
LaDoc and LaPsy, Los Angeles, CA
Hope to see you soon.
Glad to hear of your progress. Have you made it out skiing yet? Hope so.
Tom is out with his shoulder. Sid is missing 6 weeks with a broken ankle. I have been out for a week and have 5 more weeks to go. Not sure who Richard is skiing with. Maybe Haney will ski with him. Hope to be able to get into the bagel shop soon, to see you.
Guzzi,
Park City, UT
Everybody banged up!
Hey Steve,
Sorry to hear about the injury, but you are one tough guy so I suspect you will still get out skiing. Hope so.
Meg,
Minneapolis, MN
Nice to hear from you; would love to catch up. I stay in touch with the general counsel on Facebook.... I see our female local board member frequently as she lives in Park City. The Rancher and I talk once a month. I'll probably get down there on a bike trip in the late spring. I have a conversation with Palm Desert every six months or so.
I'm impressed.
Comic Mom, Park City, UT
Thanks.
Don't push it. Stick with the prescribed recovery routine, you're doing great. Good luck.
Nathans,
Orlando, FL
Always good advice.
Dear Steve
So sorry to hear about your leg. Knowing your determination we are sure you will be skiing soon.
Take care and spend time planning future trips!
Love to Margaret and you from mehli and myself.
Saker,
Mumbai, India
Missing our visits there. We'll be back.