Picto Diary - 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 March 2016 - Basketball Bridges Generations

Above: The Bishop, TIMDT, LaPsy and LaDoc. Dinner out at Ghiadottis. 13 March 2016.

Love these guys who bounce between Park City, LA, and Maui.

Went on a storied motorcycle trip to Jackson Hole with LaDoc and Mr. Z3 ten or so years ago. With us were some other Park City riding friends, and LaDoc's and LaPsy's good friend Tim. Also along, was a buddy of Tim's from LA. Tim had a successful interior decorating practice in Los Angeles. LaDoc and LaPsy were his clients and close friends.

Tim and Mwah (sic) and Tim's friend arose pre dawn one AM while in Jackson Hole and rode a loop over Teton Pass into Idaho, then down to Palisades Reservoir, through Alpine, WY and then back up, following the Snake River, to Jackson Hole - 70 or 80 miles. On returning to Jackson Hole we met for breakfast all of the lazy people with us (including Mr. Z3) who decided not to join our pre-dawn start ride.

At dinner this evening, TIMDT and Mwah (sic) were very saddened to learn from LaPsy, that her very good friend, Tim, had passed away in the last six months.

Tim was amazing. I never got over the fact that this man of his extraordinary talent, who had a highly regarded interior design practice in Los Angeles, was born and raised in the tiny town of Meeteetse, Wyoming, sixty or so miles south of Cody. How did this happen? Tim and Mwah (sic) had talked at some length about his upbringing there and his later transition to the big city.

I know LaDoc and LaPsy are deeply saddened by Tim's loss. Tim was an amazing man.

No ski today. Tried to catch up on "stuff."

14 March 2016. No image.

Took 8 runs, skiing alone, in blustery, low visibility weather at Park City.

Every ski day is a "good day." But, some ski days are "less good" than others.

TIMDT and Mwah (sic) took Buddy Rich (formerly Drums) to his drum lesson in Lehi and then to his session with Caleb Chapman in American Fork. We had a very bad meal at the American Fork Applebees (tough, tasteless steak) while waiting for Buddy Rich. Eatin' bad in the neighborhood.

PC 72

Above: The Bishop surveys Powder Keg ski run. Park City Ski Area. 15 March 2016.

Return of winter. 11 inches (reported) dry, wispy, Utah powder snow. Bishop arrived at Powder Keg on his third run of the morning. First two runs, with even more untracked snow, were Assessment and Hidden Splendor.

I enjoy working on powder ski technique. I'm staying low and forward in the turns and putting more turns together before stopping to rest. I'm feeling much better skiing powder than ever before.


On your right!

TWO3 has attempted to throw a monkey wrench into my belief that skiers coming up from behind who say, "on your right," or "on your left" are in tacit violation of ski regulations and contributing to higher potential for accident.

The operative rule is.... "Down hill skiers have the right of way. As the uphill skier, it is your responsibility to avoid them.

TWO3 acknowledges and accepts the first part of the rule. He points out, however, that yelling at a downhill skier from uphill is one of the ways the uphill skier can follow the second part of the rule. To an extent, TWO3's position is understandable... considering that he skis faster than almost anyone else and frequently comes up on slower skiers from behind ie. inconvenient obstacles to get around. Who cares if you scare the hell out of them as you scream at them while skiing rapidly by coming from behind?

I maintain that TWO3s argument means transferring some of the responsibility of collision avoidance from the up hill skier to the downhill skier... something not intended by the ski rule.

Note: TWO3's position as presented is somewhere between "tongue in cheek" and total seriousness. I'm not sure where he is on that spectrum.

(PC 73)

Above: BYU versus UAB. Marriott Center, Provo, UT. 16 March 2016.

BYU Basketball

I joined Rudy Junior at the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) basketball game pitting BYU against University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB) at the Marriott Center, Provo, UT. 16 March 2016. BYU won the game by 18 points... though UAB brought the came within four points late in the third quarter.

I have no particular interest in BYU basketball, or, indeed college basketball these days. But attending the game brought back many memories. As a young boy, I would regularly attend BYU basketball games with my Dad at the old Smith Fieldhouse. Memories of BYU's 1951 NIT national championship (then there was no NCAA) were still alive then. All of us kids knew of Roland Minson and Mel Hutchins, BYU All Americans on that storied team.

Add memories of my own participation in BYU's basketball program. During the 1964/65 season on basketball scholarship, I played for BYU's Freshman team. Legendary BYU guard, from the late 50's, Gary Earnest, was the freshman basketball coach. I didn't play much... maybe 7 minutes average per game. Earnest and I didn't get along very well. Perhaps because I was no good? I couldn't go right.

Finally, after having attended so many BYU basketball games with my Dad as a young boy, it was good to be going to this one with my son. The grandfather, son, grandson connection to BYU basketball, bridging the generations, brings the three of us closer together.

Above: Mount Timpanogas, from our NIT game parking place, near the old Oak Hills fourth ward chapel. Provo, UT. 16 March 2016.

My first thought in assessing the mountain was, "boy, this view is going to blow the mind of those UAB southern kids, many of whom must be taking their first trip west.

I grew up in the shadow of "Timp." Timp is iconic in my life. I never tire of seeing Timp. Here, reflecting the setting sun, covered with snow, it is particularly beautiful.

Earlier. Skied pre-Summit House break with Stockli and post break with Bari.

PC 74

Above: Bishop, TIMDT, LaPsy, and LaDoc. Sterling Lift. Deer Valley. 17 March 2016.

Bluebird. Wind chill kept the snow intact. Good skiing.

Lunch at Empire Lodge.

DV 75

Above: Bari, 1911 ACP, and The Bishop. Iron Mountain Lift. Park City Ski Area. 18 March 2016.

Ski days for this "aging groomer skier" don't get much better. 16 lifts... Blue Slip, Mercury, Double Jack, Alpenglow.... Silver Skis (twice).

Started the morning with 1911 ACP, who was skiing his first day at Park City this year (he has skied several days at Deer Valley) and met Bari at the Summit House Break. 83 year old Ohl joined for a run after the break. Pipline, TWO3, Title, F16 (and a couple of his friends) also showed up at the break.

Good to see 1911 ACP. He texted yesterday and we made a ski rendezvous for today. 1911 ACP is an expert skier. He started skiing at the age of two, son of a ski instructor Dad at Sun Valley. I walked up to TWO3 and Title (who know 1911 ACP well) at break and told them that the reason I didn't ski with them is that, pointing to 1911 ACP, I wanted to ski with someone more at my own level.

1911 ACP is doing well post his career in today's over/capriciously regulated banking business. He is operating head of a "non regulated" finance company, based in Utah, a job he's been at for two years. He has taken the business from start-up two years ago to $100MM in annual sales (leases).

The business model of his operation seeks out retailers and finances their consumers' purchase of hard goods... furniture, appliances. Target (literal... not the retailer!) customers are those who don't qualify for credit through the banking and credit card system. This non-qualifying credit cohort is growing in the US... now at 40% of all Americans. Ongoing economic slowdown, high labor force non-participation rate, and paucity of full time jobs all contribute to the growth of the cohort which is "good news" for 1911 ACP's company.

After starting de novo two year's ago, 1911 ACP's business now has over 100 employees in Salt Lake City. The business is supported by technology which is based in Costa Rica, where there are another 25 technical employees. The business has sales representatives calling on retailers and managing retailer relationships in 40 states.

Credit acceptance/underwriting is managed not via the traditional credit report or FICA score. The business has developed other indicators of ability to pay which are processed via sophisticated, highly intricate and technical algorithms which analyze publicly available customer data. The 12 month lease can be easily transacted at point of sale by the retail sales clerk and is accomplished with a minimum of paper and documentation. 1911 ACP expects to double volume next year. He says its great, in an economy otherwise sputtering, to be growing a profitable business and providing a necessary service to an increasing number of Americans who can't otherwise obtain credit.

We talked about the US struggling to get to a 2% inflation rate. 1911 ACP notes that in Utah, there is upward pressure on labor costs. Utah is doing well... ie. if Utah is a bellwether for the nation, look for more inflation. 1911 ACP is having an increasingly difficult time recruiting talent locally and has started to fill senior positions from out of state candidates.

Before parting, Bari and Mwah (sic) thanked 1911 ACP for making his direct payment to our Social Security accounts. We had expected to be reimbursed from the investment portfolio made up of our own contributions, but, when the US Congress, urged on by President Lyndon Johnson, "stole" that money to spend on wars and social programs, we were forced to rely on the direct transfer of current payers' contributions (like 1911 ACP) into the system to get our rightful, retirement pay outs. Such an eleemosynary generation, the hard workers of today. Makes you want to cry in gratitude.

PC 76

Addendum:


Steve

I hope Margaret has fully recovered from her fall. Give her my best.

The Pope,
Tallahassee, FL

She says it wasn't a big deal. She has turned into a very competent skier and a very enjoyable companion on the ski slope. I wish I could get her to go more often (more than twice a week, that is). Notwithstanding, she thanks you for your good wishes.