February 3, 2008 THE UNFINISHED IMAGE
It was an amazing day. The snow was deep; it had been shaped into folds by fierce winds. The bare trees, now stone-still against the blue sky, were stark reminders of another season. Now, the sun above was brilliant and warm sending temperatures into the 40’s. It’s as if the North Pole and the Equator met amicably at White Tail Ski Resort in Camp McCoy.
Both our parish youth groups were on an adventure of winter tubing. We’ll never have another day like that one. Thirty-six people in all, including drivers, thrilled at the escapade on a January Sunday. Parishioners know that both youth groups revolve around the three “S’s.” They are Spirituality, Service and Social. Two of the “S’s” were met on this day. We assembled in front pews to participate in the 10:30 a.m. Mass. Afterwards, leaders served a delicious barbecue lunch with chips and bars. Then, all our paperwork in order (insuring that we had parental permissions and emergency procedures in place) we drove the 45 miles to the mountain. For many it was their first visit. Each selected a large and sturdy inner tube; then we got in line for the rope lift. When your turn comes up, you sit in the inner tube and hand a rope tail from the tube to a worker. The worker deftly and swiftly attaches the rope to a steel hook on the rope lift – a jerk follows and up you go. According to one of our leaders, this is the most comfortable part of the day! I agreed! Really, it’s a lovely ride, sliding up the snow base of the mountain. Then, what follows is the least graceful move any person will ever make. At the top of the hill you have to get off the moving inner tube – swiftly – so that another worker can detach the tail from the hook. There are several ways of doing this: rolling off the inner tube, tumbling out of it, trying to get to your feet and falling over them in the process. These are the only options! All are clumsy!
Then, the excitement builds. With your companions you walk over to the snow chutes, selecting one of the five that parallel each other. Each is separated by a two foot wall of snow. There, another worker holds absolute control over the “tubers.” Like a general directing armies into battle, she signals with a slight movement of the hand whose turn it is to “go.” She insures that people at the bottom of the 200 yard chute are out of the way. Next, you dig in your heels and shove off. The hill is steepest at its start. Speed accelerates. Now the tuber knows what it means to be out of control. Gravity, snow banks, wind resistance, all combine to give an exciting ride. The tube bounces from one bank to the other, chooses willy-nilly to start spinning, slows down and speeds up again depending on the terrain until finally it comes to a stop at the bottom. Then, again without grace, you get out and do it all over again.
It’s a great adventure; during the middle of this exciting day you give absolutely no consideration to the aches and pains you will feel on Monday! What fun!