While they were vacationing

Never fails: the Martins go somewhere, and Ohiopyle gets clobbered with snow. They return and the snow's gone. Seth and I basically spent a week skiing and slacking off. It was our way of getting even for Eric, Kas, and Ben partying down without us in Reno. Here's some math: Warcraft + Internal Network + Two bored store/res guys = no hard feelings.

How about a partial run down of our cast of characters:

Amanda is working at 7 Springs teaching kids how to ski. Perfect job for her because she can converse at her level.

Bob is close to securing a job with Ohiopyle Prints, working under Rob Anderson. And, just like Rob Anderson, he'll soon be wearing fancy button-down shirts that don't really hide his gut.

Cory is tending bar and drumming up business (go Cory!). The town had its first Light Up Night a few days ago, but the decorations paled in comparison to the pink Christmas Tree Cory put up in the White House.

Ben Scoville still shows up for work every day to make the schedule. He checks the res system to see if there are any trips to staff and puts a few duckies in the Stake Bed just in case. Then he sits at his desk rocking back and forth and mumbling, "I'll show you, Ben Taylor, I'll show you..." I'm worried about him.

As for Ben Taylor, he's going to work at Hidden Valley again and avoid the hell out of tele skis. We have a pool going around the office for his next injury. $5 gets you in, and the following afflictions are already spoken for: broken fingernail, ruptured spleen, bad haircut, and clinical obesity.

And myself? I'm still putzing around the store using too many big words, over-reacting to smokers, passing up nights out, and acting just gay enough to provide fodder for good humor and to keep girls out of my hair.

Anyway, now that the snow's all melted, kayaking is on. We've been firing off runs on Drake's, Fikes, and other local stuff. There've been a few big water runs on old favorites like the Upper Yough, and an elite crew went down to Canaan to check out Otter Creek and Red Creek. All the major runs around here are still blown out but dropping, so we'll be getting on stuff as the conditions become sane.

Peace and love from Ohiopyle,

Lou