Park Days

A Day at the Park
The steam of the hot coffee floating up the nostrils in the Smokey car, melting the frost off the windows. Car packed tight, barley fitting four men with all the gear, just waiting until our arrival upon the park. As we take the left onto the main street, everyone looks up to see the conditions at the top of the mountain hoping that the park will be empty in the morning. You got to get up early to take advantage of the park before those dumb skiers come and ruin it during the day. The parks not made for them and it never will be.
First run to the top just to get in the riding zone, stretching out and spinning around, just feeling great. Now it’s time to glide on over the crystal shinning snow, under the gates and into the park. Looking down at all the jumps, rails and boxes planning out a run, as the wind blows some snow into the air off the trees like a cloud from the snow made the night before. The flakes sparkle as the sun rays gleam off of them like diamonds.
Fresh orange paint outlines the edges of the jumps as we drop in for an awesome ride, hitting the first jump flying twenty-five feet in the air feeling weightless, like nothing could stop you. No trick is pulled off the first jump, just feeling the air is what you need. Landing more gracefully than a plane hits the runway, barley just skimming the snow before its time to go back up the next one. Crouching down anticipating the edge, springing up in the air as my body twist and twist around and round, locating the ground, evening my board and body and lands just as flawless as the last one. As I continue on, I decide to skip the next jump and throw out a backside “3” onto the S-box just hoping I can make it to the end of the twenty foot steel bars and plastic plates, but, slides off just feet before the end, disappointed in not making it but still a good transition into the next event, flying off the top of the jump pulling a simple grab just trying to maintain speed for the...