Northern California

Following my graduation from Central Michigan University, I headed West to Northern California with Ben and Corey Bixby. For two weeks, our lengthy vacation consisted of four mini-vacations, where we'd take off through Cali's curvy mountain roads, destined for new experiences.

Our first destination was Lake Tahoe. The minivan guided us around the massive body of water until we reached North shore and Alpine Meadows ski resort. It was surreal to pull into the parking lot and see the chairlifts running on a hot sunny day; especially since I hadn't been on my board for over two months. We paid the pricey lift ticket, only to find out later that having a season pass from any resort would have saved us a ton of cash. We strapped in...sifting through the crowded lift line full of colorful characters. By the first run I was sold, the stunning views of Lake Tahoe couldn't be more appealing to the eye. Spring conditions were in full-effect; dropping front flips off snow shelfs that were being etched away by the Sun's cosmic rays, and slashing through the endless jump line that seemed to span the entire mountain, the gloves were off.

We planned ahead for day two. I utilized some networking to get ahold of an Epic Pass, and worked some motel magic with Photoshop. To our surprise, it worked, and we got our half day in for dirt cheap. I spotted Nick Visconti in the lift line, and caught up with him since his last visit to Michigan for Freeze X Fest and the Mighty Midwest Tour. Keeping a tail on the local pro was difficult; he seemed to always be going faster than I though possible, even on cat tracks. Even so, the extra effort paid off. Nick pointed me towards some rock hips and fun lines that otherwise would have gone unridden. We dodged some ropes and stayed out of bounds for the last two runs of Meadows' season, as the chair had come to a halt for the summer by the time we made it down. We parted ways, and I could only look forward to Mammoth as we changed in the parking lot. A local who had overheard our conversation approached us with a message, "You gotta check out the hot springs on Green Church Road." Our next resort mission was booked.

Before heading to Mammoth, we spent some time at the secluded Bixby cabin in the hills overlooking Bear Lake Reservoir. Accessible only by snowmobile, Mr. Bixby was clutch to trailer along his two Ski-Doo 800 extended-track sleds. Those machines screamed up the hills, and required triple the effort to maneuver in snow than I was used to on Michigan's flat trails. We hiked to the top of the hill from the cabin, and built jumps throughout the woods. After spotting a giant boulder just waiting for a photo shoot, we set up a kicker and I got a few tow-ins to launch clear over the behemoth rock. Mr. Bixby also hooked up a toe rope to his sled, and provided effortless chairlift service from the comfort of his cushioned snowmobile seat. We called it a day on the slopes after that, and traversed back to the cozy cabin, where Direct TV and WiFi made us feel right at home in the middle of nowhere.

After a night sleeping by the smoldering fire, we packed up and headed down to avoid the rainy weather headed our way. We went back to our guest house, only to prepare once again for our trip to Mammoth Mountain. Ben came down with a sinus infection, leaving Corey and I to depart on our own. We woke up early the next day, and made the four hour journey in which the switchback roads creeped up and down over 8,000 feet of elevation, opening into scrub land and deserted California wastelands. Gas prices in the middle of the desert are not cheap.

We arrived at Mammoth at Noon and got our half-day pass. With only three hours remaining, we headed to the top and started making our way down the slushy slopes. We found the park and would continue to ride it for the rest of our trip. When the lifts closed, we got on our Droids to begin searching for the mysterious hot springs that our friend had described to us. To our surprise, several hot spring websites came up, and we began our search to find "natures cauldron." After 15 minutes of driving, a pale green church appeared off the road in the distance like a mirage. Nothing else was around except for the surrounding mountain ranges looking down on us. We took a left and headed down Green Church Road and continued to use GPS to guide us. When we arrived, three women were already relaxing in the tub located precisely in the middle of the desert. We conversed with them and played with their dogs, and many others joined later. An old ski bum named Jimmy even showed up, and didn't hesitate to drop trow and change in front of the ladies. It must have been the hot water coming from the bubbly depths below, or the hours we spent soaking, because everyone there was a tad bit crazy - making our hot spring experience that much more enjoyable.

Our last stop was Hangtown. The pro motorcross race took place on another sunny day, and 30,000 people came out to watch the event. It was my first outdoor motorcross, and I preferred watching from the hillside to keep the entire track in view. After watching a few races, the PBR kicked in and I seemed to inch closer to the track while leaning on the fence to feel the riders breeze past me. The full day event was quite entertaining, and provided a memorable experience to end our California adventures.

We packed up and headed out, back on the plane and another full day of airport travels. The two weeks I spent in NorCal were full of great memories and laughs. I'd definitely go back again, because the winding roads and the weather were all fantastic. Until the West beckons me again, I'll enjoy my summer with family and friends. The trip provided a mental vacation for me after a demanding last semester before graduating. If anything, it prepared me to get back to work, and begin my extensive job search to start my career.