From beach bum to ski bum… I love my life

Sunset from ski lodge

When I moved to Hawaii 15 month ago, I was so moved by how great life was, I started journaling about it. I realized that I may have figured out this thing called life. After two summers in my paradise on the beach, I’ve returned to the origin of my self-reinvention and, wow, I love it!

I have come back to my home at a Rocky Mountain ski lodge. Two years ago I was one of the more mature (read: older) ski bum servers. I roomed with 2 other girls in their 20s and worked 9-10 shifts a week serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. As a returning employee with positive previous guest reviews, I was given a couple of positions to choose from; one of which was every ski bum’s dream job: bartender. In an environment where compensation consists of little more than room, board, and a ski pass; this job is a bit more lucrative thanks to tips. Even more importantly, it has afternoon and evening hours only.  This equates to optimum ski time and never a powder morning missed.

The slight downside to being the rookie bartender at one of only a handful of bars in this ski community is that everyone arrives at the bar smiling at John (the senior bartender) and are giddy with good tidings of reunion after a summer season away. Then, heads turns to me, smiles vanish, and a blank look of bewilderment appears with  “Who are you?” on their lips.

This one minor point aside, bartending here is wonderful! It’s in my favorite room of the lodge with panoramic mountain views and après ski, crowd pleasing sunsets (pictured above).

Another perk of this position is the people I’m meeting. For example, a few days ago the ski school instructors stopped by on their way home. The happy reunion with John followed by my awkward self-introduction ensued. Then over the course of their visit I explained that after a decade of snowboarding I was switching back to skiing. The ski instructors were happy to hear this and one invited me to take advantage of the free lessons canyon employees are offered and proceeded to give me his card. After the group departed, I told John about the offer to which he responded, “No one’s ever offered me a free lesson.”  Maybe I’m not the first person to put a smile on guest faces upon entering the bar… but I think I’m going to like my second season of ski-bumming.