Farewell to Texas Epic Ski Tour

Everything in texas is big. The steaks are big, the people are big, the wide open ranges are big. As I hang up my cowboy boots for the last time in this state, I've decided that clearly, my exit should be big as well. So in true texas form, I'd like to invite all y'all to my (Big) Farewell to Texas Epic Ski Tour.

I am looking for friends, romans, and countrymen to join me in my cross-country epic quest to say farewell to the places that sustained me during my 7 years of painful, snow-less exile in texas; Taos and Telluride. And rejoice in my triumphant yet humble return to the land of the living in Seattle via Park City, Jackson Hole, Grand Targhee, and Big Sky.

The Plan. . . . . .

Dec 27/28 - Days 1-2: Drive from houston and Taos Ski Valley (~16 hours or less. Since I am escaping texas, I will be driving as fast as possible before the devil knows I am gone)

Dec 29/30/31 - Day 3-5: Ski Taos (my beloved adopted 'hometown' ski hill as well as my sister Triina's new workplace)

Jan 1 - Day 6: Drive to Telluride (~6 hours not including a stop at the hot spring or an ice climb in Ouray!) and pick a special guest skier

Jan 2 - Day 7: Ski in Telluride and Celebrate New Year's Eve (Telluride is a place I fell in love with when I did a ski trip with Gareth, its Triina's former stomping grounds, and home to several chill people. Found a place to crash in town and new powder skis to pick-up)

Jan 3 - Day 8: Drive to Salt Lake City/Park City (~7.5 hour drive, road trippy day with stops at scenic and kitchy tourist wonders)

Jan 4 - Day 9: Ski at TBD-Alta? ski area in Salt Lake City/Park City (Start the new year with something new. I've never been here, any suggestions?)

Jan 5 - Day 10: Ski at TBD-Snowbird? ski area in Salt Lake City/Park City (A different suggestion?)

Jan 6 - Day 11: Ski at TBD-Snowbird? ski area in Salt Lake City/Park City (A different suggestion?

Jan 7 - Day 12: Drive to Jackson Hole (~5 hours + hot springs? 'Cause you know I love me some hot springs!)

Jan 8 - Day 13: Ski Jackson Hole!!! (I have been waiting my whole life to come here!!!! Ever since I first vacationed there in the summer with my family when I was like 12 it was my dream to come back and ski. . . . .)

Jan 9 - Day 14: Ski Jackson Hole!!! Clearly this place is so awesome that you need a second day!

Jan 10 - Day 15: Drive to Grand Targhee and Ski (~1 hour drive to G.T., I think we can make it. . . . )

Jan 11 - Day 16: Drive to Big Sky and Ski (~3.5 hour drive to MT, we may actually drive here the night before so we can just sleep in)

Jan 12 - Day 17: Drive to Seattle (take a left from the mountains, drive straight on till Seattle ~12 hours)

Jan 13 - Day 18: Contingency day (Because at NASA we're nerds and every good plan needs one extra day just because. Ex: What if it snows and we need an extra day to ski?)

If you 'd like to do the entire road trip or just show up for a part of it, that's cool. I can either meet you at a resort or pick you up/drop you off in Albuquerque, Telluride, Grand Junction, Salt Lake City, Jackson Hole, or Seattle (clearly only on the days that its on my way).

This is more than just a ski trip. Its a celebration of life, new beginnings, and freedom to rip it up. (At some point we may need to fight for our right to party, but that all depends on how old school we decided to kick it)

It's going to be a heck of a ride, so saddle up companeros!

~Anne