In a freak slalom incident Saturday, I broke the index finger on my right hand - without even falling down. It's the only broken bone for me in over 50 years of skiing and racing (including a few trips down the Hahnenkamm Streif) - so I'm a hard one to convince that skiing is a risky sport. It's all in how you approach it. But that's not what I sat down to write about today.

 

What's bothering me is that I can't get out and ski in today's "real winter" weather. Yes, it's zero-ish and snowing sideways, which for some reason tweaks the "extreme adventure" side of my psyche. It's kind of like having my shot at the summit of Everest without having to endure the long plane ride to Nepal. But to be honest, with today's technical ski garb, venturing out in this really doesn't put a body in any kind of discomfort - if you're outfitted correctly . . .  More...