JUNE 2010 NEWSLETTER

First let me thank you for the "many" expense paid trip to Denver and the Rocky Mountain Division Annual Conference. We got several revelations from on high, a lot of same ole, same ole, and lots of congratulations on what a fine job we are all doing. Why yes, I do feel better about myself, thank you. I will share the high and low points lower on the page.

Rocky Mountain Division Conference 2010

The schedule is starting to come together for next season. It would be really good if you let your fingers do the walking through the calendar on the web site so you can start bitching early. On-The-Hill is expanding to include several lift evacuation/roll off scenarios and that is driving time problems. Our plan right now is to roll some of the On-The-Hill required items into the OEC Refresher day so we don’t end up with a two day On-The-Hill. Plan for both OEC Refresher and On-The-Hill to be all day. Several Team 1 members have asked that we rotate which team is scheduled for opening day so Team 2 is first up assuming a regularly scheduled opening.

Also, I am planning to submit my world famous Black Russian Chocolate Cake recipe to the NSP cookbook. Some of you guys eat pretty well up there, so share. It may be the only time you get to have someone publish your work. Check out the cookbook information on the NSP website.

Fire Restrictions

The Cibola Forest has placed fire restrictions on us in the Sandias. This means we can’t use our charcoal grill for bike meals. Guy has volunteered to help us cook things so we shouldn’t be affected too seriously. Smoking is also not permitted. If you see our guests lighting up, please send them to their cars. Our previous policy of shooting smokers has been rescinded, but you should still plan on explaining how incredibly dangerous it is.

Bike Patrol

It is green and cool and gorgeous at the ski area now. Come on up and see for yourselves. The Bike Patrol is in full swing and it is so easy to sign up. Go to www.sandiapeakskipatrol.org and pull down the Bike Patrol menu. You can bike patrol or hike patrol. Hiking up and down the ski runs is fun and if you are under Chair 1 you can talk to the nice customers and pick up litter along the way. (Note: hiking up is easier on your knees!) July 2,3,4,5 is a huge weekend for the area and any help you can lend will be much appreciated. Throughout July and August the area will now be open on Fridays also. Thank you, Mike Denton, for organizing the Bike Patrol and for presenting a thorough bike clinic on June 12.

Bike Clinic-ers

RMD Conference

I know many of you have been searching your emails everyday hoping to find out when we are going to start using "OEC, the 5^th Edition. The short answer is no time soon. The official word is that it will be rolled out early in 2011. Theoretically, we would teach it to the 2011 OEC class and refresh with it that year. Sounds like de ja vu all over again. "Isn’t that what they said last year? Yes, Virginia, it was." Although NSP is pushing very hard to get it out (they are going to get well financially by selling books), I am not convinced. The fact is that various users have not finished peeing on their corners and so it isn’t a sure bet what the content will be.

As some of you know, the Division asked our patrol to donate $2,000 to help offset the $10/student division charge for all NSP courses. They had determined that the cost of the courses was causing people financial hardship and so they waived the $10 fee. This donation on our part was to be a one-time donation while the Division got a fund raising effort going. Your Board of Directors directed me to go to the Division budget meeting and assess the need. In my opinion, there are some left and right hand issues going on. The Division Director is on a course to balance the budget through increasing income while many of the lesser dignitaries are happily spending down the bank account to a previously agreed to level. The budget approved by RMD has a $17,800 shortfall that no one was too worried about and which really didn’t put them into the Straits of Dire financially. I will recommend to your Board that we send them a nice letter but no money. There was some discussion about the money we raise through Swap and I invited them to come down help out so they can see what we do. When I left, the Executive Director of NSP and the RMD Director were planning to come.

RMD is in search of a new alumni director. If you are one of the folks whining about all the young people and how little they know, care, or even understand your value, you may be the one. Contact me. Did I just describe myself? Oops.

New Mexico just enacted a new law requiring anyone on a snow mobile to wear a helmet. This may cause us to relook some of our transport procedures.

Senior Emergency Management

We ran an SEM clinic and evaluation after the Area closed. It was kind of a pain in the ass, but it did turn out some patrollers with a new lease on our job. Jamie Butler has agreed to conduct SEM training during bike season. This is a really good thing for everyone, not just those going for Senior. These sessions will not be NSP sanctioned clinics, but rather are directed at getting you way more better at patrolling. Jamie will be getting word out as to times and places and I encourage all of you to plan to attend.

JT