# Hate the ride home



## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

I moved to where I live on purpose, so that I could be close to a badass ski hill. I live out in the country, but I'm about 20 min drive from the base, another 10 minutes after that. This year they are letting all season passers ride the bus for free, so I'm probably gonna start parking at the base and riding the bus to save gas and minimize my chances of flying off an icy mountain road.

I can drive for really long periods of time, longest I did was 920 miles straight through winter snow/ice. My bane however is when it gets dark. As soon as it starts getting dark, my driving stamina just fails.


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## mikemounlio (Oct 6, 2010)

I blame my parents for my lack of driveing stamina. When i was a kid they split. My mom moved about an hour away. Every other weekend they would meet in the middle. I got to the point to were i was asleep in the truck or car before we even left the block. 


I can dive 10+ hours if their is someone else to talk to otherwise a 30 minute drive is a job for me.


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## Dano (Sep 16, 2009)

My home mountain is a 4 hour drive to the parking lot. I'm up at 4:50 am, at the hill by 9, ride till it closes at 4:30, leave right away, and I don't get home till about 10 pm. Are you actually bitching about a 1 hour fucking drive!?! Let's put this into perspective, for every hour I get to ride, I have to drive an hour. I don't think you appreciate how lucky you are to live so close to a mountain.


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

Yup, when I lived in CA it was was a 3+ hour drive to Kirkwood, each way. 1 hour drive is pretty short compared to what most people have to deal with.


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## pontiuspylate (Oct 7, 2010)

In the early season and spring I have to drive 3-4 hours each way just to get to a hill. The drive out is usually not bad but the drive back is brutal! However during the middle of the season the local hill opens which is about an hour away. I can do that drive with my eyes closed.

Honestly I would say you have it good.


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## Qball (Jun 22, 2010)

Waah! Drink some coffee and put some loud music on or something. An hour is not bad at all.


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## kraig4422 (Apr 9, 2009)

HoboMaster said:


> I moved to where I live on purpose, so that I could be close to a badass ski hill. I live out in the country, but I'm about 20 min drive from the base, another 10 minutes after that. This year they are letting all season passers ride the bus for free, so I'm probably gonna start parking at the base and riding the bus to save gas and minimize my chances of flying off an icy mountain road.
> 
> I can drive for really long periods of time, longest I did was 920 miles straight through winter snow/ice. My bane however is when it gets dark. As soon as it starts getting dark, my driving stamina just fails.


Schweitzer? Awesome mtn 
I live at the bottom of Mt Spokane so it's a 15 minute drive. The road is crap and it's not the biggest hill but I love that I can ride all day and be chilling in the hot tub with beers and a bowl before dark.


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## JRosco (Sep 27, 2010)

Yeah, the ride home only sucks when traffic is backed up and/or the weather is shitty. It took me 6hrs to get home from Summit County back to Denver, normally an 1.5hr drive.  Having to piss is even worse!! :thumbsdown: 
Its all worth it though, I love this shit!!


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## j.gnar (Sep 4, 2009)

pontiuspylate said:


> In the early season and spring I have to drive 3-4 hours each way just to get to a hill. The drive out is usually not bad but the drive back is brutal! However during the middle of the season the local hill opens which is about an hour away. I can do that drive with my eyes closed.
> 
> Honestly I would say you have it good.


seriously!

i think a 3 hour drive is cake. hell, a few times a year i drive to mammoth and its 6+ hours!


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## Technine Icon (Jan 15, 2009)

I may be weird, but I actually don't mind the drive there or home even if it takes 3 hrs. As long as I have my ipod, I am fine. Driving is a great way to relax for me personally


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## BlackSnow (Dec 20, 2009)

Anything 3hrs and below is doable. All you need is good music, a redbull, and maybe a snack or two.


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## freshy (Nov 18, 2009)

I love driving after a hard day of riding, it relaxes me. If I have some weed then even better.
I used to drive 3 hours from Tofino to Mt washington a few times a week with no issues. It's the drive from bigger hills like Big White or Whistler when the lifts close and there is a exodous to get off the hill that piss me off. Especially when there is some super cautious driver going way to slow because they don't have winter tires, and have a caravan of 30 cars following. There will always be someone in that group behind you who feels invincable and will try to pass and many cars as possible even on blind corners and double solid lines.

My only other pet peeve is driving up for first tracks and finally getting an oppertunity to pass that slow car in front of you only to go around the next bend to see a bus holding up another 5 cars.


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## PeterG (Jan 20, 2010)

Anything under 12 hours is easy enough for me. Theres times when I'm plowing that I will be driving non stop for 24+ hours. Those storms are a pita but thats where the money really rolls in.


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## rainboarding (Oct 18, 2010)

I had guessed that 1-2 hours would be normal for most riders on the forum. I live in Seattle, and snoqualmie pass /snocrummy/snocompton is only 45 mins away and stevens pass is 90 minutes...mt. baker is 2-3 hrs depending on conditions. I think those times are all acceptable. It's the gas money that kills me


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## PeterG (Jan 20, 2010)

rainboarding said:


> I had guessed that 1-2 hours would be normal for most riders on the forum. I live in Seattle, and snoqualmie pass /snocrummy/snocompton is only 45 mins away and stevens pass is 90 minutes...mt. baker is 2-3 hrs depending on conditions. I think those times are all acceptable. It's the gas money that kills me


Gas money is by far the most expensive part of my snowboarding. Its just under a 200 mile drive to get there and my truck is lucky to get 13 mpg. 200/13= way too d*** much.


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## rainboarding (Oct 18, 2010)

PeterG said:


> Gas money is by far the most expensive part of my snowboarding. Its just under a 200 mile drive to get there and my truck is lucky to get 13 mpg. 200/13= way too d*** much.


Damn that is brutal 13 mpg?? 20 mpg on my van looks awesome in relation to that... Stevens is 100 mi I believe so it's about 15 bucks each way = 30 bucks a pop. I'm hoping my circle of friends will come up with a vehicle rotation system so we can all share the cost of getting up to the slopes. Driving alone seems like such a waste of gas =/


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## freshy (Nov 18, 2009)

Snowolf said:


> I have become a huge fan of audio books...:thumbsup: My favorite series are from Graphic Audio called "Deathlands". These are fast paced action stories in a post apocalyptic "Mad Max" setting and they make the miles just disappear.


I have also become a fan of audio books. If you have never read the Enders Game series you should totally try and get the audio book series. It's about a child prodigy who is being trained to be a general in a battle with the buggers, an alien species that are bugs. He ends up wiping them out thinking he was playing a simulator, all but one queen and now he has a chance to help her.

Anyway I'm gonna check out deathlands.


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## shifty00 (Oct 17, 2010)

2 or 3 am? Why so late, you shutting down the bar haha?


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

rainboarding said:


> I had guessed that 1-2 hours would be normal for most riders on the forum. I live in Seattle, and snoqualmie pass /snocrummy/snocompton is only 45 mins away and stevens pass is 90 minutes...mt. baker is 2-3 hrs depending on conditions. I think those times are all acceptable. It's the gas money that kills me


Damn, I'm going to have to stop whining. Seymour's a 20-30 minute drive, depending on traffic. Grouse is slightly farther.


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## AngryHugo (Oct 8, 2009)

My trip is usually around 1 hour 20 min. I don't mind the trip home so much except that I'm tired and certain my wife if going to make me do shit around the house. "This garage isn't going to clean itself out!"


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## Dano (Sep 16, 2009)

Snowolf said:


> It is not my driving or the roads that ever cause me a delay, it is these Portland people who can`t drive in the snow and mess everything up. At night, after night riding, there is no one on the roads and I can make good time even in bad weather.
> 
> I have become a huge fan of audio books...:thumbsup: My favorite series are from Graphic Audio called "Deathlands". These are fast paced action stories in a post apocalyptic "Mad Max" setting and they make the miles just disappear.


God damn I hear ya, I hate drivers who are scared shitless of snow! First snowfall of the season is the worst, there's still bare pavement that's a little wet, but these idiots do 30 km an hour and HAMMER on the breaks every time they get spooked by other vehicles. Try doing 90 km/hr in a fire truck lights and sirens and some asshole slams his breaks in front of you. As for audiobooks, my fav are by comedians, or just stand up routines in general


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

California is the worst, people freak the fuck out when it rains....


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## Chris2347 (Nov 7, 2009)

interesting I actually find the ride home to be "faster" than the trip out - although both are fast at 35-45 mins depending on traffic and which base I park at, but I also don't stay till 3 am heh

ohh and as many have said pump the music!


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## JeffreyCH (Nov 21, 2009)

I pulled a '35 5th wheel construction trailer around the country for years building stupid ass wal marts. Tight schedules and little time off made my driving stamina insane. I think my longest strait haul was New Hampshire to Nebraska. I'm with snowolf of the night driving thing, driving during the day gives me a headache and makes my eyes hurt. Plus a lot fewer idiots on the road  

My local hill is a little over an hour away, piece of cake. Even the 8-9 hours to Breck is really nothing. The only thing I don't like about the ride home is that my day/trip is over. For my local hill I leave about 7:00am and stop for breakfast, get there around 9am when they open. I leave when they close at 8-9pm depending on if it's a weeknight or not. For trips to Co. I usually leave around noon, hit there 8-9pm, get settled in, then hit the bus at 7am. Go to A-basin all day then if Key has night riding I stop there for a few laps on the way back. 

This year rather then go for a week to 10 days all at once I think I'm going to do 4-5 weekend trips spread out a bit. That way I can get my big mountain fix once a month or so.


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## roremc (Oct 25, 2009)

Man I feel for some of you guys. 45 mins to Lake Louise is as far as I go on a regular basis. I think Revelstoke is as far as I would go for a day trip. 4hours ish depending on the weather.


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## Jeklund (Dec 14, 2009)

Last year when i was still at home i would have to drive around a 1 1/2 hours to my hill but it was a pretty mellow drive and a double lane 3/4 the way. I didn't mind it at all i would just grab a snack or two and crank the tunes and be home in no time. This year i moved to Fernie and the hill is like a 10 minute drive from my place and the worst part of my drive is brushing of the pow from my truck lol.


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## Qball (Jun 22, 2010)

Snowolf said:


> Well, I drive semi for a living and work the night shift so I don`t mind the drive home from the mountain and I actually love driving at night. This is especially true for me if it is storming and the roads are nasty. It is not my driving or the roads that ever cause me a delay, it is these Portland people who can`t drive in the snow and mess everything up. At night, after night riding, there is no one on the roads and I can make good time even in bad weather.
> 
> I have become a huge fan of audio books...:thumbsup: My favorite series are from Graphic Audio called "Deathlands". These are fast paced action stories in a post apocalyptic "Mad Max" setting and they make the miles just disappear.


I am the same way. I've become so used to driving at night that it feels weird to drive during the day. I guess that's what happens to us vampires that work at night :laugh:


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## Ttam (Jan 20, 2010)

I remeber at the start of last year I slamed hard on the kink rail and didnt want to ride for the rest of the day so I just went home. The WORST 30 minute drive I have ever had to make. Just remember my head pounding so hard.


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## Triple8Sol (Nov 24, 2008)

You're complaining about a 1hr drive each way? I can't think of any nice way to say it: man the fuck up. We do day trips to Baker several times a year and it's 3hrs each way, just like we did today. That can be a bit long, but still worth it. Even other local mountains like Stevens and Crystal are around 1.5-2hrs each away, and those are the usual ones. Shit people commute that far or longer just to get to work everyday.


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## Tarzanman (Dec 20, 2008)

Wow. An hour drive? LOL. Dude... I live in Atlanta and it takes almost an hour to get to the airport so that I can let the TSA agent feel up my ballzac and FLY HOURS to a decent hill.

I can understand being tired at 2AM after a day of riding, but a bottle of Mt.Dew or coffee would keep me alert enough to drive an hour.

Is this an hour straight down a highway, or is half of it local roads? How many miles are you going? A whole lot of people would absolutely love to be within an hour of halfway decent riding.



mikemounlio said:


> I live about an hour away from my local hill. When i go on the weekends i stay till about 2-3 a.m. After all day of snowboarding and beating my body to crap and but i really dont like to drive home. I am a bad driver when i get even a little sleepy. I have never been in a wreck so im not bad i just get sleepy to fast.
> 
> 
> When my friend goes with me we have a system that works rather good. Ill drive the curvy hills part cause its fun and will keep me awake. As soon as the road gets flat and straight its his turn. Their is a gass station that could not be in a better location. We always stop their and change drivers.
> ...


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## Magnum626 (Dec 31, 2009)

I agree with everyone with the 1 hour ride thing. It's way too easy. But you closing out the bar leaving that late? Or is the night riding lasting that long?

I don't mind 4.5 hour drive to or back from VT. My local hill is about 2.5 hours away. My only concern is getting a cramp in my leg while driving back and I drive a stick. It happened to me a few times early in the season and I was alone driving back which sucked. I had to pull over and then later ended up in traffic when it happened again.


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## fredericp64 (Jan 4, 2010)

Magnum626 said:


> My only concern is getting a cramp in my leg while driving back and I drive a stick. It happened to me a few times early in the season and I was alone driving back which sucked. I had to pull over and then later ended up in traffic when it happened again.


Perhaps you should make yourself more comfortable loll


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## mikemounlio (Oct 6, 2010)

ok wow this didnt go how i wanted it to. 
The hill closes at 3am. I dont ever close any bar. Im not sayin thats bad or anything tho. 

I am not bitchin about the 1 hour drive or the 60 miles. I am just bitchin about the ride home. I am at work when i post on this forum so i talk about what ever comes to mind. 



I would not care if the trip was comein home from getting a new snowboard, Or comein home from work, or from the store, I was just saying i hate the trip home. And i was asking how far you guys gotta go to be home. 


One guy said he dont care how far the drive is as long as he has his music Thats great. Others said a 1 hour home trip is cake nice good for u guys. I was just askin who all hates the drive home?



I was in a bad wreck a few years ago cause a driver was asleep and hit me when at a light. So i hate when i have to drive tired. I never bitched about how many miles or time it took


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## mikemounlio (Oct 6, 2010)

ah yes more comfortable would be nice. I drive a ford festiva for the MPG &(i drive the festiva so my wife will let me have all my other toys). The festiva has no heat, hard seats, and is bumpy as crap. When i drive my wifes car to the hill the trip home is not as bad. At leats her car has a cd player and heat. 

I know i have it good by being as close as i am. Also its my choice to have all the toys i do. I could get ride of a bunch of them and get a very nice car or truck but i just dont want to yet.


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## jeri534 (Feb 19, 2008)

yeah an hour drive isnt too bad, used to drive 2-2.5 everyday when I wanted to ride


now its a 20 min drive


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## JeffreyCH (Nov 21, 2009)

If I had a Ford Festiva I'd be pissed too


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

2:45 to get to Kirkwood.. I leave by 5, I'm there usually by 7:45, ride until 3 usually back in the car by 4, home by 7PM. 
I love the early morning drive during the week....especially on snow...meeting few other lucky powderhounds, and the occasional local cop...looking for a way to give you a ticket....Get there finlly and enjoy the day.
The drive back is usually quieter and slow...sometimes my calfs are cooked from the day...and driving a manual stick car feels like another run...


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## lareaper (Aug 4, 2009)

Wow now that I see how far some of you guys have to drive I feel so fortunate that my local resort is only about 30-45 minutes away from my house. And I can't drive yet so I have no idea but I imagine driving in the dark isn't fun.


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## arsenic0 (Nov 11, 2008)

Yea its about 2 hours to get from my house to the lot of Meadows with little traffic.

Wish i lived 30 mins away from the mountain ...i'd be up there every day 

Taking half a tank of gas to get up and back gets costly though, basically 20 bucks a trip unless i got some passengers kicking down...


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

In my Volvo it's about $5 in gas each trip :thumbsup:

Man that Festiva sounds horrible, I did the same thing last year when my dad used my Volvo to commute. I had to drive this shitty fucking Isuzu Rodeo. No heat = fogged windows, and the only way to get rid of fogged windows is to roll down your windows when it's 20 degrees out. Died on switchbacks, which was awesome because you lose power steering and brakes, barreling down a windy mountain road. Had to shift it into neutral really fast and turn the engine back on. 

Oh and then the time it died on one of the switchbacks, and wouldn't start back up. I had to leave it on the side of the road, hike down to the bottom lift, and then hike back to the car at the end of the day. Sure enough when I got back, it magically started again.

Talk about a pain in the ass.


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## RedRomo (Aug 17, 2010)

I have to admit...I love the ride home. We're only about an hour from the mountain. I love the ride home cause the kids are worn out but I love listening to them talk about what they did that day and how much fun we all had. By about 30 minutes into the ride..it gets quite and they start to nod off. That's when the wife and I talk about how awesome it is that we have something we can all do together and how blessed we are. The ride to the mountain is fueled by hard rock music on the stereo..and the ride home is mellow tunes on the ipod and reflection of a day spent playing hard. ...I'm old i guess but the ride home is probably my favorite part of the day. :dunno:

btw...if you see a HUGE green Suburban in the parking lot at Mt. Spokane...we're there. Please..if you see it, look for me. I'd love to chat with any of you and ride with ya.


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## mikemounlio (Oct 6, 2010)

Well i do have a front defogger but it is only a tiny bit warmer then the outside cold. So when its on the window will stay clear but its like the wind is blowing on me from outside. My heat works but only like once a week. I have the parts to fix it but its like a 5 hour job to take it all apart and rebuild it. I think i may try it this weekend. Even when it does get fixed the festivas dont have much heat anyway. But the plus side is 45MPG


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