Ski Trippin' Oh Ski Trippin

You get a bunch of friends together and mix with a whole lot of booze, oh yeah ...


Its that time of year that people get together to give thanks. Thanks for good health. Thanks for the comraderie now and in the future. Thanks for the blessings that have been bestowed upon them. And most importantly, thanks for the Super Bowl. That's right, Feb. 1st through the 3rd will be Super Bowl weekend as well as the 8th Annual Ski Trip. People will come from all over the country to attend this grand extravaganza that also coincides with Phil's birthday. Preliminary reports have patrons from Kentucky, California, Ohio, Georgia, Indiana and West Virginia representing in a weekend filled with tests of endurance.

Preliminaries

There is a lot of work put into this trip to Gatlinburg every year. It all begins with PhD (or Phil Diddy as he's known on the circuit) booking a large cabin on a hill. The pre-trip hype begins with some emails or blog updates usually including pictures of the cabin and an estimate of how many bodies it will hold. Then comes an outcry for the video. Each year the participants make video skits that Phil will eventually compile into a hilarious short film from the minds of Sloppy Slimy Eggs Productions. Phil usually comes up with an overall theme and lets the Not Ready for Skiing Players loose in front of the camera. There are always some crazy moments and the blooper reel is priceless. Phil usually spends right up until the day of the trip editing and making DVDs. Its fun for everyone involved and its great to see how the skits fit together in the final cut of the film.

The traveling starts on Friday afternoon when folks gather to begin the caravan to Gatlinburg, TN. Since half of the contingent is from the Lexington area, there are usually 3 or 4 cars that leave from here. We try to meet at the office during the early afternoon hours and unload the kegs before dark. Usually there is a trip to the grocery store as soon as we get to town and the hot tubs are prepared as soon as we arrive at the cabin. Splitting up to claim a bedroom/sleeping area is also standard operating procedure. Groceries are unloaded, alcohol is arranged near the kitchen and everyone gathers together for the World Premiere of the video. There is also a group photo taken to commemorate the exciting weekend.

On with the Show

There are all kinds of activities to participate in during the weekend, many of which involve the aforementioned kegs and hot tubs. There is always a pool table and big screen TV. We usually have a air hockey table or ping pong table somewhere in the cabin. The last few years has seen the inclusion of a dart board and cornhole brought in for the trip. There is also an assortment of games ranging from the Newlywed Game to Pictionary to Catch Phrase. And then there are the drinking games, thumper and 3-man among them, that go on to twilight hours of the morning. Last year saw the introduction of Guitar Hero, which quickly became a cabin favorite. Axe aficionados Will and NUC D where engrossed with the game during much of the trip (and the addiction led to much post-ski trip GH action). There is usually some sort of competition going on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday there is a group game involving trivia or a remake of some game show. Sunday sees the likes of the pool tourneyment along with betting on the Super Bowl. Saturday is traditionally a televised UK game. This year will be at Georgia at 1pm. Sometimes we venture down the mountain for laser tag or go karts, but if the weather is too cold we stay put and entertain each other.

And in Conclusion

All good things must come to an end and the Ski Trip is no different. Sunday evening there are a few participants that have to get back to the hustle and bustle of everyday life. For the rest of us, it has become a tradition to have breakfast at Cracker Barrel before leaving town. After a raucous meal, its time to say the final goodbyes and head for home. Most people are pretty done in by the weekend, but some manage to make it to work Monday afternoon/evening. I'm planning a vacation day for Monday and hope to make it to work on Tuesday. And then only 364 more days until the next Ski Trip.