That was small game, he remarked. This year one of the skunks had to be scraped out of the track with a shovel. But even a skunk is merely small game. Sometimes Thurgood has to shut the track down for a bull moose that sometimes seeks the limelight. The inconsiderate ungulate seems to like the loading station, and stands right on the asphalt loading ramp.
Wildlife adds a lot to the trip for a sharp-eyed spectator.
At dusk, deer and elk can be spotted feeding in the lush greenery of the ski runs from the lift chair. My mouse-killing excuse did not hold up the second time. I would redeem myself the next evening. Shimer was in town for Summit 2002, a special meeting of the athletes most likely to medal in 2002. On the ride up the lift, I carefully told him to do the exact opposite of everything you need to do to get down the track alive.