Life Skills and Lego

I am not an engineer or a mechanic, I have never claimed to have been an engineer or a mechanic, and I have never played either on TV. I did, however, spend an inordinate amount of time playing with Lego building blocks as a kid. More scientifically minded educators may be able to provide interesting analyses of what that sort of play does for the fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, creativity, and ability to speak foreign languages in children, and I'll leave that discussion to the experts. Having said that, I do believe that my childhood fixation with Lego did provide me with one essential skill and one odd character trait: I can do stuff with my hands and I don't like to read directions.

How on earth, you may ask, is this relevant to the life of a ski professional? What benefit can these Lego-borne characteristics provide to someone in the snowsports business? After a month of writer's block, how can this possibly be the subject that prompted me to write? It's simple, really. I don't have a lot of money, my car is a rapidly aging Subaru, and this afternoon I needed to fix it on my own with only the contents of my closets and my home-owner style toolbox. Now that was a fun challenge!

The short version of the situation with my vehicle is that the collar that connects the exhaust pipe to the muffler was completely rusted and falling apart. I found this out this morning when I started my car, put it in drive and when, after rolling a few feet, I heard the telltale clang and rumble of a big chunk of metal hitting the ground and dragging underneath me along the driveway. I got a ride to and from work from a friend – I wouldn't even think about passing up a full day of work this late in the season when they are so few and far between – and arrived back home this evening with plenty of Spring daylight hours left for me to jerry rig a quick fix so I can get my car to the shop in the morning.


The All-Purpose Wire Hanger



The Sistine Chapel of Fixes

After a little contemplation and strategy (insert analysis of the benefits of a liberal arts education here), I fixed my car with an old wire hanger and some needle-nosed pliers. That's it. The exhaust pipe is now fully connected to the muffler. I even checked my work by driving up and down the driveway! I'm not a skinny little guy so wedging myself under the car on a mud and gravel driveway was a bit of a project, and doing so in a way that allowed me to use my hands took it to a whole other level. Yes, I am very proud of myself. No, I didn't draw any blood (which would have improved my street cred). Yes, I got very dirty. No, it's not clear whether the fix will hold up for the entire mile-and-a-half drive to the auto shop tomorrow morning, much of which is over very badly pot-holed roads. Yes, I do have an extra piece of wire hanger just in case. Yes, I shamelessly took pictures of my handiwork to post on my blog, and I will brag to my parents about it.

My car isn't really in that rough a shape, but with another good winter season or two I should be able to get a new one. Or I'll just pay a professional to properly fix it for me before these sorts of things happen. I'll maintain a ready supply of wire hangers, duct tape, tongue depressors, and super glue around the house just in case.

P.S. I am very please to be able to report that on the afternoon following The Big Fix, I successfully drove my car without incident, sparks on the road, or clanging parts all the way from Ludlow, VT to Claremont, NH. The drive included my very severely pot-holed road here at home, smooth Vermont state roads roads, and several typically ice-heaved New Hampshire roads with rough pavement.

Enough Already

I can't help myself. I'm still in Crested Butte, Colorado, enjoying a few days free skiing with friends after a busy holiday week of work. What this means is that I'm not in uniform, not on the clock, not on a schedule, not concerned about technical precision (OK, maybe a little but concerned about it), and not constantly looking over my shoulder while skiing. It's terrific, it's a welcome change, and it's a great way to recharge my batteries. Why, you may ask, is this relevant to anyone who happens upon my blog? What insight can this possibly offer with respect to skiing, my work as a ski professional, or my life in the mountains? None. It's not relevant at all. What is relevant, however, is that my time skiing for myself alone allows me to really appreciate what I do and the places where I do it, and where I am at the moment is spectacularly beautiful. So, unable to resist, here are some more photos from the Colorado Rockies.