Winter spirits are high

Today marked our 9 and 8th days and our return to back to back days at Mt Hutt. My has the weather changed. Where as our arrival was cold with fresh snow it's about the groomers the last two days. Off-piste is a moonscape of wind swept ice with sun cups, sastrugi(wierd ice hooks formed by wind) and other snow-sliding atrocities of ice. Meanwhile the groomers are firm, but with good dust on top from scrapings and groomer chewings. We've been kicking a bit free-style lately with some friend jaunts into the terrrain park. Julies been cleaning up her big air on the park feathures while I've been cleaning up those grabs(still can't nail the tail grab, argh!) and a couple Front-side 180s on the bigger features. Yesterday was a sleep in kind of day and for our mid-afternoon relaxation we finally made it inside the lodge at our home mountain after 5 days there. We enjoyed a couple light flavored Export 33 (I think I need a beer blog), and some onion rings.
Today was all about early starts as we finally got out of the house before 8. Made the ski field by a hair past 9 but decided we had skippped breakfast! That would not stand! So we made a bee-line for our new favorite mtn place, which also served a mean breakfast. We enjoyed our cappuccino and mochaccino(eveything is a damn ccino, and good luck getting normal brewed coffee), with a delicious apple & cinnamon porridge and a ham and cheese croissant. We finally made it on snow at 10(no worse than a morning back home I suppose). There was a warm breeze on the slopes but the snow was similar to yesterday. Fast break-away groomers and moonscape elsewhere. We did explore to find a high angle hard-pack/ice slope which my single edge tool(snowboard) didn't adhere to as well as Julie's Skis(excuses, excuses, it was also some balance issues). Don't report me, but we did some freestyle even though I forgot my helmet. No spins on the big stuff today, but I busted a big Method Grab off a park feature. We left early for lunch a pretty resort place called Terrace Downs. Apparently they were having a private party so all us lowly guests were forced to eat outside in 55 degree weather(no prob) with 30-40Mph winds(problem). We scarfed our garlic bread while trying to keep everything from blowing away. We couldn't help but laugh. the garlic was blowing off the pizza, my wine glass started sliding, my dinner plate even lifted up a little. After that we skedaddled home to a pleasant Christchurch early evening.

It's beginning to look a lot like... well winter.

Call us crazy, well specifically me.
I love spring, the warmth, the longer days. I've got a four day weekend starting.
Riding the bike(motor), hiking, sitting in sun, drinking in the sun, sleeping... in the sun.
But I noticed a feeling about 2 months ago.
Stronger than ever I felt it.
Nostalgia? Sadness?
I'd walk into a "post ski season sale" and feel.... well in a word, mopey.
I'm always torn as the days get longer and the tempartures wamer, sure I can run/hike/hike/camp/climb more. But what about the snowboarding. Honestly the longer days of April make me feel like post work skiing more than ever and that's when most resorts shut down.
Alas. the restless souls that make up the royal "we" have decided to move to the Southern Hemisphere. I didn't even have to develop this evil genius plan.
"Genius Plan" you ask...
It's May.. um 21st....
The average NW resort has dwindled to a 20-30" base and a 50-80" summit. I've earned my turns at paradise and again soon at hood.
But what does my wistful eyes see when researching NZ season passes. 80cm base (30" for you yanks) and a record early open.
To which I can only respond %)#)$ WHY CAN'T WE LEAVE SOONER?!?
My little understanding of things says things happen for a reason.

So America, see you later.
New Zealand, see you soon, alas not soon enough.Oh, and welcome to the 70 day "season" of snowboarding.