Judy and I hope you and your families are well and safe. We continue to limit visits to the grocery store and the office and we always have our face masks. So, we were excited to read in Yahoo! Finance that Salt Lake City was one of the cities positioned to bounce back from the coronavirus pandemic based on Moody's Analytics. The analytics analyzed U.S. metro areas capabilities for a strong recovery post-coronavirus using two primary factors: population density and educational attainment. Click here for the full article.
Thank you Vail - the Park Record has shared that Vail Resorts has announced credits for 2019-20 passholders and a new insurance program for next season. Vail Resorts announced updates to its season pass program for next ski season in response to the coronavirus pandemic, offering credits for 2019-2020 passholders and launching a new insurance program to protect against any lost dates in 2020-2021. People who had an Epic Pass during 2019-2020 will receive a minimum 20% credit toward a 2020-2021 pass, the company said. Those who used their pass fewer than five days will be eligible for higher credits, meanwhile, topping out at an 80% credit for people who didn’t use their pass at all. People who purchased an Epic Day Pass will receive credit for unused days.
Additionally, everyone who buys a pass for the 2020-2021 season will receive free pass insurance through a new program called Epic Coverage, which allows for refunds in the event of resort closures, including closures related to the coronavirus. The program also allows for refunds due to other circumstances included in the company’s typical pass insurance, such as an injury that prevents a passholder from skiing.
Ready to get back on your mountain bike? Check out these tips and tricks to get back in the saddle again in Park City Magazine's article: Back in the Saddle Again. Ease into the saddle and prep for the mountain biking season now with these great tips:
Start slow. Give yourself some space and expect that you’re going to be slow on your first ride out and find a trail that’s not challenging for your first ride back.
Re-train your vision. Without even realizing it, when you’re in mountain bike shape, your eyes naturally look far ahead to anticipate the terrain and any obstacles. Over the winter, it’s easy to lose that skill, when you’re getting back into riding, try to look ahead a little bit more than you naturally would. It takes self-control to do this, and to anticipate what’s coming up.
Loosen up. No matter what you’ve been doing over the winter, riding always feels different, see if you can loosen up on the climbs and the descents.
Start with an athletic stance. When you get tired—which can happen quickly during the early season—your posture is one of the first things to decline. Start the year with good habits and think about holding an athletic stance with your core tight, your spine strong, and your neck up.
Turn your fear into excitement. If you’re a bit more skittish on technical sections than you were last year, try to put your nerves to good use. Tell yourself, ‘I’m not nervous,’ ‘I’m excited to be on my bike".
Just get on a saddle. If the trails are still too muddy, grab your road bike and to get used to being back in the saddle.
Don’t forget a maintenance check. Whether it’s you or your trusty mechanic, do a thorough check of your bike before hopping on. Check the bolts with torque wrench, clean and lube the drivetrain, and test the front suspension. And, of course, put air in your tires, but maybe a little less than you think.
A reminder: Wait until the trails are dry. Riding muddy trails ruins it for everyone else for the rest of the season. Where to find trail updates: Check the Mountain Trails Foundation’s website and Facebook page for the latest trail conditions; Basin Recreation also frequently updates the status on its Instagram and Facebook pages.
Looking for something fun to do tonight, here are 11 Ideas For a Fun and Perfect Date Night In from Apartment Therapy. You don’t have to spend a lot of money or make an entire meal from scratch if that’s not your thing, so maybe this translates into planning a surprise activity for your significant other, or treating them to a special gift that they’ve always wanted. Whatever you choose to do, the point is to set aside specific time to have a date—no movie tickets, fancy restaurant reservation, or bar hopping required.
1. Do a Giant Puzzle Together - Pop some popcorn, open a couple bottles of wine, and put on your favorite music when you two sit down to do a jigsaw puzzle. It’ll kill some serious time, and you’ll work together in a way you probably haven’t before (unless you just happen to be really into puzzles).
2. Have a Book Club Date - If you and your partner find yourselves reading much more than usual, then choose a book you both like and make a goal to read it by the end of the week or month (depending on just how fast you’re reading these days). Make a date of sitting down to discuss the book together—maybe even watch the film version of the book if possible.
3. Sit Down and Create the Ultimate To-Do List - What are those things you’ve always wanted to do around the house but just haven’t? Write it all down together and check things off one by one each weekend—it’ll keep things fresh and make you feel like you’re prioritizing doing more than just watching Netflix (though that’s fun too).
4. Create an At-Home Movie Theater - If you love (and miss) going to the movies, then make a point to plan an at-home movie theater style date. Think ahead and order groceries like popcorn, candy, and soda and set up a cozy spot to watch as many new releases as possible.
5. Have a Bake-Off - With only the ingredients you have in the house, challenge each other to a bake off and then judge the results together. Bonus points if you have episodes of the “Great British Bake Off” playing in the background throughout.
6. Take a Dance Lesson …via YouTube, of course. Get some exercise in and learn a fun new dance from the privacy of your own home. Film the final results and send to your friends and family if you’re feeling really confident.
7. Have an Arts & Crafts Afternoon - Pull out the paper, glue, scissors, and markers and create something fun—maybe a banner with an encouraging message to hang in the window or just greeting cards for each other.
8. Create an At-Home Olympics - Create a series of fun (and kind of ridiculous) games and have an at-home Olympics. Think of this like that episode of “The Office”. If all else fails, you’ll laugh a lot.
9. Have a PowerPoint Party - Challenge each other to create a PowerPoint on virtually anything. Surprise each other with your topic and give a quick, fun presentation. This is also fun to do as a Zoom activity, if you want to invite more people!
10. Throw a Wine Tasting Party for Two - host a tasting in your living room (or on your couch, in bed, whatever!). Maybe even watch a few videos with tips from sommeliers to learn a thing or two.
11. Paint Something Together … anything! Whether there’s a piece of furniture you’ve been meaning to refinish, a wall that you’ve always wanted to spice up, or you just want to get artsy with a canvas, painting together can be as fun as it is rewarding. And odds are, if your home is anything like mine, you have 200 half-used cans of paint in the basement just waiting to be used.
