Bob and Jon hike Killington Mountain

from Jon Roberts

A few years ago now, I got an excited phone call from Bob sometime in early October. He said that Killington ski area was officially open for the season. At that point in my life I was able to drop everything and go, and Bob of course was not going to let this opportunity pass him by, so we left before the sun was up the next day.

We always took Bob's car, and he always drove the morning shift, leaving the drive home to me most of the time. We had done this routine so many times it was down to a science. I would show up at his house and he would have a full breakfast cooked for us and coffee packed ready to go.

I can remember hearing the NPR broadcast of Morning Edition repeated over and over for the four hour drive. Bob never thought of changing the channel and I don't think he was even listening to it. We talked for the first part of the ride but I quickly fell asleep, know that Bob would get his nap in on the way home. I woke up and saw Bob, still listening to the same show repeated again. He had a smile on his face I knew we must be close.

We arrived to an empty parking lot. We were early. We walked into the lodge and started to get changed. It was the second day of the season and there was no crowd. We waited for the ticket counter to open, and waited, and waited.....They never opened.

Bob and I spoke to an employee who told us that they were closed and did not think they would open again for a few weeks. It took us a good half hour, debating, giving each other ample chances to bow out gracefully, before we made our decision. It wasn't so much of a conscious decision, more like just what we knew we were going to do.

Bob was not young, and neither of us claimed to be in great shape, but we started hiking knowing there was snow at the top of the mountain. We spent the whole morning hiking, sometimes climbing hand over hand, but we made it to the snow pack at the top of the mountain. The climbing was harder over the snow and when we finally reached the top, we rested for a long time. The view was amazing and we never went hungry as Bob had packed enough food for eight people into his backpack.

We were not the only people who would not be denied. There were about twenty people at the top and as always Bob was the hit of the day. With a tie dyed bandanna on his head, his signature beard and sunglasses, he got the usual looks and comments. We met almost everyone on the mountain that day by name. We skied down one time, turning slow and often. "We earned these turns" we told each other.

We walked down the mountain and made it to the car. I had blisters and me legs were sore. I can't imagine Bob was doing any better, but all we talked about the whole way home was what an amazing day and I don't think we complained at all.

Bob and I shared many ski adventures together over the years. It is embarrassing to say now but a knee injury has kept my ski days to a bare minimum the last few years. I haven't skied with Bob for a long time and have missed the our trips together. We didn't plan it that way, and I don't think we would have gone if we knew we would be hiking the mountain that day, but it turned into the best ski trip I ever had.

I will miss you Bob. I am a better person for knowing you. I hope you are in a place where you can make all the turns you earned. Love Jon.