Why I’ve Decided to Stop Counting

[highpeaksdrifter]

Since I joined AZ I got caught up in counting days skiing. It seemed like the thing to do and why not? I didn’t really enjoy the process of keeping track, but I started to get addicted to it.

Last year I was chasing 60 days, I made it to 56. My wife’s side of the family had a 50th anniversary party, I begged out of it by telling her they really needed me to work at Whiteface, but I really wanted to just get another day in my personal total. I remember coming home from work one day, tired as heck, the last thing I wanted to do was go to West Mt., but I went cause I wanted to add to my total. I’ve gone when I’ve been sick and it was raining out, but the total. Going skiing on these days really added nothing to my overall experience and enjoyment. I’m done with counting now and I actually feel good just typing my decision down. It’s a relief.

I’d like to thank GrilledCheese for helping me come to this decision. The insane why he counts everything related to skiing made me realize sometimes I was skiing for math when I needed or should have been doing something else. I might make 60 this year, but I’ll never know for sure and I’m liking that.

In no why am I making a negative commentary on those of you who like counting your days out. I just want to see what others thought about it.

 

[severine]

I think it's easy to forget the forest for the trees at times. Way to go on finding your true reality and keeping what works best for you. I'll admit to counting days (mainly because there is a huge lack of them) but yes, it's just a number. Quality over quantity, right?

 

[reefer]

Screw Counting

Like HPD said (and i'm glad you've come to your senses), nothing personal to those of you that do, (probably most), but I'm more for quality than quantity. I live (30) minutes from Wachusett and haven't skied there in years. I could by a pass and go for a few hours once or twice a week to boost my "count", but it isn't worth it. Not that it isn't a decent place given it's location, it's just not the same. I ski around (30) days a year mostly in VT, a couple in NH and ME. I just ski as often as I can..................

 

[Vortex]

I never use to count when I got easily over 100 days a year. Know every day i count reminds me of why I go to work. HPD I admit there were a couple of days I only went out cause I wanted to count the day. It always changes though once I make the 1st turn. I may blow off a few of those day this year, but I'll still count the days I get out.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Since I joined AZ I got caught up in counting days skiing. It seemed like the thing to do and why not? I didn’t really enjoy the process of keeping track, but I started to get addicted to it.

Last year I was chasing 60 days, I made it to 56. My wife’s side of the family had a 50th anniversary party, I begged out of it by telling her they really needed me to work at Whiteface, but I really wanted to just get another day in my personal total. I remember coming home from work one day, tired as heck, the last thing I wanted to do was go to West Mt., but I went cause I wanted to add to my total. I’ve gone when I’ve been sick and it was raining out, but the total. Going skiing on these days really added nothing to my overall experience and enjoyment. I’m done with counting now and I actually feel good just typing my decision down. It’s a relief.

I’d like to thank GrilledCheese for helping me come to this decision. The insane why he counts everything related to skiing made me realize sometimes I was skiing for math when I needed or should have been doing something else. I might make 60 this year, but I’ll never know for sure and I’m liking that.

In no why am I making a negative commentary on those of you who like counting your days out. I just want to see what others thought about it.

Good decision...Even if I tryed I couldn't stop counting my ski days, runs, and vert and what not. I'm just that kind of person. I count the number of beers I drink, how many people I talk to in a day, how many states I've been to, and so on and so forth. Skiing over 100 days for me is a real sense of accomplishment. I ski when I'm tired, sick, in the rain, whenever. But I also work in those conditions. I figure If I work about 230 days a year why not ski over 100..I've been keeping track of vert for 12 years now..and I wouldn't stop if you put a gun to my head..and can still remember how many ski days I skied each year for nearly 2 decades..and what year I skied where...Holla..

As for quality over quantity...I'll take both...lol..quality on the poe days, quantity on the hardpack days..

 

[Vortex]

You always get quality if you go enough. So quality and quantity go together, you don't have to coun't to get either though.

 

[Trekchick]

Funny thing is, I was just going to expose you all to a nice feature on Facebook, its call Snow Day application.
http://apps.facebook.com/snowdays/docket.php

OOOF sorry, did I suck you back in!?!

 

[tequiladoug]

I never count. Counting just seems silly. I dont count how many days of mtn biking I get in, or road rides, or hikes, or number of times I play volleyball in the summer, or anything else so why count ski days???

 

[Method9455]

I'm with GrilledCheese - I count days but not vert, its not a religious type thing it is just a barometer of how much I go. I'm 19 so I've only been driving for 3 years, so when the first year I could drive it jumped from about 15 days a year to 35 it was definately worth keeping track of. Then it was 35 again, and then last year only 12 because I got hurt mid january. I don't try to up the count for the sake of upping the count, it just kind of gives me a handle on how the season went. I'm also one of those people that counts everything. I'm not OCD but when I'm doing a drive I know every 5 minutes its like how many miles have I done? How long have I been driving? So then I'm making 86 mph, if I have 50 miles left to go what time will I get there? Same thing when I had a job I hated it was what % am I through my day. I just end up doing it to pass the time. I dont understand how you keep track of vert though when you are doing so many runs in a day, I'd need like a piece of paper or something and that is just way too much effort.

 

[Greg]

I count my days and try to write a trip report for each one. As pathetic as it sounds, I reread my TRs from time to time, especially in August, as it helps me relive each experience. This sort of goes back to [POST="201202"]my post[/POST] in the the "single best" thread. I like to have a days out goal to assure I log a lot of miles and if I don't count, I won't know if I reached it. For the guys that easily get 40 or 50+ days every season, counting is probably moot, but for a guy with two small children at home like me it's important to help me reach that modest 30 day season goal.

It's ironic, HPD, as all the reasons you cited (going when raining, sick, or to the local hill when not really feeling like it, etc.) for deciding not to count days anymore is precisely why I do it. I very rarely ever regret going skiing, and the days out goal sometimes gives me that little boost to go despite conditions not being ideal. I'm usually glad I did. If I ever start to regret days I went out, I should just hang 'em up for good because it means I lost a bit of my passion for it. I guess the only annoying thing about counting and using it as inspiration is in those instances when you simply can't go (sick kid, family obligation, work, etc.) as they might be more disappointing than they might be otherwise (especially if the conditions aren't ideal) because you didn't get a chance to add one to your total.

 

[dmc]

Well done...
I don't count either.. dont care about vert either.. Don't even really count runs...

Without context wrapped around it - it's just (as you said) math....

I hate math..

 

[tjf67]

Yeah OK. Tell us at the end of the year how it worked out for ya.

I betcha a beer I ask you in january how many days you got and you rattle if like your kids birthday.

 

[Vortex]

No doug is the anti counter. We do give him sh-t about it and he seems to not care. It hurts me deeply,:smile:

 

[dmc]

No doug is the anti counter. We do give him sh-t about it and he seems to not care. It hurts me deeply,:smile:

I lost count of GD shows too.. I guess I could count ticket stubs...

Maybe it's just that i can't remember and tell people I don't care to look cool...

 

[Vortex]

I did not lose count of those either.

 

[tirolerpeter]

Counting?

Good decision...Even if I tryed I couldn't stop counting my ski days, runs, and vert and what not. I'm just that kind of person. I count the number of beers I drink, how many people I talk to in a day, how many states I've been to, and so on and so forth. Skiing over 100 days for me is a real sense of accomplishment. I ski when I'm tired, sick, in the rain, whenever. But I also work in those conditions. I figure If I work about 230 days a year why not ski over 100..I've been keeping track of vert for 12 years now..and I wouldn't stop if you put a gun to my head..and can still remember how many ski days I skied each year for nearly 2 decades..and what year I skied where...Holla..

As for quality over quantity...I'll take both...lol..quality on the poe days, quantity on the hardpack days..

You might discuss your "counting" issue with a therapist. When taken to a certain level, it can definitely be a sign of OCD ( "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder").

 

[dmc]

I did not lose count of those either.

there must be something you've lost count of...

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Yeah OK. Tell us at the end of the year how it worked out for ya.

I betcha a beer I ask you in january how many days you got and you rattle if like your kids birthday.

:lol: You're on :beer:

 

[Greg]

How many days have you gotten out so far, HPD?

 

[RENO]

To each his own I guess, but I don't count. I'll know if it's a good season or not without the count. Like tequiladoug says, I don't count biking days and hiking days either. You know whether you had a good summer without counting those days or counting beach days,etc..., right? I see people hike a 50ft patch of slush and mud early and late season and do 1 run and count that as a ski day and brag that they're hardcore because they had 35 of those days in their 70 total? I would rather have 1/2 that and all be full quality days. I'll also take 1 midweek day over 2 weekend days anytime! It's a different world midweek. I'm definitely a quality over quantity person...