As a fun winter diversion, Travis, Tayden, and I drove up to Boyne Mountain and spent this past weekend skiing. With the exception of our late start, due to Tayden’s class schedule, the drive up went okay. I was not feeling well Thursday, so I snuggled in to sleep for most of the drive. We arrived at Boyne around 10:30 pm our time, 11:30 local time. We hauled our stuff into our room, a little tired, but ready to get a good night’s sleep and hit the slopes the next morning. At the same time, there was a young family hauling in sleepy kids in pajamas, and it brought me back to the days when we were teaching the kids to ski. After we settled in, Tayden sat down at his computer to complete and submit an assignment that was due before midnight. In some ways, we had it better in school. Assignments were brought to class, not turned in before midnight. 

Around 11:45 pm our time, 12:45 am local time, the fire alarm went off in the entire building. We waited a few minutes to see if it was a fluke. Like maybe someone set off their kitchen alarm heating up some late night pizza, and it would stop soon. It was Michigan. Maybe someone was smoking a legal substance too close to a detector. So, we waited a few ticks while Tayden submitted his assignment. Then, Trav felt the door and handle to the hallway. Since it was not hot, we proceeded out the door and to our car in the blustery night. The alarm in the hall and the stairwell was deafening. Trav and I had already been in bed, so we had to get dressed to parade out in the cold. We started the car and waited. We could easily hear the alarm from our car, so we figured we would know when it stopped. The young family was staying on the first floor, so we entertained ourselves watching them decide if they would go out with three little kids. They did not leave the building. But I’m not sure how anyone could sleep or relax through that alarm… or if it is even safe for your ears to do that. So, we sat… and sat… and sat. After a half hour, Trav moved into the back of Bert to lay down and try to get some rest. He snuggled up next to our cold skis, which we had left in the car to grab on our way to the hill in the morning. I tipped my passenger chair back and tried to do the same. I offered Tayden the driver’s seat, since it tips back, but he just stayed where he was. After about 1 hour 15 minutes, we were awakened from our slumber by the motion of others moving from their cars back into the building, having slept through the silencing of the alarm. We followed them into the building, stretching our cramped muscles. By the time we got back into our room and settled, it was 2:15 am local time. Much like the other guests, we missed out on the early morning ski hours, because we slept in. 

Friday, around noon, we got a text of apology from the resort for the non-emergency fire alarm. I had to wonder why they didn’t text when the alarm resolved so we didn’t inadvertently stay in our cramped car all night. 

I am happy to report that the rest of the trip went off without a hitch. It was cold on the last day, and it snowed almost the entire time, but we had fun. I even packed close to the right amount of food, which I have never done before. 

Have a great week everyone!