DRIVEN TO RIDE '05 - SILVERTON, CO

We've been talking about acquiring a goat for some time now. I figure we'll just chain it to the top of the RV and feed it our old lift tickets. With those horizontal pupils and unstable behavior, I am thinking one of those little suckers would be a nice touch. Mainly though, I am hoping we could teach him to let loose every time we say SNOWBOARDER. For example, as he is all juiced up on cigarette butts and styrofoam cups, I say the magic word and, BAM! He'll snap out a couple hot-kicks, foam at the mouth a bit, then start baa-ing or whatever it is that goats do. "MAA-AA-AA-AA-G!" Good job Goaty, here' s some more fireworks to chew on.

Even if we don't get a farm animal for the trip, at least one of my dreams came true. Through the resources afforded to us in the form of sweet talking Lucky Lopez, we were able to visit Silverton. A place all its own, it is unlike any other mountain resort you will visit. One chairlift, 80 riders per day, expert ability required, ridgeline hikes, and 3,500-foot descents are but a few of the things you will notice when you arrive. Located in the San Juan mountains about an hour away from the town of Durango, Silverton has set a new standard in the way of bringing big-mountain riding to anyone who is capable. No longer do you need to commit to the daylong hikes or spend serious cash on a heli to ride the lines you dream about.

Check out Silverton at www.silvertonmountain.com for more information on your scariest snowboarding fantasy.