I drove 1400 miles so my 8 year old son could see snow

2024 was a year with many milestones, but I look back at the past year on this day, January 3rd, my birthday… and recognize the most important one was meeting the challenge of being able to give my kid this experience.

Priceless.

I surveyed the ski resorts closest to Stuart, Florida and we decided on Beech Mountain, North Carolina. We have visited Sugar Mountain and the surrounding areas of the Blue Ridge Mountains for a number of years; but, never during the winter. I used to spend summers in Sugar Mountain with my family, cousins and family friends in the 1970s.

A full circle.

It appeared that the probability for actual snow was lingering at about 70-80%. Naturally, my skeptical son was focused on the improbability percentage at 20-30%.

Being my son, a natural skeptic.

We reached Beech Mountain Resort where there was a DJ and lots of raucous college-aged kids and plenty of families with young kids. The temperature dropped precipitously as the wind gusts increased to 35MPH.

Sure enough,

My weather Apps on my phone showed a small blip for precipitation, it was “snow or no snow time” approaching 9:30PM. Windchill was 15F.

We went outside and voila,

snow started to fall!

Not in heavy clumps. Just a steady strong chilly wind with tiny snow flakes. My son said, “it feels like little cold pop rocks on my face!”

Mission accomplished

I got a bit emotional through the whole night, as I was brought to the time I first saw snow as a kid, January 19th, 1977.

I was also age 8.

It was a very, very rare day snow that fell in Miami. I remember it vividly to this day. Running outside with my classmates in Highland Lakes, Florida and experiencing a very light snow.

I never forgot that night, and I’ll never forget this one.

Happy Birthday to me.

G-d Bless.