Snowbound Black Sanctuary
Luke slices the Jade’s Sabre through the snow clouds of Paiute, we gaze down on a beautiful mountain range covered in a snowy pine forest. The Sabre cruises over the high peaks, mountain valleys, and frozen lakes. Luke sets us down on the landing of a gorgeous ski lodge surrounded by snowy meadows and awe-inspiring mountains.
Artoo and Codex whistle happily about our vacation. Luke and I smile as we power down the Sabre. We rise, head back to get our suitcases, and set them to hover with us. Luke, Artoo, Codex, and I disembark, I lock the Sabre, and we walk into the lodge.
The concierge checks us in, we take a lift up to our suite, and admire the rooms, Luke and I change into black ski gear, with black fur trim on the hood of me coat, and we all head out to the slopes. The four of us fit comfortable in an enclosed lift car, we ride to the top of the ridge, and choose a challenging slope.
Luke and I help Artoo and Codex get ready then we strap on our snowboards. Artoo and Codex move themselves forward, Codex taps Artoo shoulder, and they race off. We face each, Luke leading with his right foot, and I am leading with my left foot.
We gracefully ease forward, bend our knees a little, and takeoff together. Luke and I glide smoothly down the steep terrain, turn elegantly on the wide trail, and angle for the jumps. We tuck lower, bend our knees more, crouch low, and take them.
Luke and I launch into the air, soar skillfully, and elongate as we glide. We reduce our speed, our arms out as we balance, we tuck down, and land beautifully. Luke and I rise up to standing, tilt our bodies, angle as we follow the course.
We move as one, match each other like a mirror, our movements subtle, and we drift to end of the slope. Luke and I happily accept mugs of hot chocolate. Artoo and Codex have found snowmobiles available for guest use. A drive out into the snowy landscape sounds like fun.
Luke and I rent snowmobiles, check that everything is in working order, and float Artoo and Codex into the droid compartments. We pack hot drinks and food into the storage compartments, slide on goggles, and mount our snowmobiles.
Heading off into a frozen pine forest, racing over frozen meadows, we pass herds of reindeer, and icy streams flowing fast in their banks. We zip through dense thickets, head up snowy paths, by frozen waterfalls, and nature geothermically heated pools.
Weaving among thick stands of the magnificent trees, boughs heavy with snow, the forest muffled in drifts of white. Luke and I stop at the iced over lakes. We eat savory tip-yip and roasted vegetable wraps with thermoses of hot lemon tea.
The four of us admire the basins of the white mountains. A number of the guests are ice fishing. We continue on up into the mountains, between outcropping of stone. Luke and I sense something warm, sunlight.
We pause on the trail, several a blue butterflies float towards us, I hold up my right gloved hand. A butterfly flies to me and rests on my hand, the butterfly and I gaze at each other. Luke and I sense the Lightside of the Force.
The blue butterfly floats away, flits up the ridge with her friends, and we look up at the ruins of a black structure, that matches the stones of these mountains. Luke and I change course, glide over a natural stone bride, park our snowmobiles before the structure.
Float Artoo and Codex out of their compartments, and all of us head inside the ruins. We wandering among the chilly stone rooms, a few of them have some stone furniture left, but no tract of the people who lived here.
Outside an icy wind blows down the pass, snow drifts in the stone arch window frames, and flakes softly brushing our faces. The warm feeling has switched to light and harmony, like a song. . . Luke and I follow whispers of the Lightside, something is still here.
We lead the way into a room with stone cabinets, make our way around large area, and find a part of the wall that feels different. Luke and I choose a stone, press it gently, and release it. There is a quiet scraping, a part of the wall sinks back, and slides sideways.
Inside the nock is a cabinet, on middle shelf is an intricate golden lattice holocron, glowing blue kyber crystals are within the framework. I lightly touch the holocron, it opens, and I see a vision of good memories from the holocron guardian.
Jedi walking up a stone step path with sunlight shining on diamond snow, fast flowing waterfalls and Padawans catching fish in wide pools, a meadow with students sparing and in the background reindeer calves are playing in soft snow.
In wonder I, “Ooo!,” and clasp Luke’s left hand so he can see the vision, as well. These Jedi devoted themselves to better understanding the Force, and recorded all of their knowledge in this holocron.
I tuck the holocron into my ski coat, we return to the snowmobiles, mount up, and head back down to the lodge. We all return to our suite. I place the holocron on a coffee table by large sofas, where Artoo end Codex admire it.
Luke and I warm up, switch to black long sleeve shirts, sweaters, trousers, and tall boots. We head down to the dining room, have savory bison steak, red potatoes with rosemary and thyme, roasted vegetables, solid fluffy rolls with honeyberry jam, and a perfect black tea.
Head back to our suite, consult the guardian of the holocron, and listen many stories. Mid-afternoon all of us take a break, Luke and I bundle up, and we all go for a walk in the beautiful frozen gardens.
When we returning to the lodge, Luke and I leave our coats in our suite, order delicious dark hot chocolate with milk, cream, and a hint of caramel from the bar, and rejoin Artoo and Codex to play video games.
Luke and I later find a quiet a huge couch in the great room, by the roaring fire, read a book he found on one of our travels. It recounts the quests of Jedi from this part of the galaxy, well told by a born storyteller. Interesting details fit together like pieces in a vast puzzle, helping us understand the a little more about these Jedi.
For dinner a Luke and I have roasted salmon with lemon, steamed crab legs, roasted asparagus and zucchini, warm razzleberry pie, and lemon tea. Afterwards we all meet in a sitting room and play cards. Luke and I laugh happily because our Forcebond makes it interesting to keeping our cards secret.
Luke and I bundle up, we all go out to the back deck, and get fitted for skates. We enjoy skating in the cool night air, on the lodge’s skating rink, under the hundred thousand stars. A famous singer is preforming here tonight so we spend a wonderful evening listening to beautiful music.
A snowstorm is just blowing in as we head upstairs, Artoo and Codex settle in their charging stations, while Luke and I get ready for bed. We drift off to sleep as the blizzard howls and blankets the mountain range forest in deep snow.
#StarWars #LukeSkywalker #MaraJadeSkywalker #SnowboundBlackSanctuary #Vacation #JediLostHistory #MammothMountain #WhiteMountainLodge #MammothLakes #California