The Steamboat Pilot & Today

Margaret Hair

Margaret Hair's column appears Fridays in the 4 Points arts and entertainment section in the Steamboat Today. Contact her at 871-4204 or e-mail mhair@steamboatpilot.com.

I’m not sure what I expected from my first run at Cardboard Classic. But I’m reasonably sure it didn’t happen.

When a rotating crew of six or so people — all coming to the end of our first full winter in Steamboat — decided to build a cardboard craft, we did it under the impression that we’d be showing the thing off at a daylong event. We thought the whole thing would be a laidback way to celebrate an epic season of snow, that we’d be lounging in our super-aerodynamic cardboard can of booze for hours.

Instead, we ended up running the thing up Headwall at 10 a.m., informed under extremely short notice that we wouldn’t be competing at all if we didn’t compete in the next half hour. And then, at the bottom of the hill, we unceremoniously and heartbreakingly tossed our giant can of Pabst Blue Ribbon into a large metal trash bin.

Maybe that’s a good thing — our can didn’t really go anywhere after sliding a grand total of 20 feet, and its early-morning paint job didn’t really do the original design justice. But aren’t those failures the point of building a cardboard sled in the first place?

All things considered, the idea of Cardboard Classic was a good time. Completely covering our living room and kitchen floors in cut-up boxes and shreds of duct tape, and littering the place with box cutters (not a wise move, do not attempt), was a welcome break from normal winter activity.

Rediscovering the kind of craftsmanship it takes to build a fort — and in general, the kind of craftsmanship it takes to build things that are not necessary — will always be something to look forward to.

Unfortunately, Cardboard Classic might not be.

— To reach Margaret Hair, call 871-4204

or e-mail mhair@steamboatpilot.com.