When I wake, McVeigh is talking about points. I quickly realize he’s still asleep. The kid’s sleep talking about completing challenges! “Guys, we can drop in and ski straight from the top to the bottom and that’ll be points,” he mumbles.

To Okemo Mountain Resort we go, and instantly we’re pleased. “This is one of the best parks I’ve seen,” says Talkington. The stoke shows in his riding. It takes just a few laps before I’m reminded of just how talented “Daryl” really is. He’s checking off points left and right: 630 on; 4 on, pretz 2 out; 1080 on snowblades; and more.

I’m equally impressed with Compton and McVeigh. “Ann” has a consistency about his skiing that’s tough to match, and “McSlay” has an incredibly unique approach to the park and to natural features all over the hill. In addition to seeing things differently, he skis with a fluidity and grace that blows me away.

We have a surprise up our sleeve today, as well. Namely, a guest appearance by none other than Michael Clarke himself. It takes just one phone call to convince the original RTC star to drive up from his current home of New York City. On the one hand, it’s exciting to bring the Road Trip Challenge full circle. On the other, selfishly, we acquire bonus points for getting a former RTC competitor to complete one of our challenges. Within hours, Clarke completes a total of three. He skis a top-to-bottom run switch, he performs 20 worm turns in a single run, and he also sprays 10 snowboarders. We love you, Clarke.

That day alone, we devour nearly 40 hot dogs as a team. Nine for me. We’re now approaching the 100 mark. Back at the Williams’ place, Talkington 720s over the RV. A sled tows him into a lofty backyard booter, complete with an ultra-flat landing. He champs up and stomps a handful of ’em until Cirilli has a shot he’s happy with. It’s my favorite photo from the trip.

We spend a second day at Okemo. Points, points, points. Then, we head south, Wachusett Mountain our destination.

We overnight in the parking lot, and we’re up early. It’s Saint Patrick’s Day. The highly acclaimed 107.3 WAAF is hosting its morning show from the Wachusett base lodge, and we’re going to try our luck at plugging RTC to the masses. It takes some doing, but we succeed. Compton and I join the group to discuss our mission—we talk mostly about weed and girls in bikinis.

Later, we hit the tah’rrain pa’hk. We’re amped. The lap time is super fast, and the features are on point. We meet another set of stoked shredders. I’m loving the camaraderie. People are stoked on RTC. We ski for a few hours, then pull the plug.

It’s a bittersweet moment as we’re marching back to the RV. It’s been a long week, and the quest for points has driven us to the brink. I’m ready to bounce, yet I’ve had such a blast getting to know this crew. Such characters. I’d be happy to stay.

But wait, what the hell?! That’s K2’s RV parked right next to ours. My stomach drops.

As we approach, the motley bunch spills out of their own side door along with a waterfall of empty beer cans. It seems they’ve just arrived. Phew. They appear genuinely upset, too. “You guys are definitely going to win,” says Decker.

I don’t fall for this reverse psychology. I’m certain they have tattoos—all of them. The rest of Team Nordica isn’t so sure. Williams in particular thinks we have it in the bag.

In a last ditch effort, those of us with mohawks dye them pink. Easy points. We also put down our 100th hot dog. Like so many others, it’s prepared in the microwave. Delicious.

The proverbial whistle blows. This shit show is over. Both teams mingle in the Wachusett parking lot, sharing tidbits of our respective experiences, yet still maintaining a level of secrecy. We have to wait until August to discover who bested who.

Fast forward. It’s now mid-August. No more secrets. The finishing touches are being placed on the web edits. No hard drives are lost (yet). And soon, the world will watch the Road Trip Challenge unfold from the comfort of their living rooms, at the office (NSFW!), or perhaps at the back of a classroom.

After reviewing the footage, I’m most blown away by the sheer amount of stuff that went down between both teams—more than could possibly fit in the Adobe Premiere timeline or on these pages. Much of the greatness lives on only in the minds of those who partook in the mayhem or those who witnessed first hand.

And the great news is that I get to do it all over again. After all of that worrying, I’m jazzed to discover that Williams is right, after all. Team Nordica smoked ‘em. Absolute destruction. What’s up now, bitches?!

Related: K2 Skis’ party on wheels; recounting the 2014 Road Trip Challenge

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