Outdoor Central Oregon Issue 15 | November/December 2019 | Page 20

20 NOV/DEC 2019 21 I like the whole mountain But most days youll find me on the back side and in the trees exploring looking for new runs Ive still maybe never skied No limitations, Ravi can rip the whole mountain from top to bottom. RD: It’s not an easy thing to go through, that’s for sure. My mom, my dad, family and friends, more people came and visited me than I could ever think would. I realized right away my life would be different, but except...maybe when I started skiing. OOM: At what point did you realize you might have a higher purpose? I mean you got to be inspiring a whole lot of people able bodied as well as physically challenged, I’ve never seen you having a bad day at the mountain. RD: I don’t think I have any higher purpose than any other person, nor am I any more inspiring than anyone else. When I was a little kid in school and they ask you to write down your goals I’d write “live life to the fullest, enjoy every moment and have no regrets,” if you do that then no matter where you end up, you’ll be good. I try to wake up and see the good in everything, I mean just wak- ing up and living is something everyone should be stoked on every day. After an awesome run from the very top of Mt Bachelor, it was Ravi’s idea to take a lap through the park. What is your favorite run or runs on Mt Bachelor? How many days do typically shred in a season? RD: I like the whole mountain. But most days you’ll find me on the back side and in the trees exploring looking for new runs I’ve still maybe never skied. It’s easier to count the days I don’t ski I think. I ski well over a hundred days normally, this last summer I know I skied more than anything else. It feels like ski season never ends now but that’s a good thing in my book. OOM: Do you have any favorite mountains outside of Oregon? Or places around the world you would love to ski? RD: Saas Fee in Switzerland, where I just got back from, is pretty epic. Park City, Utah because I have been training there with the National Ability Center for so long. Snowbird is a super fun place too. I’d love to go heli skiing. Jackson Hole, Japan, or Chamonix I think would be fun. Ravi taking a short look back. At 29 he has so, so much more to accomplish. His focus is forward with a stoke for every breath he takes, and every trail he shreds.