by Mary Colarik

Rick Meumann is an engaging and energetic 60-year-old man residing in San Clemente. He is easy to spot with his distinctive handlebar mustache, big smile and bright eyes—ready and willing to sit down with this writer at a small café on Del Mar to detail his accomplishment of skiing 60 days at age 60 during the 2018-19 ski season. 

Meumann, who met his wife, Debbie at United States International University in San Diego, and has been married 37 years, has definitely learned to balance family, friends, work and his faith, while still making time for two intensely demanding sports - snow skiing and ice hockey, (he played on the first USIU ice hockey team in 1978).

He’s a self-professed, type A, very high-energy guy-no morning jolt of caffeine to get his day started. Generally, he’s up early sending out devotional emails to family and friends. Then, off to his home office running ADVATEL, the company he started 18- years-ago after working for many years in the data communications industry including stints at Western Union and Sprint. His company helps businesses with their Internet, cloud services, phone, data, voice and cyber security needs. His flexible work schedule allows him to spend more quality time with family, friends and pursuit of his various hobbies.

So, how does one come up with the idea of skiing 60 days at age 60-well, Meumann was chatting with some friends, bantering about different ways to celebrate his milestone birthday. His friend, Craig Pfent suggested a goal-ski 60 days at age 60. It seemed like a reasonable ambition as the last few years he had skied 20-30 days each ski season. 

Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley Meumann began skiing at Holiday Hill/Mountain High Ski resort when he was in High School. So, he had 40 years of experience to back up his plan. Once “60@60” became his goal, he contacted a local screen-printing company, Artwistic Creations to have 30 gray T-shirts printed, (plus, three pink T-shirts for his wife, daughter and granddaughter) the front of the shirts were designed with the 60@60 logo and on the back was a stick figure mustached guy on skis. He handed out these shirts to his two sons and several friends, who would be joining him at different times at five different ski resorts.

Meumann kicked off his 60@60 epic ski challenge in November at Mammoth Mountain by skiing four days in a row before Thanksgiving. Luckily, for Meumann and his skiing buddies the 2018-19 ski seasons experienced an incredible number of storms dumping huge amounts of snow—with 30 days of fabulous powder ski days. His sojourns to the slopes continued through the end of May—actually skiing 10 days that very last month of his amazing ski season.  Remarkably, Meumann did not post any of his 60@60 ski days on social media—only his family and friends knew of his huge ski goal.

In March his sons, Derek and Brett joined him for four days of skiing at Mammoth. His wife, Debbie, daughter, Amanda, son-in-law, Steve and granddaughter, Morgan joined him at Snow Summit in February, although none of them skied with him, they did enjoy spending family time with him on their annual jaunt to Big Bear.

Not only did Meumann ski at Mammoth, June Lake and Snow Summit, he travelled out of  state  to Whitefish, Montana to ski with his childhood buddy of 50 years, Dana Sanderson, who lives half the year in Whitefish and the remaining six months in Napa. Additionally, he made a trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming skiing with his hockey buddies, Craig Pfent (who initiated the idea to ski 60@60) and Jim Brahm.

Perhaps you are curious about what type conditioning one would do to meet a goal of skiing 60 days at age 60, including one stint of 13 days in a row? According to Meumann, he stays in shape playing ice hockey two days per week at Great Park Ice in Irvine with his team the “Geri Hat Tricks.” This is a beer league team that has won two back-to-back championships. Additionally, he plays paddleball with a local group of friends and often rides his bike around San Clemente. 

Amazingly, he experienced almost no pain or injuries while pursuing his goal—he did have a slight knee problem that was easily remedied with a few visits to DSC Performance, a local physical therapist. He says without the Lord Jesus and his wife he would not be able to accomplish all of his life interests and pursuits. He is most appreciative of his wife’s blessing and support of his 60@60 goal as he was gone days at a time for six months.

When asked what his next athletic challenge will be, Meumann responded that when he turns 65 he would like to live at the mountain and ski 100 days in a season—this would ease all the travel back and forth as the constant trips to the mountains were the most exhausting part of his 60@60 endeavor. His immediate goal is to get his three and a half year old granddaughter, Morgan on skis during the family’s annual Big Bear ski vacation. 

After spending two hours, with Meumann there’s no doubt in my mind that he will attain all his aspirations.