There's a grey fog hovering over Wanaka and skier Jossi Wells is not on the sunny slopes above the cloud. What's up?
"Just chilling," Wells says, grinning ruefully.
He broke his ankle a month ago while skateboarding in the United States and still has three weeks off snow.
He's not in a cast or using crutches, because he thought he'd just aggravated an old injury and didn't seek much medical attention.
He is taking the temporary setback in his stride.
"It's good for the body to take a rest although I'm really bad at taking it easy," he said.
Wells arrived home last month and picked up his joint Snow Sports New Zealand athlete of the year award at a function in Queenstown last Saturday.
He shared the award with Paralympian gold medallist Adam Hall - the two also shared the award in 2008.
Wells has pretty much been the poster boy for New Zealand freeskiing since he was 16.
There have been competitions for several years at X Games level, but only two world championships.
The announcement Wells had won the 2010 halfpipe world championship did not attract the Olympic-style pomp and circumstance enjoyed around the same time by Hall at Vancouver's Paralympics.
The championship was awarded on performance over a series and Wells was so far ahead of the competition he didn't take part in the final rounds.
He was shopping for jeans with Wanaka snowboarder Kendall Brown, a Winter Olympian, in a store in Summit Country, Colorado, when his agent rang to confirm the win.
Minutes later, phone calls were coming in from international snow sports media.
But he hasn't received the trophy yet.
That will be presented in the US in December just before the first round of the 2011 competition.
Wells is excited the FIS (the international skiing federation) recently asked the International Olympic Committee to add freeski halfpipe to the programme for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
"There were 118 votes yes, zero no and three neutral," Wells said, referring to the FIS member country votes for the 2014 programme.
"Now the IOC have to accept it. It is looking really promising."
Wells excels in slopestyle as well but that is a bit further away from IOC acceptance.
But he says the signs for slopestyle are good because it is on the FIS junior world championship programme in Wanaka in August.
Wells confirms the Olympics in 2014 is his goal, and not just for him.
He wants to share the dream with his younger brothers, Byron, Beau James and Jackson.
"I'm hoping it can be three of us, if not four of us. Jackson will be 15 in three years - if he can step up," Wells said.
But first, he has to keep his body and soul together.
When Wells turned professional aged 16, he was already suffering from patella tendinopathy in both knees.
"It's caused by heavy loading and jumping. A lot of basketball players get it.
"I skateboard, I ski. I played soccer and basketball.
"Pretty much everything I did growing up has taken its toll.
"So I hang out a lot with Ginny Rutledge at Wanaka Physiotherapy; do lots of strength work to make sure I last through the season.
"I've been really good at managing it. I think about things before I do them ...
"I think this season has been the best I have been at managing it.
"It didn't bother me so much and it was pretty nice.
"That's part of the job. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I am living the dream.
"If I have a pain in my knee, it seems a small price to pay."
One thing Wells doesn't worry about is his diet.
"I am still an athlete. I still have to give the body some nice food to fix the body ...
"But our sport is not so much about pushing the human body as far as it can go.
"It's more to do with skills and a lot of it is mental as well.
"Our training isn't jumping into a pool at 5.30am and following a black line for two hours."
There are no breakfast rituals before a competition, nor pre-scripted plans for the hours and minutes before he drops into the halfpipe.
"When I am in a good mood, really excited, that's when I ski well.
"A competition only has the meaning you give it. It's another run through the halfpipe.
"I've done it a million times. A lot of it is mental. You just put yourself in the position where you ride well."
Faith is important to Wells.
He is a member of Wanaka's branch of the Lighthouse Church, founded by Christian snowboarders in Mammoth, US.
He enjoys a "younger generation church that likes music that doesn't come from a hymn book made 100 years ago".
Music is his other love.
Wells used to busk outside Wanaka New World with his violin when he was a child and he doesn't rule out turning out again for old times' sake - but without the begging bowl.
"I haven't played the violin since I was 15 but I am going to play it again this season.
"I decided while overseas this year I wanted to take it back up again. So I will see how it goes.
"And I got a harmonica for Christmas and have been mucking around with that.
"I have had no-one to teach me so I am learning it myself.
"It is easy to carry around and I want to learn to play the blues."
For all his globetrotting, family comes first.
Wells credits his parents for giving him the tools "to be a professional, rather than someone who can ski well".
He was thrilled when his ski patroller father, Bruce, won SSNZ's coaching award.
"He's always been there to bounce ideas off, hang out with at the top of the halfpipe. He's always supported me since I was little."
And he's grateful for his teacher mum, Stacey, who Wells says "sacrificed her career" for her four boys.
"The fact I was home-schooled was the reason why I could be on my skis so much, learning skills.
"I would ski by day and do school work by night, and I did as much school work as anyone at school.
"I can't thank my parents enough for that."
Wells is mindful he is living the dream of many Kiwi youngsters.
He respects it.
He recalls the "wow" feeling when his US agent, Michael Spencer, approached him aged 14.
"I never thought I would need an agent, ever. It was kind of nuts . . .
"We hooked up two years later and I am happy where things are going.
"He is a great guy," Wells said.
Wells is still younger than many athletes on the circuit.
Teenage athletes - his brothers included - are coming through the ranks but Wells notes there are many his age breaking into the sport.
So he rejects any notion he's a veteran, although he has noticed some demand for his autograph this season.
He's also noticed his life is more open to scrutiny and his abilities are being analysed.
One thing Wells will not reveal is his income.
"That is personal. It is a good living but it doesn't last forever.
"The restrictions of your body can only throw you off jumps for so long before your body breaks down . . .
"You do have to be wise about it and invest wisely . . .
It is not NBA or golf or tennis, but for getting to travel the world and do what I love, I couldn't ask for anything more."
The Jossi file
Jossi Wells
Age: 20
Lives: Wanaka
Achievements: World champion halfpipe freeski, 2010; silver medal, US X Games halfpipe, 2010; bronze medal, European X Games slopestyle, 2010; silver medal, US XGames slopestyle, 2008
Family: Father Bruce, mother Stacey, younger brothers Byron, Beau James, Jackson
