meanwhile, up in the mountains

[jawnbc]

A couple of the Vanoc gals are doing their post-Games decompression housesitting up in Whistler (at the home of another Vanocker, who's decompressing in Belize and the Galapagos) . They invited me to come up for a visit; since yesterday was a flex day (in theory I can take off one extra day of every 10, though often my workload doesn't permit it) I hopped on da bus Thursday night. Between the warmest, rainiest (in the alpine) January evar and volunteering most weekends between December and March for the Games, I'd only been out boarding for an hour once this winter previously (last week on Grouse, one of our so-so local mountains).

So yesterday was the first real day boarding. And it was great up on Blackcomb--tons of fresh snow, blue skies, small crowds. After the first run I found my legs rather easily and really enjoyed myself. It was Virg's first day of the season and Meg's as well: Meg was on her first new snowboard, boots and bindings, and she struggled a fair bit. Afterwards, we were fed nicely (Virg is a classic nurturer/nester) and soaked happily in the hot tub. Noice!

This morning most folks were moving slow--and to be fair, they'd been working 12-16 hour days for 6 months up until last week--so it was a nice quiet time for me before they began to stir. Eventually everyone was roused and we went for brunch. We didn't get onto the mountain until about 13h30. After another not much fun run I adjusted Meg's bindings and she had a much better time of it.  She and Virg elected to download in the gondola: I skied boarded out. Sweeet! Tonight's menu includes individual home made pizzas and more hot tubbing. 

Tomorrow we'll get a longer day of boarding in, then it's home on the bus for dinner. It's so easy to forget how enervating and invigorating time in the alpine is for me. Next year I will move heaven and earth to get up at least once a week, if there's snow. Even an hour's worth it.

Comments

[snousle.livejournal.com]

Don't suppose you'd like to head up sometime in very late April / early May? I'm coming up to Vancouver, and with all the snow am likely to bring my board, though the particular dates not set yet.

[jawnbc]

Perhaps...but probably not. I'm booked to come back up here the weekend of the 22nd for the end of the ski and snowboard festival. After that's a maybe.

So what about next Sat...

[toneyvr.livejournal.com]

XC at Cypress, avec moi...???? :-) :-) :-) Pleeeeeeeese

Re: So what about next Sat...

[jawnbc]

Oh alright....