This last weekend saw another first; skiing in November. What a blast. Friday saw me and Vic heading up to Banff with Katherine and Drew to hit the slopes (Ozzie and Kiwi respectively, another couple over on exchange just about to head back to Sydney). We found a cheap hotel, sorted our lift passes and we were good to go! Only an hour and a half's drive from the doorstep to the glorious Rocky Mountains.
Saturday we went to Lake Louise because we had some two-fers ( 2 for one passes), so two people could get a day's skiing (or boarding) for the reduced November early season rate of $56. Bargain. There was a great atmosphere there in the lodge and the lower slopes brought by the carnival that is the world downhill ski championships going on all weekend and being won by a Canadian on Saturday.
I couldn't get a lesson that day as they were all booked up, but being super-geeky I had spent the last few weeks reading every website going on how to learn to ski. I don't recommend teaching yourself as the best way to make progress on the slopes, but as a refresher course to get back on my feet after 12 years away from skiing it was good to remember all that basic stuff about snow-plough turns and whatnot. By the end of the day I was paralleling with some limited confidence and control but without much grace down a long easy green/blue run called Wiwaxy. This started getting trickier towards the end of the day as the run got icier. Apparently man-made snow has a binding agent to make it stick but it also tends to ice up as it gets ski-ed on. Someone told me Lake Louise has the largest man-made snow-making operation in North America with a huge number of machines covering the entire front face of the mountain. There must be hundreds of them, and each one costs $250 an hour to run. My $56 ski-pass covers one machine for 12 minutes. That place needs to get seriously busy to cover costs like that. Once the natural snow starts falling it'll be much nicer there; it's softer, easier to ski on and much nicer to fall over on.
Vicky couldn't get a group snowboarding lesson, so she had a 2 hour private lesson to iron out some kinks in her boarding and Kastherine and I joined her in the afternoon while Drew was mastering the fine art of falling over strapped to a plank (day-one snowboarding lessons look much like this; Drew defied the odds be being actually quite good quite soon). Victoria is now riding with the style and grace of one born to it.
We got back to the hotel stiff and sore but triumphant, all having made progress in leaps and bounds (sometimes literally). First stop at the hotel was the hot-tub. With stiff sore legs nothing is quite as good for one's soul as a cold beer in a jacuzzi. Once dry we dined out at a 'pub' round the corner, The St James Gate. It was quire pubby, and the beer was fine, but the food was fab. Vicky swears they had the best seafood chowder she's ever had, and that girl knows a thing or two about cooking fish. The liver and onions was well up to scratch.
That evening Vic and I went shopping for warm headgear. We initially thought we'd get a good toque (pronounced toook) but ended up with helmets. Sadly the only ones that fitted us, despite being completely different helmets, each only came in white. All the other colours were too large or too small, so we ended up with matching helmets. This would be fine if we hadn't also bought matching red ski-pants and matching black North face parkas. We tried not to, we really did, especially me, but we look like Mr and Mrs His-n-hers.
The following day we headed off to Sunshine village, whee they rely on natural snow fall being considerably higher up. It was a pleasant change to get somewhere with 55 runs open and soft natural snow all over. Locals were saying that with only half it's runs open and 70cm of snow it was not as great as it will be, but it was still the best skiing I've ever had.
I left the others at the bottom of the hill, catching the Gondola up to meet my class. I had booked a group lesson to improve my technique and build confidence. I was expecting to meet 5 more improvers and an instructor. As it turns out, no-one else of my meagre ability signed up that day, so I had instructor Terry all to myself for some intense private coaching all day. An astonishing piece of luck and I really feel Ive got to grips with the basics now. I am pole planting usefully and coming down tricky blue runs even including moguls. There's not yet much style, but it's working and I'm having a ball.
I met Vic at the end of the day and we skied together for a bit, soaking in the last of the sun and taking in a few more spectacular views, but by now I was tired and cold. It had been between -10 and -16 degrees all day and the wind had been whipping snow in our faces at the top of the mountain. When the sun is in front of you and the snow comes in the very fine champagne-powder the Rockies are known for it looks like your skiing through fairy dust. It can be quite mesmerising, not always a good thing when you're concentrating on not falling down the bloody great hill you're stood on.
The day done we headed home in our Caravan and were back in Calgary by 6.30. A great weekend all round.
Pop quiz: SKIING, how many other words in the English language can you think of with a double i? Please comment. I can only get 2.
Also, why is every 'lifty' (chap or chapess working a ski lift) in the whole country seemingly Australian?
3 comments:
Good to hear of your weekend.I thought you and Victoria went skiing in Bulgaria not to long ago.I also recall that you were a Red Runner in your sking past.Oh well.Had another to rounds of 9 hole golf at the Arboretum Municipal course both under 50 (49 48) its not an easy course narrow fairways,water hazards,lots of scrub and shrub.Got another lesson this week on chipping and advice on purchasing a new set from the Pro.Sarah came and stayed last Sunday night, her school had a training day and her head gave her permission to work from home.She has been on a NO alcohol for the month of November as she felt she'd been hammering the Guiness and had put on weight.Well done Sarah except even adding for the fact that she'd also given up cheese she hadn't lost an ounce which did peeve her just a little. The band are hoping to audition a bass player and a drummer this coming weekend.I couldn't get my head around the fact that they have gigged in some influecial venues and had such positive feedback without a rythm section,they must be very good.We have enjoyed the last two weekends in the Parlour with lovely fires and our new 23" Samsung digital HD Ready tv,isnt half different,still doesnt make some of the content any better though.Dont forget Tina's birthday 6th Dec,she's taking me out for a meal on the night it's a secret.Also Ray (of Carol & Ray is having SURPRISE 60th do on Sat 8th, D J's required so probably wont be around for any telephone contact but then you lead such busy and exciting lives right now you wouldn't have phoned anyway.Got to go to Court now.Love to you both Papa x
Ithought that you and Victoria went Skiing in Bulgaria not so long ago,I also recall that you used to be a Red Runner at QM,do you forget what is a difficult skill to learn to that extent.Perhaps I'm wrong.Have had two 9 hole rounds of golf both uer 50 (49 48) at the Arboretum,its quite a difficult course with narrow fairways,water hazards on most holes and lots of scrub and bush to lose your balls.Sarah came to stay at the weekend,she's well, has been a member of the temperence society for the month of November as sh'd been hammering the Guiness and had put on weight. At the end of her month she has not lost an ounce even though she also gave up cheese at the same time,she's a bit miffed.Her band are auditioning a drummer and a bass player this weekend, Icouldnt get my head around the fact that they've played some influential gig's and had such positive feedback without a rythm section, thet must be very good.
By cheating at Onelook I see there's hundreds (!) of *ii* words. (Of which at least, er, 50 must be bona fide real words, right?)
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