Getting the Most out of Your Lesson

Have you ever experienced a lesson where everything just clicked and you were able to make a big change in your skiing? Perhaps the instructor said, did, or showed something that resonated with you. Just as likely, you were in a receptive place and open to learning that day. Being an active participant in the process ensures that you are getting the most out of your lesson.

How do you actively participate in a lesson? Take charge of your own success. Be open to trying what the instructor suggests. Your instructor knows your ability and wouldn't be asking you to do something if you were not capable. Sometimes a change is going to feel awkward at first. Stick it out and give it a chance.

Watch the instructor's demonstration closely and try to mimic not only the tactic but also the speed and turn shape. Pay attention to how you feel while doing it. Do you feel more or less in balance than usual? Where in the turn are you feeling pressure? On which ski?

Ask questions when you don't understand something. If you are not getting individual feedback ask for it. Listen to not only your feedback but also the feedback for the rest of the group. As they are of comparable ability to you, they are likely working on similar things. Plus if you have any aspirations to instruct someday, this is a great way to develop your eye to spot things people are doing well and things they can do to improve.

Be supportive of the other members of your group. When you see them make a positive change, tell them. Keep it positive. Instead of saying, "hey, you finally got your legs apart" try "your edging was really strong when you were skiing with a wider stance". Hopefully they will return positive comments when you do something well. And by following these simple tips, you will soon be giving them lots on which they can compliment you.

Women: Not Just Little Men

[Photo above: Britt Janyk]

Walking into a ski store these days you can't help but notice the proliferation of women-specific ski equipment. Is it all a clever marketing ploy or is there something to it?

There are technical and anatomical differences between male and female skiers. Women have a lower centre of gravity and thigh bones that angle towards the knee which can contribute to an "A-frame". For years women got beat up over this in lessons as male instructors tried to get their image to mirror that of a man's. Now it is recognized that so long as both skis are at the same angle on the snow a little A-frame can be okay! As a woman may not have the same strength as a man, putting her hips inside the turn gives her the leverage she needs to resist the forces of the turn.

In the photo above does Britt Janyk have an A-frame? That is, is her outside (right) shin at a different angle than her inside (left) shin? Absolutely. But are her skis on the snow at the same angle? Again, yes. So, is there anything wrong with the way she is skiing? Absolutely not! I know I'd like to carve a turn like her!

Women-specific equipment has come a long way in addressing women-specific issues. Women's boots are a lower height and tulip-shaped to accomodate women's lower calf muscle. They have padding specifically placed for women's anatomical foot shape. The most imprtant determinant in whether a woman's boot is right for you is your foot and your level of ability. A qualified boot fitter is essential in finding the right boot for you.

Women's skis, once known more for their pretty graphics than for performance, now come in high performance options. The concept is to have a woman's skis that is energy-saving yet athletically high performance by making adjustments to side cut, flex, weight and mounting system of the ski. Like any ski, it is best to try before you buy and go for what feels good and improves your performance, rather than what colour they are. Of course, if they happen to be a pretty colour, that's just bonus!

Why Wait for Snow? Start Skiing Right Now!

How would you like to transport yourself from in front of this computer screen to be on the slopes right now? Picture your favourite ski run laid out before you. See the trees covered with snow, the village down below, and the undulating surface of perfectly groomed snow with a dusting of fresh powder. It's first thing in the morning and you have the whole run to yourself. As you push off and begin to ski you can hear the snow spray beneath your skis as you carve the perfect turn. You feel the sun's warmth and a cool crisp breeze on your cheeks as you make your way down the slope linking one round turn after another. It's the run of your life.

Visualization is not only a great way to enjoy the sensation of skiing out of season or when you can't get to the hill, but is also a proven method of improving our skills by building muscle memory. One famous study on the topic was conducted by Dr. Blaslotto at the University of Chicago where he split people into three groups and tested each group on how many basketball free throws they could make. The first group practiced free throws every day for an hour. The second group just visualized themselves making successful free throws. The third group did nothing. After 30 days he tested them again. The first group improved by 24%. The second group improved by 23% without touching a basketball!!! The third group did not improve which was expected.

Imagine how much you can improve your skiing if you combine practicing with the mental rehearsal technique of visualization! Elite athletes do it all the time. You have probably seen ski racers at the start with their eyes closed, leaning on their poles, skiing with their arms through a course. For every one time they can physically run a course, they have hundreds of opportunities to practice it in their minds.

Tips for successful visualization:

1. Visualization works best if you make it a multi-sensory experience. Involve sight, sound, and feeling like we did in the opening scenario.
2. Visualize events unfolding out of your eyes (the first person). Think about the same things you think about when you are actually skiing. Feel the same positive sensations.
3. Picture yourself being successful. If you are just learning to ski the moguls don't picture yourself skiing through them with trepidation. Visualize yourself absorbing them as you execute rythmical controlled turns.
4. Practice. Just like you didn't learn to ski in a day, visualization is a skill that gets better the more often you do it.

I look forward to seeing you on the slopes soon. Until then enjoy many perfect runs in your mind!

Making the Most of your Preseason Training

So, how's that off-season training going? Are you doing everything you vowed you would at the end of last season? Don't worry. For the majority of skiers who did less physical activity than they hoped this summer, there is still time to gear up for ski season. The key is to focus on the four areas of fitness most integral for skiing performance – stamina, the core, balance, and fast feet.

Increasing your stamina allows you to get the most out of your day on the slopes. To boost your cardiovascular endurance, introduce or increase cardio activity. Choose what you enjoy – running, cycling, in-line skating, rowing, or rope jumping are all good bets. Mix it up to stave off boredom. Increase the quantity (time or mileage) by no more than 10% per week to allow your body to adapt to the new stresses and ward off injury.

Because skiing requires the body to move and rotate around three different axes, in three planes of motion, training your core is essential for optimal performance. A strong core will allow you to recruit the right muscles, improving balance, timing, and deceleration control, not to mention preventing injuries. Using tools such as a stability ball, BOSU ball, wobble boards, and stretch bands while doing such basic exercises as squats and lunges will strengthen the lower core and legs in all planes of motion.

From beginner to expert, balance is the most fundamental skiing skill. Skiing is an open-skilled sport. The terrain changes continuously so in order to stay upright we must continuously adapt. Training balance is as simple as introducing unstable surfaces to your routine. The tools mentioned above all work great as do a full foam or half foam roller or even a rolled up towel. For fun, look for safe ways to challenge your balance in your environment – trail running, balancing on a log, or on a “tightrope walking” a curb.

Finally, how many of us would like to do shorter, tighter turns and really ace the moguls? Fast feet training improves foot speed and lateral movement making it easier to adapt to terrain changes, increasing stability. Before starting fast feet drills make sure you are warmed up. Then have fun! I like to do intervals of running up and down staircases as fast as I can. Just be sure to hold the handrail! Hopping and jumping drills also work well – especially those that have you jumping in all directions. Just be sure to do them on a soft surface that is forgiving to the joints.

Just remember, you still have time. Work on your cardio, core, balance, and fast feet now and by the time the snow arrives a fitter you will be ready for your best season yet!

Skiing in heaven - Sunday, Aug 17

[Photos above: me pausing enroute for photo, group shot minus Sandy and Shelley who were filming, view for final run of the "summer season"]

What an amazing way to end our trip! After over 24 hours of continuous snow, the day dawned bright and clear. All the better to view the winter wonderland the mountain had become. The staff at El Colorado groomed many swaths down the mountain as they could really use the coverage the heavy snowfall provided. The grooming was a little rough. Casey explained it usually is after a big dump as there are many air pockets in the snow. Watching the cats yesterday evening attempt the task was something as the snow was higher than their tracks. There was plenty of snow off-piste that wasn't groomed but it was super heavy. Most of us did not have the strength left in our legs after yesterday to give it a go. Casey, however, made it look easy as he floated through it.

A lot of photos were taken as we wanted to capture the beauty of the place with the fresh layer of snow. We started skiing at 9:00 today rather than 9:30 and carried through to lunch without taking a break. After one last fondue it was time to head back to the hotel to shower and finish packing to head to Santiago. Our one autobus gave us a little scare as it didn't show up until an hour after it was due. It then got stuck turning around through the snow as soon as we got in. It took us only the first few switchbacks before we had to transfer into an older mini-bus for the rest of the journey. I noted that there are 38 marked switchbacks on the mountain yet there are easily a half dozen before the marked switchbacks and that many again at the bottom. The top switchbacks were slushy for our return trip and the mini-bus had chains on its tires that he had to stop and remove once we got below the snow. Luckily he took the turns at a much more moderate speed than the small cars whizzing past us.

The mountain looked quite different on the way down than it had a week previously. The snow line extended much further down. In fact, we even saw cacti covered in snow. We also noted more horses grazing on the side of the mountain. They did not look comfortable. Even with the late bus, we made it to the airport in plenty of time and were able to get to duty-free before boarding.

I am now an adamant proponent of melatonin as I again took a couple before the flight. I stayed awake for dinner on the plane and then fell asleep until breakfast. Even with an uneasy, fitfull sleep, being asleep during most of it certainly makes an 11 hour flight shorter! It was a weird coincidence that Casey and I were seated together given that I didn't book as part of the group and it was a huge plane. It worked out well though as I could get up when he did and stretch occasionally through the flight.

When I got off the plane in Toronto it felt like I had traveled somewhere tropical. The hot cloying weather made me yearn for the crisp cool air we had left behind. There was a lot of hugging at the airport as the group said their good-byes with most of us driving to our homes in southern Ontario and Ginny and Casey flying on to Edmonton and Calgary respectively.

All in all, the trip to Chile was a great experience. I am glad I got to see another part of the world. Though further than Europe, the travel was actually easier than getting to most ski destinations in Europe. The people on the trip were completely first rate. Sandy and Casey did a fantastic job helping us improve our skiing and showing us a good time. What a fantastic trip!

POW POW!!! - Saturday, Aug 15

[Photos above: our overnight snowfall, making snow angels]

Wow! What a day! Woke up to at least a couple feet of fresh powder with a bucket load still coming down. The mountain looked completely different today - a veritable winter wonderland. I was really glad the last two days weren't too intense so I had some energy for the deep, deep snow.

Sandy started us off with some slower skiing, leading into turns with a wedge, the Jeep of the Alps. We then went on an extended adventure as we couldn't see where we were on the mountain due to the snow that was puking down. (Sorry, couldn't think of a more descriptive word than puking.) At one point Sandy went the wrong way and started down a gulley where we had noticed big rocks the day before. He realized his error in time to redirect the rest of us the right way. For him to get out he had to take off his skis and climb up a cliff. At the top part of it there was no rock, only snow, and Sandy was concerned it may give way. To help Greg got on his stomach and helped pull him up. Excitement!

As the morning progressed we all got more comfortable and competent with skiing the powder. As if to challenge us, it kept snowing hard through the day making each run fresh tracks and each run deeper than the last. I learned the hard way never to take your goggles off on a humid day like today. They fogged up so badly I felt like I was skiing underwater. I had one wipeout where I landed on my face. I spit out a mouthful of snow before clearing my snowfilled goggles. Luckily any falls felt like landing on a pile of pillows. By afternoon we did a run where the snow was mid-thigh. We had to pretty much straight run it. I felt like a human snowplow! What an unbelievable day!!!

We are now doing apres at the one bar at the base of the mountain so I best get back to my group. We still ski tomorrow morning before heading back. It is going to be incredible as they are calling for sun with all this wicked, wicked snow. What a fantastic way to end the trip!

P.S., Josh, eat your heart out!

Skiing Day 5 - Friday, Aug 14

[Photo above: clockwise from bottom left - Rory, Steve, Shelley, Casey, and Sandy playing euchre]

Trying to get wireless access in this hotel sucks. I guess I'll have to go back to the bar with my computer tomorrow to update my blog and add photos.It is incredibly stormy here tonight. The wind is howling so hard that anything not solidly secured is flying across the mountain. We are lucky that our room is on the opposite side of the direction of the wind as the other condos have windows shaking and breezes coming through them.It was the windiest day I've ever skiied. Because of the intense wind no chairlifts were running. Even the t-bars were running really slowly. One time I came over a ridge and the wind I hit was so strong it almost stopped me dead in my tracks.

We had a mid-morning break where I tried milo for the first time. It is a type of hot chocolate that is popular in the southern hemisphere including Australia. It was very good. At lunch six of us shared a delicious cheese fondue. By that point the lifts were all closed so we had no choice but to call it a day. Pam, Ginny, and I checked out the two small hillside shops and then walked back to the hotel.The afternoon and evening's entertainment once again centred around the one deck of cards I had thought to bring. I finally learned how to play euchre. I wish I had brought my dominos! Hopefully the weather improves for tomorrow. Good night.

Skiing Day 4 - Thursday, Aug 13

[Photo above: our hotel, the Monte Blanco]

Yay! Internet access! Posting all my blogs today. I think the week is catching up on me as I am feeling quite fatigued, not to mention a little sore. The sad thing is that I'm convinced that it is more from the t-bars than skiing! The winds were howling this morning. The chairlifts were not open so we rode the t-bars to the top and did a few runs before even the t-bars were closed due to the high winds. We had quite an adventure making our way through the 100 km/hr winds with 160 km/hr with gusts back to the main chalet. After an extended coffee break we made the call to call it a day and headed back to the hotel. Of course once we had changed into regular clothes, the winds died down and the lifts re-opened. Pam and I decided to still call it a day. I thought I'd have a better rest of the week if I rested my sore muscles today. TTYS.

Skiing Day 3 - Wednesday, Aug 12

[Photos above: mountain view during coffee break. Lunch time. Mmmm....crepes....]

Very different weather today. Overcast and chilly. Still warm by Canadian winter standards but not like the summer weather we've been having. The frozen over slushy snow from yesterday made for some challenging runs. Conditions were better on the far side of the mountain which is serviced by, you guessed it, t-bars. The wind is howling now so it will be interesting to see what it will be like tomorrow.

We skiied with Casey again today. There were only three of us with him today so we each got tons of individual attention. My short radius turns were back to being as good as they were last year. :) My knee has not been an issue. :) :) :)

The gang is now playing euchre with a deck of cards I brought. I am actually going to hit the sack soon as I'm wiped after another full day. Buenos noches.

Skiing Day 2 - Tuesday, Aug 11

[Photos above: 1) The view from my room. Note Santiago down in the valley. 2) Apres ski

Another beautiful sunny day! I'm already sporting a better tan from these two days than the rest of summer. Wore just shell layers today as it was really warm.

We broke up into 2 groups for the morning to do some ski improvement. Casey led our group of four. The theme of the lesson was using only the movement necessary to accomplish the task - a great theme for day 2. It was very effective. My short radius turns were fun and snappy under this guidance. It felt awesome particularly under the beating sun on hero snow.
I shared lunch with Pam today. Lunch was again on a deck in as little layers as we could manage. In the afternoon the entire group reunited and did some fast carving runs. My legs (EVEN MY KNEE!!!) are holding up beautifully! I am taking a couple Advil every morning to manage the swelling in my knee and it's working well.

My skis are not faring as well. I hit a rock while following Casey down a run. I managed to keep my balance but tore a strip out of one of my bases. We'll have to fix it before we can before I head out tomorrow.

Everyone has gone to sleep already. I think a few were partying too hard earlier in the week and are using today to catch up. It seems there may be wireless in a common room downstairs. I'll have to check it out tomorrow after skiing. Good night.

Skiing Day 1 - Monday, Aug 10

[Photos above: the group of 11 and the switchbacks on the way to Valle Nevado]

What a beautiful day! The sun was shining. The sky was bright blue. I got more sun skiing today than I have the rest of our "summer" combined. It was super warm. I was wearing only a shell with one top and had my zips wide open and was toqueless. I had my gloves off for most lifts. Tomorrow I'm going to try my shell pants, soft shell jacket, spring gloves, and sunglasses. The condo is visible from most of the ski area but involves tons of stairs so is not an incredibly easy place to get back to to drop off layers.

All 11 skiied together today. Everyone is at least a Level 2 instructor so all ski well. The terrain is really wide open, much like glacier skiing. Like glacier skiing, we did have a few t-bar rides but luckily here they were interspersed with chairlift rides. Feeling really natural to be skiing.

Dinner was good tonight. Food on the hill for lunch was quite expensive but huge portions so I'm going to try to share with someone tomorrow. Time for bed now. We are meeting for breakfast at 8:00. Buenos noches.

Arrival at El Colorado - August 9

A very interesting drive today. The 20 switchbacks required 30-some odd turns to get us to our mountain top destination. The road is one way with traffic going up in the morning and down in the afternoon. The road was very narrow with no shoulders yet three little cars managed to snake their way by our little van. Most of the way the mountain side was very arid with yellowed grass and cacti. It wasn't until we got near the top that we saw snow.

It is very warm. I walked around wearing only a long sleaved t-shirt and jeans. The sun is bright and you can see for miles. Our hotel is perched at the top of a ridge. You have to walk up three sets of stairs before you can even begin walking up to the third floor that I'm on. The rooms are actually little suites with two bedrooms, 1 1/2 baths, a living room and kitchenette. They are very basic and a little less than clean. There are three people per suite and I'm lucky enough to have the single room with Queen sized bed in mine. I have a big closet with tons of shelves and a window with an incredible view of the mountainscape with Santiago lit up below. There was a beautiful sunset view tonight. My two roommates are Ginnie from Edmonton and Shelley from Toronto. I know them, and for that matter everyone else on the trip, from Zermatt.

What we can see of the ski area actually reminds me of Zermatt. We are above the tree line with wide open runs and lots of suface lifts. We'll see what I think of it tomorrow. There is nothing else really here other than the skiing.

Everyone has already gone to sleep and I will be joining them shortly. Good night!

Santiago - Aug 8

Sorry I haven't written sooner. It's been a whirlwind 24 hours. Our flight left late as there was a mechanical issue with the emergency floor lights. We almost missed it as we went to a quieter area to wait as the gate was extremely busy and noisy. I guess the reason the area was quiet was because you couldn't hear announcements. Oops!

The flight was really good. I took a couple of melatonin pills to make me sleepy and managed an hour sleep right around take-off. I then woke up for a decent pasta dinner and watched "The Boat that Rocked" which was pretty good. Afterwards I fell back to sleep for four hours. Fantastic! What a difference some sleep makes. The flight seemed shorter than flying to Vancouver.

Our hotel, the Park Plaza, was really nice. Very personal service. In fact, everyone in Chile is extremely nice. The people are a mix of Spanish-looking and indigineous. Everyone has dark hair and dark eyes. Chile has about 16 million people, 30-40% of which live in Santiago. So with a population of aroind 5 million, Santiago is around the same size as the GTA (Greater Toronto Area).

After checking in to the hotel we took the metro (subway) to the old downtown. The metro, like the whole city really, is super clean. It was also fast, smooth, and cheap. There was a lot going on in the old city - tons of people everywhere, impromptu parades. There were some beautiful buildings, particularly the Cathedral Metropolitana in Plaza de Armas, the original town square. There are palm trees throughout the city so compared to our winters, or even this year's summer, the weather was fantastic. I wore only a t-shirt and jeans most of the day, occasionally slipping on a hoodie in the shade. We had lunch at an outdoor patio. Menus are only in Spanish but I recognize enough foods to get by. In fact I ended up being our little group's guide and translator, remembering more Spanish than I expected.

On our way back to the metro station we wound our way throught the Barrio Paris-Londres - cobblestone streets and more great buildings. On the other end of the metro we stopped at a gelateria for gelattos. Prices for everything are really good here although everything sounds expensive due to all of the zeros in the currency. For example my gellato was 1,000 pecos which is $2.22 Canadian.

Back at the hotel I had an hour nap and the got ready to go out. Then two other members of our ski group, Brenda and Greg, met Rory, Steve, and I for drinks at our hotel. Our hotel had given us each a coupon for a complimentary pisco sour. Yummy! Very similar to a lime margarita but with icing sugar and a raw egg white thrown into the mix. Does that qualify as an energy drink?

For dinner we walked six blocks to Bar Liguaria, a restaurant I had read about in my guide book. It was FANTASTIC! It had a really fun and vibrant atmosphere. The service was stellar. Food was tasty and really well-priced. With our bread they brought a home-made salsa and garlic butter. Delish! Everyone was very happy with my selection.

I got home early enough to get a good eight hours sleep. Nice to be starting a trip well rested! A buffet breakfast was included at the hotel. The fruit was incredible! Hard to believe it is winter here given the freshness and variety of fruit. There were two fruit I had never even seen before. One kiwi-coloured fruit looked like a cross between a dragon fruit and a kiwi. Another fruit's colour and flavour was a cross between a papaya and mango with the texture of a melon. Yum!

I'm now at the airport picking up the rest of the group. We are about to leave for the mountains. I didn't bother paying for wireless in Santiago but am hoping I'll get it at our next destination so I can post future write-ups and photos on my blog. Either way I'll write more soon!

Day of the Quatchi - Easter Monday

[Photos above: Quatchi in his natural environment; plotting a route; riding Peak 2 Peak, ascending the Creekside gondola]

Our last day dawned with promise - big white flakes in the village. We elected to begin on Blackcomb. We got off the shuttle at the Blackcomb base and got on the Wizard Express. It is a bubble chair but as the bubble was coated with snow, there was no way I wanted to be closed in on it. Instead we kept it open and had inches of fresh snow on us by the time we got to the top. From it we took the Solar Coaster. By the time we were at the top of the second chair we were covered with snow and raring to hit the powder. It was definitely the most fresh snow of any day I have been out this year. On our first run, Springboard, we were in fresh snow over the tops of our boots. It was tiring as we figured out how to deal with it. We were both wishing we had powder skis to float on top instead of sinking in with our skinny Eastern skis. As challenging as it was though it was so much fun. The snow was soft underfoot and so quiet as we floated through it. Huge flakes continued to fall as we skiied.

After that first run we took Wishbone, one of the two runs of the day according to the lifties, and then went on to Zig Zag. Every run was covered with huge amounts of fluffly loose snow. By mid-morning we were exhausted and stopped at the Glacier Creek Lodge for a hot chocolate break. We decided to ski more runs in the Crystal Ridge area as being amongst the trees these runs were nicely protected from the wind with great visitbility. Over the course of the morning we did Trapline, Ridge Runner, Twist & Shout, Backstage Pass, and Rock 'n' Roll doing the circuit up Excelerator to Crystal chair each time.

By 1:00-1:30 we were getting hungry and decided to start making our way somewhere to eat. As the snow had now stopped and the sky was clear, we decided to take Jersey Cream to the top and the Peak 2 Peak across to Whistler. The views were breathtaking.As we did not take a glass bottom gondola this time we looked out the windows instead of down for a whole different perspective.

As we had such a fantastic lunch at Dusty's yesterday we decided to make our way down to Creekside again for lunch today. This time we took Pony Trail to Little Red Run to Franz's. Franz's run is actually going to the Women's Downhill and GS course for the Olympics. It was neat that we took the Men's Olympic run one day and the Women's the next. As with yesterday, the bottom part of the mountain was very slushy and a lot of work for our tired legs. The restaurant was like an oasis at the bottom of the run.

We had a fabulous lunch and then took the Creekside gondola up and skiied back to download on the Whistler gondola as it was already later in the afternoon and our legs were toast. What a fantastic day!

Upon getting back to the condo we had a good soak in the hot tub. Even with almost 10 hours of sleep last night I was having trouble staying awake in the hot tub. After the hot tub we walked into the heart of the village and did a little browsing. We decided to have a quiet last night in so we bought a couple of slices of pizza at Avalanche and ate at home and watched Dancing with the Stars.

It has been a great four days of skiing. I forgot how much I love Whistler. I hope it won't be as long before I am back again.

Whistler Creekside - Easter Sunday

[Photos above: Michelle testing out the Olympic bob sled; me seeing what it feels like to be on the top step of the podium]

After our big night out last night we had a slower start today. We leisurely made our way to the Westin to pick up our skis that we had left at Shane and Amy's the previous night. Shane and Amy were still having breakfast so Michelle and I headed up Whistler on our own. In the lift line I ran into Esta Evans who had just moved here from Toronto and was doing a session as part of Whistler Ski Ski School.

It was raining in the village but as we ascended the rain turned into snow. We started by taking Jolly Green Giant to Marmot to get over to the Harmony Express chair. My plan was to get over to Symphony where we would hopefully find some untracked powder. Not such a great plan as it turned out. Symphony was closed and visibility was brutal at the top of Harmony. A couple of snow hosts suggested we get down taking Harmony Piste and we followed their advice. At the bottom we grabbed Sidewinder to get back to the Emerald chair. Conditions off the Emerald Chair were spectacular. There was a ton of loose fresh snow and great visibility. It was crowded by western standards but way less so than I am used to in the East. We did the rest of Jolly Green Giant for our first run and then headed into Ego Bowl for our second. It is only rated a green but had some soft fluffy bumps I wanted to jump into. They were so easy to ski that I was able to fly through them.

To do something different today we decided to ski down to Creekside for lunch. I had seen Dusty's on Pontiac World of Skiing and it looked really good. We took Dave Murray's Downhill, the run that is going to be used for the Men's Downhill and Super G in the Olympics. It was cool to see where they had already set up netting and interim timing intervals. I tried to memorize the hill so I could remember it when I watch the Olympics next winter. A big chunk of the run was in the fog which hopefully the racers won't face when careening down it at speeds far exceeding ours. The bottom portion was really slushy making me think of Slurpees.

Dusty's was great - fantastic food and table service at a similar price to the cafeteria-style dining on the hill. As we finished up lunch Shane and Amy joined us, just in time to upload with us before Michelle and I quit for the day. We came back to the condo and cleaned up before meeting Shane, Amy, and Gord at Brandy's at The Keg for an apres-ski catch-up. Michelle and I then did some shopping in the village before going back to the Keg for a steak dinner. Michelle bought me a stuffed Quatchi, one of the Olympic mascots, as a thank you for staying at the condo I traded for and using the lift tickets my work suppliers provided . Quatchi is not only my favourite but judging how he is the most sold out of the mascots, everyone else's as well. Maybe Quatchi will go skiing with us tomorrow. They are calling for up to 20 cm of snow so it is going to be an early night.

Blackcomb - Sat, April 11

[Photos above: Amy + Shane - should we or shouldn't we?; Peak 2 Peak from Blackcomb]

After beautiful weather Friday, I was determined to dress in less layers today. The sun shining in the village bore out my decision. So light and free we ascended Blackcomb from the gondola to Excelerator to Glacier Express. As we rose higher it got colder and stormier and I was reminded that the big mountain experience is a little different than the east where what you see at the bottom is what you get on top. From the top of Glacier Express we took the Crystal Traverse, which was wind-swept with really poor visibility, over to Ridge Runner. At Ridge Runner everything changed. There was about an inch of fresh snow on this beautiful run that winds its way up and down rollers. No one else was around. It was perfect. We made our way down from it to Blackcomb Glacier Road and back to the top of the gondola. By this time I was quite warm but given the variable conditions decided to download to pick up some diffferent layers I had left at the base. It worked out perfectly as Shane called when we were in the gondola so Michelle and I made plans to grab a hot chocolate at Second Cup and then meet up with him and Amy in the village and go back up together. Shane is one of my old Voyageurs ski buddies. He and his girlfriend Amy now live in Coquitlam so it was great to reconnect and share some turns together.

We spent the day on Blackcomb starting with Trapline by the Crystal Chair. The visibility kept changing making it a challenge to try to find areas of the mountain where we could see better. A highlight for me was when we raced each other down the dual slalom at the Pontiac Race Centre. Shane gave me great competition. I only beat him by 2/10 of a second.

We then hiked into Blackcomb Glacier. The entrance is much wider than it used to be. A guide told us they had blasted it out the previous year at a cost of $100,000. It definitely made for a more pleasant entrance than the ridge I remembered. There was a lot of fresh snow in the bowl. That, the poor visibility, and my wobbly legs from the day before, made it a lot of work but well worthwhile. We had lunch at Glacier Creek Lodge before heading over to 7th Heaven to do Cloud Nine. By this point Michelle's and my legs were calling stop so the two of us did the ski out as Shane and Amy went up for more.

Back in the village at 3:00 we did our part by holding a table on the patio at GLC. We were to meet Shane and Amy as well as Gord, another former Voyageur who know works at Whister, at 4:00. Unfortunately Gord was not well and had to cancel. The rest of us had a great time there before separating to go back to our condo and grab our stuff for evening. Michelle and I then joined Shane at the hot tub at the Westin where he and Amy were staying. Very nice. We didn't leave their hotel for dinner until 9:30 pm. We ended up on the second floor in a pub-ish place in the village. We didn't get home until 11:30 pm so it will be interesting to see if we are as bright eyed and bushy tailed tomorrow as we have been so far this weekend.

Whistler - Good Friday

[Photos above: me in an Inukshuk; Michelle doing her Easter bunny impression]

We had an uneventful journey to Whistler last night which is the way I like it. Air Canada even deemed fit to deliver all my luggage. Our shuttle was fast and easy and the bus driver gave us a little tour on the way up. Dave's condo is nice - comfortable, clean, a similar size to mine, and conveniently located in Marketplace.

Today dawned bright and clear. With the time difference Michelle and I up were up early and raring to go. We took the shuttle to the village and began our day on Whistler. I don't remember ever having a day so bright and clear here before. It was beautiful. For our first run of the day we went up the Peak chair as any other time I've been up it we have not been able to take advantage of the view. From it we skiied down to the bottom of the Big Red Express. We got into the shadows there which wasn't as nice as the sunny Saddle. Plus the conditions were very much Ontario hard pack. At least we were used to skiing it! We then made our way to Harmony Chair and skiied Harmony Ridge. While Michelle stayed on the trail I occasionally headed off into the ungroomed sections then linked up. Off-piste wasn't all that great in the morning as it was frozen over from a previous thaw and thus pretty rough. I still had fun playing in the smallish moguls. We eventually figured out how to get to Symphony Bowl, a new section in Whistler. It was really cool - wide open bowl at the top and some runs that lead into spaced out trees with really good snow near the bottom.

Surprisingly we weren't hungry for lunch until noon BC time. We had hoped to stay on Ontario time in order to beat the lunch crowd but were just having too much fun to stop before lunch. As we had lunch at the Roundhouse it was a perfect opportunity to take the new Peak 2 Peak gondola when we were done. We waited for one of the two cabins with a glass floor to get the full experience. The tall evergreen trees became specks as we rose above the valley floor. The gondola moved quickly and smoothly. It felt strange to be at the top of Blackcomb minutes after leaving the top of Whistler.

At Blackcomb we skiied down to the Glacier Express and then to the Horstman t-bar to get over to 7th Heaven. Unfortunately by that time the light had turned flat so we only did the Panaroma run before doing the incredibly long, incredibly breath-taking, ski-out to the village.

Once back we took the shuttle to our condo as I had to get out of my ski boots! They held up well today but at that point my feet had had enough. We are now going to hit the outdoor hot tub while we decide what to do tonight. I have a few friends I should call to see if we can hook up this weekend. Tomorrow I want to spend more time on Blackcomb and do the glacier. I can't wait!

Manly Beach, Sydney - Sun, March 15

[Photos above: Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, view from "walk"]

The torrential downpour continued last night. Heinz & Pirkko will be happy to know I took a cab to the casino. It was under $9 as the casino was so close. It was great to stay dry. Unfortunately the cards were not good to me. I'm still up for the trip but barely.

My taxi driver told me that it was supposed to rain all day Sunday. Greeeaaat...Luckily the morning skies were clear so I did not need to change my plans for the day. I took the ferry over to Manly Beach. The views of the harbour and both the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge were amazing.

At Manly I walked across Corso to the surf beach and spent the morning walking the length of the beach and over to another nearby beach in a protected cove where there were lots of people scuba diving. I had lunch on a rooftop patio overlooking Manly Beach - Corona and calamari - this is the life.

After lunch I visited a little street market and bought myself a beautiful coral ring. It's an oval shape and the colour of the coral is magnificent. I then spotted a nail place offering cheap mani-pedi's and I couldn't resist. The colour I chose had something to do with Ayer's Rock. I guess OPI customizes their names to countries. It's a reddish coral and looks great with my ring.

After stopping in a couple shops (surf shops and souvenir places) I embarked on the 10K "walk" my guidebook recommended. A strenuous hike would be a better description. I am soooo glad I wore running shoes today. The walk started off on a wide paved path that took you along harbours and beautiful residential areas. It then became a scramble across rocks and up rock formations so high that I looked way, way down on cliffs. The walk took about 5 hours. Phew! Thank goodness the views were spectacular. I got lots of photos I'll have to go through, perhaps on the plane tomorrow.
The rain held off though. I only had a few drops as I waited at a bus stop to come back downtown. This time we crossed over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The bus took me to Wynyard station from which it is a short walk to the hotel.

By the time I got back to the hotelI was wiped. I must have walked for over 8 hours today. My feet ache. My arms and chest are giving off heat as I did not use enough sunscreen. I am having a quiet relaxing night in before my journey tomorrow. I'm lying on my super comfy king bed watching TV. Oh yeah, the toiletries at this hotel are great too.

I hope you have enjoyed joining me on my travels. Stay tuned for more adventures soon. :)

Bondi Beach, Sydney - Sat, March 14

[Photos above: Bondi Beach, ominous clouds over Tamarama Beach]

It's raining again...luckily I saw it coming this time. The ominous clouds were hard to miss. I did my coastal walk from Bondi enroute to Bronte when I figured I better abort. I stopped at Tamarama and found a bus shelter. I took shelter just as the downpour started, complete with thunder and lightning this time. The good news: I'm dry and the bus that comes to this shelter actually goes to Bondi Junction, the train station I need to get to to get back downtown. The bad news: I have to wait 50 minutes or so for the bus. Oh well, not too bad all things considered.

I have been actually been doing well with public transit. The hotel is between two major train stops so I was able to walk to the hotel from Wynyard station when I came from the airport. Then I walked to Town Hall station to catch a train to Bondi Junction and then took a bus from there to Bondi Beach. Tomorrow (weather permitting) I'll walk to the Circular Quay to take a ferry to Manley Beach. I passed Circular Quay on the way from the airport. The train was above ground there so I got a good view of the Sydney Harbour bridge.

I did well with the hotel too. I was upgraded to a suite on the top (15th) floor. I have a living area, desk, microwave, mini-fridge, and walk-in closet. I should have asked if I could stay in a smaller room and get a harbour view as the view is nothing to write home about. But the hotel is very nice, in a good area, with a lot of attentive staff.

Once I get back to the hotel I will clean up and head out to Star City for some evening entertainment (blackjack). I will probably eat dinner at the casino as I think there are a few options there.

Winding Down - Thurs-Fri, March 12-13

[Photos above: exposed rocks at Snapper Rocks; me surfing]

My days in Coolangatta are numbered. I'm feeling the end drawing near and I'm none to happy about it. I have completely adapted to the time zone and my skin has decided that it is no longer allergic to Australia. I've even worked up a nice base tan although most of the time the weather is overcast with showers threatening constantly. The beach was actually closed on Thursday due to "extremely unstable beach conditions" so I was unable to surf. The rocks at Snapper Rocks are now completely exposed with no sand on top to walk over them. At least it cleared up in the afternoon and I was able to enjoy a little beach time. Could the end of the bad weather be in sight?

Regrettably no, the high winds and rains were back with a vengence on Friday. Mom, Dad, and I walked all the way to Kirra Surf in decent weather. It then started pouring as we made our way back. We took a short cut going up over an incredibly steep hill. At one point it looked like we wouldn't be able to make our way to the other side but luckily it was open to pedestrians.

Once back I surfed in the rain and ended my surfing days by paddling onto a wave and riding it all the way to the beach. Sweet. Tomorrow I'm off to Sydney for the weekend before making my way home. I wish I could be one of those people who are anxious to get home after a vacation but no matter how much I love my life back home I never want any vacation to end.

Byron Bay – Wed, March 11

[Photos above: views from Byron Bay]

Another overcast rainy day. Damn cyclone! The rain here is like in Hawaii where it blows in suddenly, downpours, and then goes away. So, while not the best day for sightseeing, there wasn’t much else to do in this weather.

We drove south to Byron Bay. It is only 50 km or so from Coolangatta. I’ve been there before on my two earlier visits to Australia and wanted to return for the out-of-the-world views and cool shops. Upon arrival we drove immediately to the lighthouse for the best views of the coastline, beaches, and back to Byron Bay. Like the other times I’ve been there we spotted a pod of dolphins playing on the waves below. Because the water was so stirred up we didn’t see their whole bodies so much this time, mostly their fins as they came up for air. It was still really cool. We hadn’t been out of the car for 15 minutes when a downpour blew in. We ran for the lighthouse and killed time in the gift shop waiting for the worst of the storm to pass. While there I found a cool wooden bracelet for only $10 so all was not lost. When the storm had died down somewhat we headed back out to take in some more of the picturesque views.

Our next stop was the main street of Byron Bay where we had a little look-see in the shops before having lunch in a sidewalk café that didn’t look like much but had wicked sandwiches. I’m eating avocado in everything here. It is so good.

We then left Byron and traveled north of Coolangatta to Benowa to pay a return visit to the RSL lottery house. Mom and Dad had really liked the artwork in the house and wanted to see if they could source it for their house. They referred us to a few shops that we also took a look around in.

We ended the day at Jupiter’s Casino in Broadbeach. This time I took in $55 playing Blackjack. I was up $105 at one point and should have quit then but as I was doing well I decided to keep going. Oh well, at least I still quit while I was ahead. I’m now up $160 in casino playing this trip.

Surfin’ Safari – Mon-Tues, March 9-10

[Photos above: Warning sign at popular surf beach which may explain why Aussies are so tough - natural selection takes care of the weak. Me at said beach.]

A couple of days chillin’. Began each day with a morning walk which was followed up by surfing. Monday was tough. Waves were really choppy and breaking apart. A cyclone from the north was really affecting things. On Tuesday I headed out at 8:00 am instead of 10:00 am to try to get better conditions. It was super deep as tide was in and high. I had to paddle onto waves rather than push off the ground. It made it tougher but more gratifying when I did catch waves and ride them in.

Otherwise I spent my time walking to the mall, booking flights to Sydney, taking in a free movie at Twin Towns club, reading my book on the Wurtele sisters, and sipping shanties at the Coolangatta Hotel. The Cooly Hotel is really more of a pub than hotel. In Australia hotels are pubs. Clubs are pubs. And pubs are pubs. Basically every public building with the (possible) exception of schools and churches are pubs.

The surf competition is still on. It’s winding up to the finals. I may check it out again this afternoon before my trip back to the Coolie. Ahhhh, life is tough….

Roxy/Quicksilver Pro Tourney – Sat-Sun, March 7-8

[Photos above: crowd at tourney, Winner of Roxy Pro Tourney)

The Quicksilver Pro Tournament (Men’s World Championship Tour) returned to Snapper Rocks at Rainbow Bay on Saturday. Rainbow Bay is where I surf so while I managed to catch some great waves Saturday I elected not to rent a board Sunday as the buoys marking the competition are now covering most of the bay. What little area remains is full of the weekend crowd. The last thing I want to do is make myself infamous by being the surfer who drops in in front of one of the pros catching a big break.

On Saturday I watched three heats of the Men’s competition. The last was won by Dane Reynolds, a US pro, who had one wicked ride which scored him a perfect 10. It was awesome to see live. At the end of the heat he walked right by me on his way out of the water. The pro surfers are really friendly and, though exhausted, stop to sign autographs and take photos with fans on their way up the beach.

Saturday night we met Mom and Dad’s friends, Heinz and Pirko, for dinner at the Tweed Heads Bowls Club as it was Pirko’s birthday. While the two couples stayed to play pokies I took a cab home and had an early night.

On Sunday morning we visited the weekly markets in Coolangatta. Mom and Dad bought a painting for their bedroom back in Canada. We all got to see the finals of the Women’s competition. It got really heated at the end with only minutes left with a local girl winning the title.

We are planning to barbeque dinner on the beach tonight so hopefully the crowds will die down.

Mount Tambourine/Surfer’s Paradise – Friday, March 6

[Photos above: In Coolangatta on the way to “hire” our car and in Mount Tambourine]

Road trip! We rented a car today to do something different. We started by touring the RSL Union house up for auction. It was gorgeous – an open layout beautifully decorated on a riverfront lot. I bought four tickets.

We then drove to the Hinterlands to Mount Tambourine. The drive reminded me of New Zealand – narrow road with no shoulders, occasionally down to a single lane, that creeped through beautiful countryside and up large/steep hills. The hills were labeled with gradient (most in the 14 degree area) which would be really cool if you were cycling them. But to be honest I have no desire to ride up or even down those hills on a bike. It was crazy.

Our first stop at Mount Tambourine was a winery where Mom and I sampled 6 white wines. Yum! I ended up buying a Chardonnay/Verdelho blend. We then went to the Gallery Walk where we had lunch and toured the shops. It reminded me of Unionville north of Toronto.

We then descended from the hills and headed back to the coast to Surfer’s Paradise where we browsed up and down the main streets. It is getting more upscale every time I come to Australia with an increasing number of designer shops. There is still a young scene as well with the backpacker bunch walking around barefoot everywhere. On a side note, I can’t believe how anti-footwear Australians are. I get walking barefoot to and from the beach but I’ve seen countless people dressed to go out in the evening barefoot.

We ended our day at Jupiter’s Casino where I turned my $100 Blackjack buy-in to $205. A fine ending to a great day.

Learning to surf is like learning to ski - Thu, March 5

I have come up with another story idea for CSIA Ontario’s Ski Talk magazine – “How learning to surf made me a better ski instructor”. Dave’s method has made all the difference in my surfing. Four years ago when I was in Australia I was able to catch, stand up, and ride in one wave out of 20 I tried. That one ride was so worth it that I kept at the sport. Today I was catching and riding in every second wave. Quite the progress! Why the difference? The first surf school I went to believed only in the true method of surfing – the jump up. The analogy I would use for ski instructors is that this would be equivalent to expecting all of our students to instantly be able to ski parallel. While some may be fast-tracked, for most this is not a reasonable expectation. Dave’s method where you get to bring one foot up, then get up, gets people up and surfing and enjoying it right from the get go, kind of the equivalent of teaching wedge turns to get to the end goal. Which would you prefer?

Koalas are as soft as you'd think - Wed, March 4

[Photos above: Me petting kangaroo, koalas]

It’s official. I’m allergic to Australia. I don’t want to be. I love Australia. Unfortunately since getting here I’ve been developing a rash all over my extremities. Yesterday the pharmacist gave me an antihistamine which dramatically reduced the swelling but alas after another day in the sun it’s raging again. Plus I cannot seem to put enough sunscreen on my face! My surf sessions are making my forehead and nose bright red. I’m hoping that by the end of my stay I’m rash-free and my red face becomes bronzed. We’ll see.

Today I rented a board from Dave, my surf instructor, and went out on my own. I did well catching a few waves on my own. I went out at 9:00 which is an hour earlier than I did for yesterday’s lesson. It was a mistake. The tide was still coming in and the waves were not as strong. I’ll go out later tomorrow.

The reason I surfed earlier today was because I wanted to get an earlier start on getting to Carumbin Wildlife Sanctuary this afternoon. Mom accompanied me. It was pretty neat. I got to hold a koala and have my photo taken with her. She was as soft and cuddly as you would imagine. We got to see koalas being fed which is the most active I’ve ever seen the critters. I also walked up to some kangaroos and petted them and saw crocodiles close up. All very cool.

In the evening we walked down to the Coolangatta Hotel for dinner.

Hang Ten Mate - Tuesday, March 3

[Photo above: beach bounty]

Another early morning brought another long walk with Mom. This time we started by walking up the steep hill behind their place to Point Danger (love Aussie names!). We weren’t the only ones out at 5:45 am - there were tons of surfers enjoying the waves. The area around Point Danger is stunning – a high hill with beautiful trees and rocks framing a wicked surf beach where the Quicksilver/Roxy Surfing World Cup is currently being held. I’ll have to go back another day with a camera.

At 10:00 I showed up at a surf truck advertising surf lessons. Other than a CRAZY woman in my group, I had fun. I managed to catch quite a few waves. This surf school teaches an adapted method to getting up that is much more beginner-friendly than the jump-up method I’ve learned in the past. Plus for our first lesson he pushed us onto waves for the first hour. Nothing like the sweet taste of success.

In the afternoon we walked to a local mall. There was nothing that interesting with the exception of the licorice store. Yum! I bought pineapple and strawberry flavoured licorice. The pineapple licorice is wicked.

Tuesday night is Mom and Dad’s night at Seagull’s, a club in Tweed Heads that we had to take a bus too. We had dinner then Mom and Dad hit the pokies while I tried to stay awake by doing some Sudoku.

Welcome to "Retirement" - Monday, March 2

[Photo above: view from the condo’s living room balcony]

I began my day bright and early this morning with a beautiful beach-front walk with my Mom. Bliss. The weather is perfect – hot but not disgustingly so. We walked 7km. My knee didn’t bother me at all.

We returned for a breakfast of French toast and tropical fruit – papaya, mango, pear, and apricot. Everything tastes so fresh and flavourful here. After breakfast we headed to the beach first taking a stroll and collecting seashells. I then took a boogie board we found in our condo’s storage locker out to catch some waves. I had fun despite the fact that the board was pretty useless. I definitely want to surf instead as soon as I can line up a surfboard.

The afternoon had an unusual twist. My parents and I went to the Coolangatta Hotel and they pulled out coupons so we could each get a $15 cocktail for free – mine a mix of rum, butterscotch, and ginger beer was fantastic! We then entered a gaming area off the main bar that was full of slot machines (pokies in Aussie lingo). Mini Vegas in Oz! My parents then handed in another three coupons and we were each given $3 to gamble. I love the way seniors operate! Those playing between 2:30-3:30 pm were eligible to win a cash prize of up to $500 just for playing. So we played for a little while. I lasted half an hour before I quit. That was pretty good for me as I’m not a slots fan. My mom quit with me. My dad lasted the whole hour and got entered into the draw but unfortunately did not win.

Monday nights are free movie nights at the [social] club nearest my parents’ place so we showed up at Twin Towns for a light dinner and a movie. The movie was not fantastic. It was too soon for me to sit still for that long after my journey here. I felt like I was back on the airplane watching another endless movie only this time I could not flip through a magazine or do a Sudoku puzzle while it was on! It was another early night which suited me just fine as I was anxious to get up early for another beachfront walk.

Arrival in Coolingatta

I’ve arrived! And it feels really good. Twenty-six hours of travel were quickly forgotten as I slipped on a bathing suit and made my way to the ocean minutes after my arrival. I am so excited to be back!

In the days/weeks/months leading up to my trip I really hadn’t given it much thought. I am not sure if my lack of anticipation was because I had already been to Australia twice already or because I was so busy with work and skiing leading up to my trip that I really didn’t have the mind space to think about it. But my excitement mounted as I flew from Sydney to the Gold Coast airport taking in the stunning views featured above. I was thrilled to find my parents waiting to greet me at the airport. On the drive to their condo, I was excited to recognize favourite haunts from the last time I was here four years ago. My excitement culminated in our walk along the beach.

After a little beach time we chilled on our 7th floor balcony with stunning views of Rainbow Bay. We then went for a walk to pick up some groceries for dinner in. It is definitely going to be an early night for me as I have only slept an hour or so in the last 48 hours. I am looking forward to my early morning walk along the bay.

Sunshine 2 - Friday, January 2

On my last day I wanted to return to Sunshine as I had only spent one day there and it had the best snow, both in terms of coverage and consistency. Mike Romano from Voyageurs was in Calgary for a family wedding so we arranged to meet and ski together. I was a little worried as the forecast was for -16C temperatures but the day turned out to be amazing. It was our first sunny day from start to finish. There was even a vertical rainbow in the centre of the resort for most of the day. The snow was fantastic - tons of loose snow and no icy patches like Lake Louise and Norquay. My freshly tuned edges felt sooooo much better than my railed skis did at Norquay.

Mike and I skiied A LOT. We skiied off every lift and spent a great deal of time at Goat's Eye as conditions were better there than when I was there earlier in the week. We started pretty much when the lifts opened and skiied through to around 3:00 pm. With my "private shuttle" (Mike's rented Prius) I was back in no time and even had time to go for a hot tub before beginning to pack.

The group went to Bumpers for another beef dinner. I swear I am not going to eat steak or any kind of beef for probably three months after this trip! We will be leaving early tomorrow for Calgary. So another trip winds down. I am glad I got a lot of big mountain skiing in. I am happy I found some great people to ski with. After over two weeks away from home I am actually looking forward to seeing my renovated condo, sleeping in my own bed, and just being by myself doing what I want when I want. Ahhhhh!