The Bowls Are Open!

The snow continues to fall, and the bowls are open early this year.  I’m not saying I didn’t hit any rocks (it is Apex, remember).  I’m just saying that 135cm is actually pretty decent in the Okanagan. 

It’s a whole lot better than whatever Whistler got so far this year.

This is some random guy I did a run with on the Wildside. A bit more exposed with the southern aspect so not as deep.

I was choking on it on the north side….

Funny that I’m not running into any regulars.  It was the last day of our stay that I finally ran into some familiar faces, and even then it was ski buddies from decades ago.  I even did a run with a (formerly) little girl that I used to coach way-y-y-y-y-y back in the 80’s. She was a tiny 8 year old ripper with a shy smile and a big helmet.

She’s all growed up now and kicked my ass. 

Ahhhhh, life.  Good times.

Merry Christmas

Now THAT’S a Christmas tree.  I had to walk all the way to the end of the driveway for that one. 

It was getting killed by the snowplows anyway.  Chevy’s first Christmas.  It was a good one.

I actually did get out.  I didn’t spend the WHOLE day on the couch.  Garry and Stash came up from Oliver for dinner, but lots of the family stayed at home.  My cousin is in the late stages of a difficult pregnancy, so going to a ski hill at the end of a really snowy road maybe wasn’t the best plan.

More Christmas dinner for us!  Merry Ho Ho’s to all.

Merry Christmas Eve

Perhaps we had a bit of a late start this year, but it looks like it’s going to be another epic season in the mountains.

I sort of miss the early season hikes on Seymour.  I used to rack up some crucial early conditioning on those. Oh well, if I have to wait for Christmas for my first turns, so be it.  It’s totally worth it.

I’ve been shredding lots of –20C pow the past few days, but I’ve been on my lonesome so no pics.  Instead, here’s a pile of them from the torchlight parade on Christmas Eve.

It was encouraging to note the number of youngsters out.  There was at least 20 kids out for this years event.

I think it was the biggest torchlight I’ve been in.

There’s a few old farts in there though.  My dad is in this one.

Sort of hard to see with all the snow falling though.

Oh, here comes Santa.

You could barely see him or the fireworks it was snowing so hard.

Then again, maybe the fireworks budget was slashed a bit this year.

Santa looks a bit sleepy here.  Maybe he should get on it.  He’s got a big night ahead of himself, you think he’d be a bit more alert.

…and we finish up with an underage girl singing in the local pub.  She never gets ID’d, what’s her secret?