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A Social Club For Snow Skiers and Sports Enthusiasts
Contents
Date and time: Tuesday, February 12, 2002, 7 - 9 P.M.
Valentine's party!
Location: CANYON CAFÉ
701 S. Capital of Tx Hwy. (Bee Cave Rd. & 360) 329-0400
$5 admission
by Tom Remaley, Trip Chair
On Wednesday, November 21, 2001, eighteen stalwart souls gathered at the airport at the bleak hour of 5:15 a.m. to make the airline-recommended "two-hours-before-takeoff" arrival deadline. Our numbers were reduced a bit by those who elected to opt out when the resort could not guarantee that the minimum amount of skiable terrain would be open for our arrival. But we determined eighteen pressed on, determined to make the best of it and we were rewarded well for doing so!!
Our flight to Denver and bus ride to Copper Mountain were uneventful, largely dedicated to catching up on the sleep lost in getting to the airport. Uneventful, that is, with the possible exception of our stop at the grocery and liquor stores. Despite urging from Trip Leader Tom to keep the stop to under 30 minutes, the last Austin Skiers returned to the bus 45 minutes later bearing a box of groceries so large that it took two grown men to carry it. As they boarded the bus, they were heard to mutter something about "needing to spend all of Lou's money." Upon our arrival in Copper and checking into our condo units at "Village Square," we found the most generously sized condos that we've experienced - two large bedrooms and three full baths, plus televisions, phones and even coffee makers in every room WOW! Our location at Village Square could not have been more convenient without being "ski in/ski out." We were actually located above a rental shop and were not more than a very brief (less than five minutes) walk from the American Flyer and American Eagle lifts as well as a large variety of shops and restaurants. We also found that, despite many trails being closed due to lack of snow, Copper Mountain had more snow than anywhere else in the area. This resulted in the FIS Women's World Cup races, which were originally scheduled for Vail, being moved to Copper. This proved to be a mixed blessing in that about half of the area that would have been open to us was now closed for the World Cup, but those who were interested got to watch this world class racing event live. Also, as a sort of "thank you for sharing," several of the coaches for the World Cup teams conducted an "indoor race clinic" for TSC members later in the week. Those who attended reported that this was a very interesting presentation.
With this less-than-stellar snow situation, the usual skiers mantra of "Think Snow!" quickly turned to the more assertive "Hope for Snow!!" and eventually to the epiphanous "Pray for Snow!!!" If it was the Thinking, the Hoping or the Praying will never be known, but something worked and Wednesday night it began to snow and scarcely let up the entire trip!! This allowed us to hit some fresh powder on Thanksgiving morning! A good morning was had by all, until we broke for lunch at Endo's Adrenaline Café, a favorite spot that we returned to several times in the course of our very few days in Copper. Endo's proved to be famous for its burgers and corn chowder and infamous for its very slippery floors!! (Be Careful Kevin and Vickie!!) An afternoon of skiing off the powder was followed by a good soak in the Village Square hot tubs by most of the Austin Skiers. And then, for most of the Austin Skiers on the trip, it was time for Thanksgiving Dinner at the Salsa Mountain Restaurant. T-Day dinner at a Mexican Restaurant?!?! You bet! You haven't lived until you have had Chipotle Butternut Squash Soup, Turkey or Ham rubbed with Mexican spices and roasted just right, Pinion-laced Mashed Potatoes with gravy, and all followed by a chilled Pumpkin Mousse Pie! It should be noted that when the time came to join hands and enumerate our blessings in the saying of grace, our spiritual leader Rose began the list with, "We thank you for snow."- you can't say she doesn't have her priorities in order. And, on the subject of food Copper had quite a selection of dining opportunities from which to choose, both commercial and in the condos. The Austin Skiers took advantage of the variety to the maximum. (Have you tried the Scallops in Linguini with Pesto Sauce at the Indian Motorcycle Restaurant and Bar?.. Well, if everyone else is getting a dessert, I guess I will too I'll trade you a bite of chocolate pecan pie for a bite of creme brullee: How is that tenderloin, Noel?... "Jack, Can we just pickup some Chinese from downstairs and eat in tonight?" says Carolyn: Can we go to Endo's for burgers one more time?.. Oh! Man! Rainer invited me for breakfast!.. Where the heck is Molly B's??.. Where did Carol go for dinner??)
Friday was race day and we held the "unofficial" TSC club races for "bragging rights" since the TSC event was cancelled. The Copper Mountain race staff set up a NASTAR course on the lower level of the Green Loverly run. 15 Austin Skiers participated and we came away with 9 medals, good enough for second place overall. Earning golds were: Jim Howalt, Lou Horwitz, and Rainer Vanoni (his first gold ever!!); Joe Partridge and Dorel Toma earned silvers; and bronze medal winners were: Jack Hall, Kevin Mazurkiewicz and Noel Black. Also getting a bronze was 10 year-old Inez Gaschot, in only the second time she ever skied! Way to Go Inez! Congratulations to everyone.
On Saturday, the most devoted skiers dragged sore muscles to the slopes one last time for the best powder day of the trip. There was still not a lot of terrain open, but what was open had great powder! (Past) President Jim is one of those folks who has all the luck! Here, on this final day of our trip, he encounters an old amigo on the lifts who just happens to have a condo in the area and invites him to stay a few more days!! Aprés ski was back to the hot tub to rest up for the Farewell Party and Awards Banquet. As we walked to the convention center for the party, we enjoyed the unique light show projected on the slopes beneath the American Eagle slope. The sit-down dinner was quite good and we all enjoyed the dance music provided by the D.J. (where did that little gal learn to shake like that?). But the evening needed to end sooner than we would have liked so we could get in a few hours sleep before our early morning departure. Everyone made the bus on time and we headed back to the airport. En route, we were treated to the sight of a herd of big horn sheep, sunrise over Denver, and an abundance of egg sandwiches (thanks Vicki!). Being the busiest travel day of the year, in a post-9/11 world, it took us quite a while to get to the gate (Russ and Rose, get your cappuccino after your clear security!!) But a smooth flight back to Austin left us all looking forward to the next trip!!! All is well that ends well. Think Snow for next time!
by Kathy Collins
On December 26, 35 Austin Skiers "skied out the old" and "skied in the new"year, that is, as they left behind the Christmas wrappings and dinner leftovers for the "greatest snow on earth" according to a well-known Utah boast. Our downtown Ogden, historic Ben Lommond hotel, was the setting for pleasing camaderie and wonderful food throughout the week we'll have a lot more to say about these below.
We set out for the first day of skiing at Snowbasin, the site of the 2002 Olympic Men's and Women's Downhill and Super-G events. Officials were working fast and furiously to finish the base lodge and other mountain restaurants in time for the Olympic events; it's truly a first-class resort, and the staff seemed really happy to see us! Even the lodge bathroom stall amazed us (some people are easily entertained) - one member described it as the "order of the marble bathroom stall" and others mentioned that it was larger than some rooms. Uncrowded slopes, a great lift system, and an enjoyable mountain tour got this trip off to a great start. And that "Grizzly" slope and steep start for the Men's Downhill was challenged and conquered by many of our group. Robin Sexton and Kathy Collins weren't sure about the first steep section, but Jerry Sexton assured us he would pick up the pieces. Yep, we did it! In the first of four hospital visits on this trip, one of our brand new Austin Skiers, Rob Smith, got a special escort off the mountain on a snowmobile driven by another "first timer" who said she had only watched the video, but this was her first real "rescue". Rob then got special treatment again and a special escort by ambulance to the Ogden hospital from Snowbasin. He had gotten a bit disoriented (a bit??) and finally decided later that he had suffered the "mystery fall" and had probably sustained a concussion. After getting to experience more great Utah hospitality in the hospital, Rob made a return visit after being released to discover that he wasn't imagining a little pain, as he had broken ribs. He was a great sport, cutting his trip a little short returning early to Austin, but can't wait to return for his next trip with Austin Skiers. Unfortunately Rob wasn't our only hospital visit, as Don Warren dislocated his shoulder, and roommate Ed "Doc" Buster assured him it "didn't look quite right", and this was confirmed by another doc new to the club, David Grayson. Don also had to cut short his ski days, but he was also a great sport and enjoyed his trip (BTW, "Doc's" son Ed Buster, Jr. and his wife Alisa are expectant parents, and were also a great addition to our trip). Phyllis Penniston was a bit "under the weather" and toughed it out after a visit to the hospital and returned to the slopes before the end of the trip. We'll look forward to a FULL trip for Phyllis in Mammoth when she chairs that trip in March. Now, more of that food and camaraderie thing - the aprés ski fun continued after arriving home from the slopes (as it did all week) as the hotel had a free happy hour on weekdays with HOT wings (did I mention they were HOT!), as well as a complimentary full service breakfast every morning. We also gathered every morning to visit the "stoic" omelet chef and the efficient wait staff who would take your breakfast if you weren't grasping onto it. The first night, we experienced "international" dining by starting with a pizza party the first night in Head Tripper Barbara Bobo's room, which was an inexpensive delight.
We changed locale on the second day and went to Powder Mountain, where indeed "powder" is commonplace. Again, the staff met us at the vans, carrying skis, and welcoming us to "Utah's Best Kept Secret" (those Utahans sure like to brag!). Indeed, after a very enjoyable mountain tour and a great day of skiing, we chose to return to Powder for our third day. The "Green Girls", Jan Keeling, Barbara Jacquin, and Pat Shirejian mastered the greens and graduated to the "Blue Babes" by the end of the trip. On Sunday, the group returned to Snowbasin to watch American Olympic hopeful Bode Miller win the Men's Gold Cup race and several other talented skiers who finished their qualification for the Olympic team. Monday found the group splitting up between the two mountains with Thomas Thrams, David Phillips, Doug Jordan and Phyllis Penniston and some of the other advanced skiers wanting to return to Snowbasin to those Olympic runs, while those of us who were looking for a bit more intermediate skiing, elected to go back to Powder Mountain. Again, another great day was had by all! Did I mention food and camaraderie? Well, the international cuisine theme was kept afloat by some in the group's dinner visits Italian, Greek, and Chinese restaurants during these nights, as well as trying "Polygamy" (um, that's the local Utah beer!) at the local hangout, Rooster's. More great time to get to know each other. In fact, we had two birthdays to celebrate: Michele Schwartz, who was joining the Masters family (Matt, Linda, Danny, and Kevin) turned 12 and Jerry Sexton was "39" (again?); Bill Swaim and Missy Hellendale and daughter Leah graciously hosted our pre-trip party (thanks, again) and young Leah was really "swooshing" down the slopes on this trip! Tim and daughter Emily Atkinson hit the slopes hard during the week, and then Emily and mom, Henrietta, hit the Salt Lake genealogical research library for an interesting day away from the slopes. We were pleased to have Greg and Jackie Bayly-Bryant join us in Ogden and Terry Champion and Monty Shore also got to come up for a few days. Barbara Bobo's nephew, Justin Manning had only skied a few times, but was not only keeping up with Rainer Vanoni and other serious skiers, but was often seen leading the pack down the mountain - hope he enjoyed his graduation gift trip from Aunt Barb. Janice and Casey Keeling, on their first Club trip, said they would definitely be returning in the future. Matt Masters claimed the "longest fall" which he estimated at 70 yards, but Kathy was skiing behind Don when he took his injury-causing tumble, and says that one also covered a lot of ground. Justin learned the meaning of "yard sale" as he took the most discombobulated fall. In the "Case of the Missing Skis", Brenda Reese and Linda Masters finally made the right switch with a little help from the resort. Robert Palmerton, skiing with Brenda, was going to take the big "gamble", but decided that Wendover was a little far for a short day trip.
The trip's approaching end meant New Year's Eve, and for the group, this meant having a truly memorable dinner at the local "Bistro", complete with "poppers" going off at all times during dinner. With our delightful French family, Jacky, Elizabeth, Ines, and Bertrand Gaschot, we should have had another "international" night for French cuisine. A few of us "old" Austin Skiers were reminiscing at dinner about past trips, and indoctrinating a new member with some Club history. After a few stories, someone came up with the new Austin Skiers "soap" title, "As the Snow Flies/As the Lift Turns." Then we took our fabulous desserts from the Bistro back to Barb Jacquin's room for our New Year's Eve Bash. Of course, we voted almost unanimously to celebrate on Austin time, which was 11 p.m. in Utah, as we were afraid we wouldn't make it for Utah "midnight". Katie Terzakis, Kathy Collins, and a few others were still awake to hear/see the fireworks just across the street from our hotel - great show! The "magical" Christmas village across the street with uniquely decorated cottages, and Christmas carols being played from speakers in the antique lampposts also made the holiday spirit linger during this trip. Thus we ended another great day of skiing and packed for our trip home.
When all was said and done, we once again got to see why Utah was a great choice for us, not to mention the Olympic world. Barbara, Kathy, and Rainer (who was our hard-working unofficial assistant) really want to thank the whole group for the positive attitudes and winning the "congeniality/no whiners" award. Also, a big thanks to Katie for hosting a great post-trip party. Our second consecutive year might just well stretch into three if we decide to go next year. In the meantime, we'll have lots of great memories and experiences to remember as we watch the games in early February!
Editor's Note: Prices and details are subject to change! Some trips are full and taking waiting lists. However, contact the Trip Chairs for trip status, because availability changes frequently!
Trip Chair: Carter Rowles
Assistant Trip Chair: Wendy Buck
e-mail: durangotrip@austinskiers.org
Look! A spot has just opened up on the long trip! Newly-redesigned Durango Mountain Resort (formerly Purgatory) has been working hard to give you the best in a Colorado ski vacation week! Our trip last year was full of Durango's fabled dry powder, and this year we're returning with the TSC. We'll also offer a short trip from Wednesday to Sunday. From the gentle slopes of Columbine, to the groomed cruisers like Paradise, to the trap-door headwalls of Styx, Purgatory's 11 lifts covering 75 trails serve up an ideal blend of 23% beginner, 51% intermediate and 26% expert terrain. And there's a great extra deal, called the Total Ticket: if you want to take a day off you can exchange one day of skiing for activities like snowmobiling, sleigh riding, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, or a tour of the Mesa Verde ruins. Add to this the TSC parties and races, and you have a great Western-flavored week in store. Durango is the place to be in early February!
Trip size: 24 long; 10 short
Trip Chair: Chuck Bohman
e-mail: whistlertrip@austinskiers.org
Talk about a slam-dunk sure thing! This perennial Austin Skiers favorite is also most-frequently cited by ski magazines and polls as the number one world destination. And why not? The Whistler/Blackcomb complex is the largest single resort in the world, boasting over 7,200 acres on two mountains. That figures out to over 200 trails, 35 lifts, plus over a vertical mile of skiing on each mountain highest in the Western Hemisphere!! But all this size shouldn't fool you the beautiful, quaint, internationally flavored Village, tucked into Whistler's V-shaped valley, allows quick, convenient access to either mountain from the base. And, Whistler's low elevation means less panting and more carving in that 360 inch per year snowfall! You'll find shopping aplenty, and a remarkable choice of world dining cuisines (plus don't forget the mountain itself some of the best resort food at remarkably low prices!). The great news is that this year we have a prime location - we'll be staying in 2br/2ba condos across from the Village marketplace, where you can take advantage of the great exchange rate for the Canadian dollar. When you're talking a number one value, you're talking Whistler!
December's Page 1 featured trip
Trip Size: 36 skiers
Trip Chair: Cherilyn Hack
Assistant Trip Chair: Nancy Hawkins
e-mail: alyeskatrip@austinskiers.org
Another Austin Skiers first-time exclusive! Want to visit a foreign land while still in the USA? Well, that's the feeling many people get when they visit our country's "Final Frontier", beautiful Alaska! And, we're joining the TSC for our first trip into this wilderness paradise. Tucked amid the Tugach Mountains on Alaska's south central coast, Alyeska offers the best of Alaska's beauty and thrills. The mountain features 2,500 vertical feet of skiing on some 62 runs, serviced by 10 lifts, and its low elevation (base only 250 feet!) prevents the thin-air blues, while accommodating the 480 inches of snow annually. And, the resort features the must-see, majestic Alyeska Prince Hotel, and the spectacular Alyeska Tramway, from which you'll see heart-stopping views on your way to the summit! We'll spend the first two nights in Anchorage for a real treat - we'll be on hand to observe the start of the world-famous +Iditarod dogsled race! Then we'll take the hour or so trip up to Alyeska for 4 days of skiing and numerous other activities with the TSC. Want to experience a first? Join us on our first Alaska expedition!
December's Page 1 featured trip
Trip Size: 44 skiers
Trip Chair: Phyllis Penniston
Assistant Trip Chair: Cindy Carlson
e-mail: mammothtrip@austinskiers.org
Are you California dreaming? Can you say Mammoth? How about 3,500 skiable acres, 30 lifts and 3100 vertical feet? Mammoth Mountain is centrally located on the eastern slopes of the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountain range. A traditional favorite, this huge area has something for all levels of skiers. Mammoth is 30% beginner, 40% intermediate, and 30% advanced terrain. Also, can you say sun? Mammoth has over 255 sunny days (70%) per year. You'll be treated to unobstructed views of high deserts and lush valleys bordered by the snowcapped Sierras. Our 2br/2ba condos are just a short walk from the base area, and feature 3 hot tubs and a heated swimming pool. A free on-call shuttle service is available for shopping or trips to some of the many restaurants and pubs in the village. Snowboard & ski rentals are just down the street at Canyon Lodge. Additional activities include cross-country skiing, snowmobile excursions, and fine dining at more that 30 restaurants on the mountain or in town. For a mammoth great time, join us at one of California's truly great ski experiences!
This Month's Page 1 featured trip
Trip Size: 44 skiers
Trip Chair: Mike Hagye
e-mail: combotrip@austinskiers.org
Still another Austin Skiers first-time exclusive (that's 3 next season)! Calling this a vacation is like calling Texas a small state; this trip's more like an adventure! How much can you do in ten days? We'll test the limit! First, we'll travel to western Switzerland to the village of Grindelwald. Headquarters of Switzerland's gorgeous Jungfraujoch ("top of Europe") region, with a total of 49 lifts and 130+ miles of marked ski runs (not including the bowls and off-trail skiing), Grindelwald has three main ski areas, and lies near the beautiful Aletsch glacier complex. Home of the first cable car (1908), Grindelwald is known for its pristine marble, ice commerce, chapel of St. Petronell (the patron saint of Alps travelers), and the world's highest railroad. In fact, our hotel is just across from the cog railway train that will take us on the short ride up above the village each morning. After five days of exquisite skiing, we switch gears, weather, and culture! It's on to beautiful, historic Greece, where we arrive in Athens, then take a three day cruise of several Greek islands, and a visit to the Turkish port of Kusadasi. After the cruise, we'll spend two days seeing Athens and its quaint, charming Plaka district of cafes and shops, and the famous Parthenon complex. We'll also take a short bus trip to Classical Greece's religious center, Delphi, and its memorable ruins. All this in ten days? Must be a dream; well, dream no more spend Spring Break in our first trip to these marvelous destinations!
Trip Size: 42 skiers
Trip Chair: Wendy Buck
Come with us on an epic journey to the South Seas! This 14-day extravaganza begins in New Zealand, where we fly from Los Angeles. The itinerary here includes Queenstown's Copthorne Resort Lakeview Hotel and the famous Camp Street shopping and dining district. We'll explore the entire vicinity with chances to do bungy jumping, jetboating, and a variety of other outdoor activities from locales ranging from rain forests to ski areas. Then it's on to Auckland for a brief day stop, where we can experience the famous Maori culture center, before leaving the next evening for Fiji and a six-day stay at the fabulous, 5-star Sheraton Resorts Denarau Island Hotel. Here we can take in dazzling views of the Nadi Bay, play golf, tennis, or just relax in the spa and fitness center. The price includes round trip air from Los Angeles (add approximately $360 for air from Austin), breakfast throughout the entire trip, all airport/hotel transfers, a welcome party on arrival in New Zealand, and 12 nights lodging. Price doesn't include departure taxes from New Zealand and Fiji. Possible excursions include three nights in Sydney, Australia (pretrip), and a seven night scuba dive option to Taveuni, Fiji. Time's running out hurry before it's too late! This is going to be a great trip! Don't miss it!
Trip Size: 12 skiers
As the President of the club, I represent Austin Skiers at the Texas Ski Council (TSC) delegate meetings. The Texas Ski Council is a non-profit, all volunteer organization consisting of 16 clubs throughout the State of Texas, and represents about 4,000 skiers. The purpose of the TSC is to promote individual and group interest in skiing and snowboarding. There are 4 delegate meetings a year with one of those being the Bid Fest meeting that you may have heard about in the past.
The TSC Ski Bid Fest is always held at the end of the ski season, usually in April. The meeting is located in San Antonio, along the Riverwalk, and has grown in participation over the years. Why has it grown in size? There are several reasons. First, the TSC is the most respected council in the nation, which means resorts and tour operators want to do business with them, and us. Because of this reputation in the industry, the ski vendor participation has doubled in the past 7 years. And they have heard it's the best party around.
The Bid Meeting is where the club delegates will decide which resorts will be selected for the 5 TSC trips the following year. We listen to the presentations from the various resorts and tour operators bidding. After going though the bid proposals we determine which locations will best suit our member's appetites for ski travel. (Remember those trip surveys you were asked to fill out last year? Well that is what we use to determine where you are interested in skiing and at what price.) During the weekend event, our Club delegates have the opportunity to talk with about 100 ski reps from all over the world at the ski show. And they also have the opportunity to party with the reps and other TSC club members.
Party!!? Well, that's the second reason the Bid Fest has become so popular over the years. It's a great time. Yes, we manage to mix ski business with fun, after all, skiing is FUN. And if you have never partied with ski reps, well, you just have a thing or two to learn. These guys and gals are so ready to be out of the cold and snow that San Antonio is like paradise to most. (I know that is hard to believe.) By Saturday night, most of the pressure is off as the presentations are almost finished. (Only the Expedition presentations remain on Sunday.) The reps are ready to let down their hair and PARTY! As a result, people come from every part of the state to this event.
This year's party, I mean Bid meeting will be held April 19th 21st in San Antonio at the Holiday Inn Riverwalk. The Pre-Registration fee is $45 per person if paid by March 15th and $55/person after that date. The fee includes the Welcome Reception Friday evening, continental breakfast Saturday and Sunday, lunch Saturday and the big party with dinner Saturday night. The music will start about 9pm Saturday night, so be sure your boots are shined and ready for some dancing. And if that is not enough there is always the Riverwalk.
In the past few years, Austin Skiers has had 20-25 people attend the meeting. There will be close to 250 people from other clubs and 100 or more ski reps. The Bid meeting is a great way to learn more about the trip selections and have fun doing it. We need volunteers to help out with club registration, ski vendor registration, door monitoring, the auction and other tasks during the weekend. If you are interested in volunteering or attending the meeting, please contact me for more information, 394-9676. Talking about ski trips is almost as much fun as going on one. Come join the fun in San Antonio!
Tere Ayson
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Globeset travel bag |
Doris Robitaille |
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business class travel kit |
Debbie Finley |
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Munsingwear Sports V-neck |
Pat Dobberfuhl |
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Breckenridge cap |
Cindy Berry |
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water bottle |
Mary Ponella |
No formal happy hour on Feb. 14 (Valentines day)
Feb. 12 Monthly Meeting Valentine's Party at Canyon Café
Feb. 17 Capitol City Comedy Club
Feb. 23 Wine Tasting in Fredericksburg
For questions on Special Activities, contact Cindy Berry, Activities V.P. at activities@austinskiers.org.
March 2 Dinner & a Movie at Alamo Draft House (downtown), 7 p.m.
March 12 Monthly Meeting at Sail & Ski
Coming in May Spring Campout in Blanco County (stay tuned)
For questions on Special Activities, contact Cindy Berry, Activities V.P. at activities@austinskiers.org.
Come join us on Sunday, February 17 as we spend a night laughing out loud at the Capitol City Comedy Club (the old Laff Stop) at the 183/Anderson Lane junction. Cost is $9 which includes admission and one free drink; we'll meet up at the club at 7:30 and go in together for the 8 p.m. show. Headlining that night will be Todd Barry, whose credits include the Conan and Letterman shows, Spin City, The Larry Sanders Show, Sex in the City, and a number of HBO and A&E comedy specials. Don't miss out!
Just a reminder that we're looking for your best (or worst!) ski stories for an upcoming article on our members. You've kept it to yourself for years, now share it with the rest of us! Just remember to keep it short (around 50 words), clean, and be sure to put your name on it. Submit e-mail to the editor at newsletter@austinskiers.org, or send to Editor, Austin Skiers, 13507 Couri Pass, Austin TX, 78738, or hand deliver to any Austin Skiers officer at meetings or happy hours. The deadline is March 15. C'mon, share it with the rest of us!
These two upcoming events each promise a great time!
On Saturday, Feb. 23, we're trekking out to beautiful, historic Fredericksburg for a wine tasting and lunch. We'll meet up at the Fredericksburg Winery, 247 West Main, at 11 a.m. Then we'll have lunch to follow at the Altdorf Restaurant. Cost is $6 and a reservation is required pay to Cindy Berry, Special Activities V.P. by Feb. 12 (the Valentine's Party); or you can call Cindy at at activities@austinskiers.org .
On Saturday, March 2 we're heading to the Alamo Draft House downtown for a 7 p.m. dinner followed by a showing of the classic Beatles' film A Hard Days Night. We'll meet at the theater at 6:30 that night. Call Cindy Berry for details and/or reservations on each of these great events!
Note that there will not be a formal Happy Hour on Thursday, Feb. 14 (Valentine's Day). However, anyone who wants to show up and "hang out" informally at the Alligator Grill with other Club members is certainly welcome to do so! All other Thursdays this month will have a section set aside for Austin Skiers. Also, note that for our monthly meeting Valentine's Party, Canyon Café has guaranteed us the main center dining room so we can spread out a bit more! Remember, $5 admission at the door!
When it all comes down to it, it's the skiing, stupid. I was reminded of this during my just-completed week at Big Sky with the Club. Sometimes we even wonder if it's worth all the packing, air and bus misadventures, missed work piling up, and general fuss and money. And then we get out there once again, despite my cyclical amnesia from previous years, I get to remember why I love this sport. Here is a postcard from Montana this, my friends, was a real day, not imaginary
The Gallatin morning dawns crisp and clear like ice capping the nearby, bubbling river. An eagle is seen cruising high above the valley between two rocky ranges bespeckled with the salt of snow and the pepper of spruce, lodgepole pine, and fir. Wisps of orange-white clouds rush through a purple-blue sky like a thousand palominos galloping together. Then, like a set, polished diamond, the yellow sun appears, then soon devilishly plays hide and seek behind a purple curtain of cotton thin clouds. Out on the mountain, the morning air punctuates and cools the nostrils like a breath of mint. Blue-purple morning shadows give way to orange-yellow shafts of light. Skis together, last night's creaky knees exchanged for some new, flexible models, and the turns begin. Soon the breeze washes over the ears, echoing like a Snake River waterfall. The cold, prickly snow provides a tingling canopy for the now-warming-from-exercise body. A whispery shush of ski edges confirms a pleasing slice into ankle deep snow like a mouth-licking child scooping a sherbet. The legs warm up and slowly, the rhythm of turns syncs the body and mind into an early-morning dance. After a stop, the thin air teases the panting lungs, but the feeling is satisfaction. A look around; a chipmunk is seen scurrying through the trees like a haphazard pinball. Distant mountains take on innumerable hues of gray-blue-white, each slope respectively awaiting its baptism in sun. In the near distance, Lone Peak shimmers half-visibly in an Alpenglow mist of sunstruck yellow-white, like a giant beacon pointing to heaven.
Yes, this is going to be a good day to ski.
Mike Hagye
President Tere Ayson
president@austinskiers.org
| V.P. Trips Doug Jordan | |
| V.P. Trip Planning- Liz Earhart | |
| V.P. Programs Elva Hibbs | |
| V.P. Publicity Gary Roth | |
| V.P. Membership Barbara Jacquin | |
| V.P. Special Activities Cindy Berry | |
| Secretary Barbara Bobo | |
| Treasurer Cindy Swannack | |
| Newsletter Editor Mike Hagye | newsletter@austinskiers.org |
| Webmaster Cliff Hoagland | skiwebmaster@austinskiers.org |
| Past President Anthony Beissner |
| Cathy Collins | |
| Mary Gasal | |
| Jim Davis | |
| Neil Martin |
The Austin Skiers' newsletter is published monthly, 12 issues per year. Subscription is included with payment of yearly membership fee. Articles and correspondence should be addressed to the Editor by e-mail at newsletter@austinskiers.org or by phone (see above). Deadline for submission is the 15th of each month. Send issues regarding the Club Web site to skiwebmaster@austinskiers.org. For more information on the next Club meeting or other related activities, contact any of the following:
Austin Skiers is a non profit ski club
For questions on Special Activities, contact Cindy Berry, Activities V.P. at activities@austinskiers.org
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