V-A-I-L Is a 4-Letter Word!

by

Mike Hagye

Actually, it's several 4-letter words! That's what 58 Austin Skiers found out as they flew or drove to Vail, Colorado for a tremendous week, February 1-8. It's been awhile since we've gone to Vail, but a superb price for our SunVail Condominiums made this year's trip possible. You could spell E-A-S-Y to sum up Saturday's trek to Denver and into Vail, for our Frontier airlines flight, though departing early, was comfortable and non-problematic. However, it was only after landing in Denver that we found out about the tragic Columbia disaster, and that we were not too far from the shuttle's flight path ­ not a real close call, but a sobering one nonetheless. Our bus pulled into the SunVail condos just about 12:30 p.m., in less time than expected, and after a 30-minute "foodstuffs" stop just outside of Denver. The SunVail units were nice, homey, and spacious, and although they were perched right along I-70 just across from Lionshead Village, a pedestrian overpass provided a mere 5-minute passage from condos to the Eagle Bahn gondola. The rest of Saturday was spent by the group getting unpacked, taking care of rentals, and exploring the Lionshead area (though some walked the æ mile to Vail's main Village). We also met up with intrepid land travelers Dale Young, Brenda Herman, Otis Sikes, Kent Wick, Lou Horwitz, Jim Howalt, not to mention now-Las Vegas-resident Mary McClain and Assistant Chair Donna Peterman. A tired bunch used most of Saturday evening to hit the sack.

Sunday's 4-letter word was U-S-E-D, as in an expansive but "old" snowpack on the mountain. After a tremendous December, Vail only saw only one major snowfall in all of January, and the recycled, re-groomed stuff was our only choice. Many chose to stay on Vail's "front side" skiing the hardpacked groomers, but a few hardy souls like Doug Jordan and Thomas Thrams ventured over to the year-old Blue Sky Basin area to check it out. Most reported terrific times on Vail's long, winding runs, as Vail's vast size provides plenty to explore, even on the front side. That night, those who didn't venture over to Aprés Ski at Powder Hounds or Garfinkels (including Brian Overton, Janice Kaczmarek, Maria Mayer, Jackie Young, Jon Martin, Brian and Shannon Kruse, and Donna Peterman) might have been seen at the first the SunVail hot tubs hosted their first "sit in." Complete with hot water, relaxing drinks, the sit-in had just about everything- except gals! Maybe it was because the tubs were outside, or more likely because of the dubious lineup of maledom in the tub, but the women stayed away in droves all week- smart women! Oh well, at least Trip Chair Kevin Juhl's "bowl 'o margaritas", a daily presence at the tubs, didn't have to be pre-frozen; a quick walk from his condo in the sub-freezing temperatures took care of the job. Meanwhile, for Chris Bataille, the 4-letter word was O-U-C-H! But give her credit for an unconventional means of meeting cute guys: after tearing her MCL (knee) in a fall, she found herself surrounded by a handsome fleet of ski patrollers, emergency room doctors, physical therapists, and orthopedic surgeons. In fact, Chris spent the rest of the week exploring Vail's treasure trove of shops and restaurants, and is on the way to a remarkable recovery!

Sunday night turned into early Monday morning, and the word for the day (and most of the remaining week!) was one we were thrilled to shout ­ S-N-O-W!! Maybe it was the traditional Austin Skiers good luck, or maybe the last seven years' Colorado trend that seemingly makes it illegal to snow until February 1, but whatever it was, we saw a fantastic 8-10 inch dump overnight! Our thrills at the first significant white stuff in over 20 days were matched only by the group's rush to get to Vail's renown treasures ­ the Back Bowls and a snow-replenished Blue Sky Basin! Powder means bee-lining it to these wide open marvels, and the reports came in. But first, Vail's front-side Game Creek Bowl was the target for many, as it's on the way to the Back Bowls. Larry Kolodzey, Mike Hagye, George Dawkins, Lou Horwitz, Thomas Thrams, Brian Kruse, Dale Young, and Kent Wick found themselves in shin-deep powder for some of the smoothest runs imaginable! And was that "rider" Brian Overton we saw boarding right along with the ski pros? Brian, you sure can sail along on that thing! Meanwhile, powder newbie Joyce Davis reported that her first experience in "soft snow" went better than expected (thanks to her powder/shaped skis and a helping hand from Deanna Cluck and Shannon Kruse!). And Vicki Leonardo managed to hit the slopes, even with her Steamboat-induced torn thumb tendon, which was healing up nicely. Vicki found that even with a splint on your arm, all you have to do is plant a little earlier ­ so "thumb's up!" for her! And those who ventured into the Back Bowls reported fantastic conditions in the Siberian and Mongolia bowls with knee-deep powder in spots! Now that's skiing Vail style! That night, a group hit the Castle for some great dining, reportedly (ask Lisa Bebee, Terri Emerson, Gary Goble, Debbie Gajewski, and Jim Kerkhoff). Hank Miller, Jackie Young, Jon Martin, Cindy Swannack, Jim Howalt, and Maria Mayer feasted on the likes of caribou, venison, boar, elk, and quail at Pepi's in Vail Village, named for a former Olympic (60's) Austrian gold medal winner.

Tuesday dawned with another great snowfall in progress ­ in fact, from Monday through Thursday, the Vail region saw anywhere from 17-21 inches! And the 4-letter word for Tuesday was B-E-A-V, as in Beaver Creek, Vail's nearby glitzier, smaller sister. About 25 of the group traveled via regional bus or car the 15 miles west on I-70 to the resort. You have to like the escalators from the village to the gondola, as well as the greeters, upscale Wal-Mart style, who asked how everything was going and even offering cookies! The morning's weather was snowy, foggy, and windy, which drove a number of folks inside, but typical of the week, conditions improved and the afternoon skiing was fantastic! Beaver Creek's inverted layout situates many easier slopes toward the top, and some of our novices enjoyed the thrill of being able to ski from the top! In fact, Cindy Swannack was able to take her improving skills from the summit all the way down for the first time at any resort! Cindy exclaimed afterwards, "If I'd known it was that beautiful, I would have done that 2 years ago!" Also seen taking the summit chair were Barbara Peach, Mary McClain, Deanna Cluck, and others. Meanwhile, the more adventurous hit the steeps of Grouse Mountain, now full of shin-deep snow. After lunch, a large group, led by Fearless Guide Dale Young, traversed to the brand new Bachelor Gulch and Arrowhead sections. Hitting the cruisers and having a tremendous time in the now-sunny weather were Rainer Vanoni,Tim Atkinson, Ken Fargason, Maria Mayer, Jim Howalt, Brenda Herman, Kevin Juhl, Jackie Young, Otis Sikes, Kent Wick, Larry Kolodzey, Mike Hagye, Joyce Davis, and "tour guide" Dale Young. A tremendous day with more than enough snow, sun, and fun!

Wednesday was back to Vail, and again, a nice 4-inch snowfall greeted us in the morning. For many, the 4-letter word this day was R-E-S-T, as the traditional "day of rest" saw a large portion of the group set aside their skis to explore Vail's other possibilities. Brian and Shannon Kruse took their first snowmobile ride and enjoyed the beauty of the White River National Forest. Chris Bataille took advantage of the day to hike to Bart & Yeti's for a great lunch in Lionshead. Meanwhile, Nancy Roth got the boot- literally! Prompted by hubby Gary Roth, she took advantage of a tremendous sale to get a superb-fitting, discounted set of boots from our very competent rental shop, Vail SkiTech. That night, the question "how many people does it take to cram a Sun Vail condo?" was answered as all but two of our group hit Mike's-Joyce's-Vicki's-and-Chris's unit for our midweek party! That's at least in one unit, folks! Nevertheless, the conversation, spirits, and enjoyment flowed abundantly, with a pizza dinner providing the backdrop. Virtually all reported a great time to see and catch up with each other.

Thursday and Friday can only be described by one 4-letter word: Z-E-R-O! As in that was about the high temperature for each day. In fact, anyone brave enough to venture out for first runs skied in 10-below temps! But the sunny, no-wind conditions actually made the skiing bearable if not downright fun, and by Thursday our 17 inches had amounted to tremendous conditions to boot, despite the frigid air. And the other good thing is that the cold kept the snow from icing or sticking, and made for exceptionally fine skiing. Many of the group ventured to the Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin. Gabe Ayson dazzled his group with a small (but risky) cliff jump into great snow (and fortunately no hidden obstacles!) in Blue Sky's Big Rock Park, while Janice Kaczmarek reported that she didn't have multiple personalities after all. That "other gal" who wasn't skiing well the past several days was really Janice, who rented a pair of demos on Thursday and just killed it; what a difference, she reported! Kay Bymark reported that the half-pipe this year was awesome! She never got so much air! And "Flyin'" Ken Fargason was always easy to spot with his floppy-eared hat, open coat (Ken, are you made of ice?), and rounded-back skis. Meanwhile, Brian Kruse took wife Shannon, Jackie Young, and Maria Mayer down China Bowl to the thrill of the group ­ hey, that's not so tough! Most people "did" lunch on these days at Two Elks Lodge since it was much closer to the bowl skiing than other lodges. Or, rather it should be called "Two Hundred Elks Lodge" for its incredible price markup (a less enjoyable Vail tradition!). Like, as in $9 hamburgers, $2 Snickers bars, and $3.50 16-oz. soft drinks (best thing to do here is the "Two-Elks Guzzle", where everyone helps themselves to about two full cups at the fountain before filling a third time and paying!). Anyway, the last two days of skiing proved to be sunny, very cold, but still at times incredible. Untracked snow could still be found in areas of Blue Sky, and especially at the Outer Mongolia Bowl (about that far from the chair, right Mike, Brian and Ken? Oh, and ask Brian and Mike about "tree skiing" ­ they got so isolated that they had lunch with Bigfoot!). Meanwhile, Joyce Davis was so thrilled with Beaver Creek that she was among about seven others who spent their last ski day there. Joyce was joined by Doug Jordan, who skied a light last day after a few days of banging around Vail's bowls and bumps.

On Friday Night, an adventurous group ventured out to have a great final après ski happy hour, then a meal at Lancelot's in the main Village. After a great time, they were met by wannabe partygoers Paul Franklin, Gary Goble, Larry Kolodzey, Brian Overton, Jackie Young, and others to look for a dance spot. But first, a stop-off at the famous Pepi's Bar and Restaurant for a drink. It was here that Paul, Gary, Larry, Brian, Jackie, Carl Deckard, Cynthia McCauley, Bob Conevery, Chris Bataille, Mike Hagye, and Maria Mayer toasted the week, only to be startled by a loud, raucous version of "America the Beautiful" coming from over a low divider. After standing and joining in, our group launched into "The Eyes of Texas," complete with Longhorn hand signals. After this, the other group identified themselves by their off-key ramblings of "New York, New York" and after a few friendly shots traded back and forth, we saluted the New Yorkers and they returned the favor back (you'se guys are ok!). Following this interstate mutual admiration society, several ventured further to scope out the dance clubs, but steep cover charges turned most away. But a few undaunted types pressed on: rumor has it Maria Mayer, Larry Kolodzey and Chris Bataille (with one good leg) were seen dancing until the wee hours at Chelsea Street and riding home in a Hummer. That must explain why they slept all the way home on the bus and plane.

And indeed, the word for Saturday was H-O-M-E. After a smooth, uneventful trip back to Denver and out to Austin, the group arrived about 7:45 p.m. at the airport (some others remained in Colorado to ski and visit friends and relatives). Although it was great to be home, most of the group will long remember the variety, glitz, and above all, terrific conditions and great people of this February 2003 Vail trip! Many thanks go out to Pete Hubbell and Kathy St. Cyr for hosting the pretrip party, and Chris Bataille for handling the post trip gathering. All in all, this trip really stoked our collective ski fires; in fact, Sarah Tapley said that she can't wait to ski every trip next year! With such a great time, I suppose the best 4-letter word to describe the week would be Y-E-A-H!!!

Pictures courtesy of Thomas Thrams,
Deanna Cluck, Maria Mayer, and Jon Martin.

No Way! It's Norway!
(With Russia to Boot)

by

Ben Mathis, Trip Chair

And what a grand adventure this was, even as it began with a grand misadventure due to a travel agency miscalculation, Trip Chair Ben Mathis had to fire off a "rush" request for everyone to send their passports directly to Houston within 24 hours(!) to assist in processing travel visas to Russia. A scary thought, but eventually all was cleared up, and we were cleared for travel. Soon we were off to the TSC's (and Austin's) first-ever trip to Scandinavia and Russia! How thrilling is that? Most of our 35 group set out Friday, January 24, although we were split into two groups: one flying Northwest/KLM, and the other on United/Scandinavian Airlines. After an all-nighter with good food and service on both airlines, we arrived in Oslo, Norway early the next day. On the 40 minute bus ride to our hotel, some of the group spotted moose ­ well, at least those who could focus ­ can you say "jet lag?" The brief orientation of Oslo was a bit much that morning, but later that eveninglook out!!

While in Oslo for two days, most of the group took advantage of the many historical opportunities telling of the long and fascinating Norse traditions. Among the museums visited were the Norwegian Folk Museum, the Kon-Tiki Museum (home of the boat of that name constructed by Thor Hyerdal to prove a transatlantic crossing centuries before Columbus), Vigeland Park and the Oslo Cathedral were also popular stops. Oslo was fantastic, but soon it was time to move off to our ski destination, and site of the 1994 Olympics, Lillehammer. This village is actually the center of a number of close-by ski areas, each of which we sampled in the four days of skiing. Those who didn't ski opted for fascinating day tours, where we heard tales about Vikings, ancient kings, mythical legends, and other spellbinding stories of this ancient winter land.

It seems as if the week went by like a blink, and soon a number of the group was off back to the States. However, a good sized number opted for the incredible array of post trip options - about seven of the group went straight to St. Petersburg, Russia for three days, then home. Among the wonderful sites here that we visited include the dazzling archecture of St. Isaak's Cathedral, the Hermitage/Winter Palace, the Peter and Paul Fortress, Nikolaevesky Palace, and Pushkin (Catherine the Great's Summer Palace and Park). Meanwhile, a majority of 19 first visited Moscow for several days, before taking a first-class overnight train to St. Petersburg and seeing the sites, then a flight to Stockholm, Sweden for a night, making a hefty seven days post trip, before their trip home. There were so many things to see in Moscow, and these included Tretyakov Art Gallery, the Kremlin Grounds and Armory, the Kraft Market at Ismailovo, and even a night at the Moscow Circus (complete with performing bears).

Because this trip had so many things to see, I figured it would be best to let pictures speak a thousand words, so I've included more pictures than average here, instead of me doing all the talking. I hope you can see why this was one of the best times we've had on a Club trip, and my thanks go to all those who were involved in planning and participating on this trip!

Pictures courtesy of Robin Braun
and Cherilyn Hack.