The Canada Diaries (part 1)

Here begins the super-exciting tale of my days in Canada:

Day 1 - The Beginning

Departure. Due to miscommunication, drove six hours in a hatchback with four people, 3 pairs of skis, a snowboard, a great many bags, and lots of food. Stayed in Rochester with a fat cat and a hyper seven-year-old.

Day 2 - Une Évasion

Met up with some people in the morning and dropped the skis and board, allowing each of us in the hatchback to have our own seat. After an eight hour drive, we arrived at Mont Tremblant. Here began my 5 day political exodus from America.
One van slid into a ditch, but everyone else arrived safely. I bought some wine with cute pigs on the label, but failed to notice the twist-off cap (no cork? boo!). It turned out to be surprisingly not terrible.

Day 3 - Piste Fermée

First lift at 8:30 for some beautiful snow, followed by beer in the hot tub. In the evening, we set off in search of a liquor store. Much to my dismay, all the liquor stores were closed due to a strike. The strike was already three weeks long, and it showed no signs of stopping. The closest town selling booze was two hours away. Disappointing. Beer and wine would have to do.

Day 4 - J'aime la Bière!

Despite a late bedtime, I somehow managed to get up for first tracks. The snow was perfect, but the weather was a bit colder (-17°C) (not including the wind - Tremblant is the windiest place ever). Due to the cold, I took a long lunch, during which some of us discussed the benefits and drawbacks of circumcision. (My children will be circumcised so I don't have to deal with smegma - and SS reached his limits as an interactive English/French dictionary because he didn't know the French word for "smegma.")

Day 5 - Il Fait Froid

I'm taking a break this morning to post. Maybe I'm a pussy, but I'm getting the third-day-of-skiing burnout. My legs (and back, and left wrist) are achy and it's cold out there.
The thing that people don't realize about a ski trip is that it's not so much a vacation as it is a lot of work. It's six hours of exertion a day, combined with too much alcohol and not enough sleep. But it's worth it. The views are amazing, and it's not too crowded yet, allowing for some really serene moments on the trails. Plus, the terrain is so much better than anything in Ohio. At home, my skiing is about as good as it's going to get, but when I come to a bigger resort, I realize how much I still have to work on. There really is no such thing as perfection in skiing, because there is always a bigger mountain waiting to kick your ass.
And now that I'm thinking about it, I've got to get outside!