Countin' the years

Today I returned to the Alps for a day of shredding with friends. I hopped on a charter bus at 4:45 am to get there. Killer deal, totally affordable and convenient. Well, these slopes were covered in those pull lifts. They are called téléski. In all my years snowboarding, I've only been on them twice. It got me thinking "how many years have I been riding?" I counted. 17 years. Holy cow. These téléski lifts were brutal. I'll begin by reminiscing about my first experiences using these.

It was my first day on a snowboard, I was eight. The day before, I had been on skis. But I wanted to snowboard like my brothers, so I insisted. My oldest brother was a lifty at a mountain in our vacation spot, so he was more than happy to teach his baby sister. I remember he took me to the bunny slope and that's where those pull lifts tend to dominate in the states. (Must be why I'm not accustomed to them.) Naturally, I fell off the lift. My bro was behind me on the lift and I remember he ran me over with his board. It hurt, I cried. Honestly, that's one of my few memories of the trials and tribulations of learning.

Téléski lift. Not me, and I didn't take this photo.

Z Alpes

I spent New Years in the Alps. A friend has a chalet in a cute little village, and he opened up his home for a nice winter wonderland ski/snowboard trip. We had a really nice time! Here are some photos from my New Years weekend in the French Alps from the villages we passed through, to the slopes we ski/snowboarded on, and the ride home. 

I taught two of my friends how to snowboard. For each it was their first time, so you can imagine the kind of wipeouts I witnessed. One of my friends hurt her tailbone so bad she had to just walk the snowboard down the hill, she traded for skis. My other student on the other hand was very motivated to continue trying. I can't wait to go back and ride my heart out.

Local water hole

Above the clouds. Below, the visibility was 6 meters

Circular rainbow! It was a triple rainbow I think.

Chalet in the Alps

Etching in the snow

Sled dog!

On the drive back to the city