When I saw the monstrous proportions of my truck I resolved to try and assuage some of the guilt I felt by offering rides to anyone who needed one. I was able to walk that walk this this morning when I gave a ride to 7 lifties and resort workers who were stranded because their bus had broken down. Hooray for monster trucks - they were all in the cab I didn't even need to stick any in the open bit at the back (what do they call those bits?). And I was thankful for the 4x4 goodness as well. I wouldn't have fancied getting up the hill or in and out of the parking lot in anything else


I still made it to the liftline in time to get the 4th chair up. Conditions this morning were fantastic: 12cm of snow overnight and blue skies come day break. With the clouds gone the scenery was spectacular:


And despite it being a powder day it wasn't busy. I was the only skier down my first run of the morning and on a number of times I could go straight back up on the chairlift without waiting. This made for a thigh-burning, lung-busting morning and before too long I was seeking shelter and rest in the coffee shop. It's a great regret that at 37 I am a way better skier than I was at 27 but in much much worse shape. The days of first lift to last lift are long gone. Nowadays I'm all about the hot chocolate breaks. And lunch.



Knowing that I had an hour and a bit's drive to Kicking Horse that evening I called it a day a little earlier. I was also able to rack up more karma points by giving another lift to some of the resort staff. Dropping one of them off in the nearest town, Invermere, I was struck by home many deer there were, just roaming the streets and feeding in people's gardens. My passenger was quite blase!

Passing beside the lake (Lake Windermere no less) I saw a marvellous Canadian sight. I mean it doesn't get much more Canadian than this does it?


What you can't see on the photo is all the cars and trucks parked on the lake. Trucks bigger than mine were parked by the rink and then one could be seen on the distance basically joy riding: doing skids and slides across the ice! I didn't try it out myself, even the evidence of my own eyes wouldn't get me to drive my beast onto the lake.

The drive up the Columbia valley to Kicking Horse was very scenic while the daylight lasted. The last 45 minutes were in the dark so I really have no idea what my current surroundings are like. The outside at least, because the inside of the Vagabond Lodge is lovely. It's a giant log cabin, covered in snow with a lovely tree in the open sitting room. And right now I'm off to see if the beds are a soft and comfy as they look.

Happy Christmas everyone. xxx