Our last skiing day and what a day it turned out to be. Absolutely fantastic. Caron volunteered to take the kiddies to school so Kirsten, Carl and myself headed out at 08:30 which is a whole hour earlier than usual and the first run down Prolay was a hint of what was to come. We were the only skiers on it, nobody in front nor behind us and wide freshly groomed piste so we could carve these beautiful wide turns all the way down. What a feeling!
At the bottom, the miserable lift operator made me take off my backpack which is very inconvenient trying to get onto the lift because you aren't able to use your poles at all with only one hand. As the day wore on I continued removing my backpack and by the end of the day, I had it waxed enough that it wasn't such a trauma but I still prefer just lifting the pack up and hanging it over the back of the chair.
At the top of Mosettes we spent some time videoing the view which is too spectacular for words before we did the red Mosettes run. On the map there are two red runs but where they split, the one looked suspiciously like it had black markings and Kirsten insisted on us doing the red one. Fortunately for all of us, Kirsten was right – it was a black run and I think we would have really struggled. The red run wasn't exactly that easy so we just took it slowly so no problem, just more of a survive than a ski.
From the top of Mosette we did the Abricotine down and like Prolays, it was awesome. Dropping down into Plaine Danse we all ski'd the red run so it definitely gets easier the more times one does a run.
Carl was dead keen on the super tube (La Perdrix Blanche) which turned out to exceed expectations although it almost provided some unexpected humour. The way one runs the tube is that one goes up one side and then turns at the top and then heads straight down which is actually perpendicular to the fall line and then one does the same on the other side. It's a great feeling going from side to side and normally the sides carry on up from where the top of a turn is made but there are a couple of places where it falls away and it isn't always so easy to see this so as I did one of my turns my one leg went right over the fall so I was skiing on the inside leg with the other doing its best to get back onto the piste. Survived it okay but it must have been funny from behind skiing along with a ridge between my legs endangering “La Legend”.
From the bottom of this, we skied Les Coombes and it was fantastic, the ski's biting into the piste as we carved our way down. I don't know what has happened in the last two days but something has really clicked, Kirsten even commented on the nice parallel lines being left in the piste. One last run down Rochassons which I really scooted down, fast but totally in control and very easy. Fantastic, so this is what everyone else sees in skiing. It is one of the most amazing sensations that I have been privileged to experience.
Home for yet another lunch of cheese and olives, I could really get used to this kind of lunch. We went out for a final ski with the kiddies on Super Mozine which was a bit slushy and lumpy but it was still great slicing through it with my shadow, Megan, following me all the way.
We all met George and Yvonne at Duchesse for a final “crepe citron” and “chocolate chaud”. Carl is absolutely wasted, he's struggling to keep his head up so I suggested a quick roll in the snow to get the circulation going.
We went to the same restaurant for another cheese fondue which was just as good, that being excellent, as the last time. We are going to have to try this at home. We had the house wine which was great, in fact all the wine that we have had here has been great. Maybe my standards are slipping.
Back home it was time to start packing up which is a horrible feeling because it is the first tangible thing signalling the end of the holiday.
Friday, January 11, 2008
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