Days off

Whether its Skidooing or Skiing.....
Its always a beautiful day.

This is Wapta Falls

found after a small walk- from a sleding track in the Yoho national Park.
A kiwi friend, that i met in Banff, takes tours from a lodge in the Beaver Foot Valley. Shortly after entering the province of British Columbia, travelling north of Lake Louise, he takes a van load to a back country lodge to meet up with plenty of sleds.....and valleys full of powder.......
I felt pretty lucky being taken out for the day- free of charge -for a three hour tour through the valley.
It was a blue bird day, crisp as a frozen apple. minus mid 20s. + wind chill.

I felt like a frozen apple.

however this didn't stop me from soaking up the jet-ski like feel of burning across the top of powder-filled fields and sled tracks through the forests.

Highway out to the Yoho Valley, The Lodge, House of the Skidoos

Piers- the tour guide!
the day was fun filled...but a little bit of a teaser. the group of tourists were on the slow side of sluggish and this got me a little frustrated- but excited for a better tour to come in the near future.....

my days off this week consisted of skiing and skiing.....oh yeah and lazy mornings :)
on thursday Matt, Cathryn, Marc and myself (all kiwi patrollers) headed to Sunshine Village.
This is the closer resort to Banff. We hooked up with a bunch of acquaintances-including a couple of patrollers and got shown some great spots to ski. here are a couple of pics of the lines we shreded....and the people we shared the experience with.....


directly under the sun 'delirium dive' is this face we ski most times we visit sunshine

this week my days off consisted of a trip to Calgary to see a concert..an amazing drive back into the rockies on a clear day...and a big day of celbrations for my fellow austrailian friends.

driving toward the rockies from calgary, kokanee cabin at the base of lake louise- filled with people celbrating australia day, just outside it-what else could you expect-a cricket game

cathryn and myself pretty happy to be here!

well apart from the little missions here and there, life has been great in general, work is still as fun as ever, and im meeting more great people every day

thats about it for the update

drop a line back if you have the time

id love to hear from you all back home

take care

hugs and kisses erin

happy new year!

i truely wish it for you all.
does it feel like its going to be a chart topper?
if so, or not so close, what are the elements????
they've gota be good to share, pump it up a little- i wana know em!

to thrive off each other is key

the thing i miss most about the contacts with people back home is the talks face-to-face.
when in contact- expressions, and pressence of energy.
it definitly takes an extended phone call to tax unique energy
i have not had enough of these extended connections. i know this because i miss you all so much.

May your new year bring about many amazing things and by the end of it you feel that bit higher in life on what ever level your pushing at!
i wish that you share the productivity of this often with me- as i don't wana get to this time next year and feel that you;re listing it all over a one-off western electronic-touch-style point of communication. I'd love to experience the effects of it all, along side, as i wish to keep my experiences very close to my home people too.

The new year started over here in canada with a blast.
a blast of
fun times- partying
fun times- skiing
ok so maybe there could have been a bit more fun on the snow for me, but all in all im in a fun place and whatever the situation of the day; its fun.

new years day, as tradition apparently goes, there was fresh stuff.
but everyone is lacking the usual 110% enthusiasm towards shrelping it the way it beckons.
luckily the week carried on with 35cm of new snow over the next 48hrs.
a real pity that i was working the groomed streets that week on the lower faces of the mountain.
i had an amazing friday off- snowboarded some 20cm of powder not even out of bounds. and i surely threw myself at it. so much, that i forgot just how forgiving powder was after a lunch break, as i hit the park for a play with some friends. last run. a 45 footer. the nuckle was a good length to clear. didn't wana risk a nuckle check, so powered some great speed.
speed is your best friend in powder.
it found me on a backboard and to banff hospital this time for xrays. hmm. i feel lucky that it is just bruising that has been my pain manufacturer over the past couple of days.
i feel pretty stink. hows being at the base all day today.....(and for another that is forcast tomorow)....dreaming into the heavy pukeing of constant snow on the resort totaling some 30cm in 24hrs.
wow.
investing in the power of arnica right now. one day off has been enough to direct me towards the bend!
ha!
guess ill be more careful next time. injuries suck.
so does fear tho.

ill find a good meeting point.

the celebrating of a new year arriving doesn't really die down too quickly here...and i must say that everyone is looking a little worse for the wear today. all sorts of social occassions on the agender.
one of a new experience for me- a night bus trip with 30 odd patrolers to calgary for ice hockey, a few evenings ago.
the calgary flames vs vancouver kinucks. great times!
a hard day following.

these are some of the many happy faces that i spend the majority of my days in the company of.
these smiles have been planted well and are growing nice long life-lasting wrinkles in the right places. they arn't only present whilest partying on a bus and thats why i love them all!

a plan to spend all this year soaked in the presence of these kinds of people- where ever i am.

i won't hold you off from your day any longer....

just make sure that you indulge in the cheese,

exchange with strangers too,
smiles are the worlds cheapest form of top quality antioxidents

xoxo

love lompie