For some of you this is a surprise. What is Chad doing in Seattle, its not a part of Canada.
Yes true, Seattle is not a part of Canada. But Seattle is the reason I'm here. You see about a week ago I got onto a computer of a friend at Nakiska. While on the computer I decided to look at the NBA website. Ahead into the schedule of NBA games, and what did I see? An omen. First of Cleveland at Seattle on the 16th January, and then Milwaukee at Seattle on the 19th. This was enough for me to remember part of the reason I'm here is to see basketball. And who better to see than the number one player, LeBron James, and then number one Australian player Andrew Bogut. So after a short thinking period I decided it was time to leave the hill.
I just had overnight in Calgary. Visited the Calgary Fort, and Calgary Tower. Other than that my first impression of Calgary is that it is a hole. Perhaps its good in the spring. Oh well to me it was just cold and ugly. Mind you I was only there for a night. Hardly gave it a chance.
Anyway to keep with the update here are a few photos.
For a laugh I've included a photo of me sruggling to attempt indoor rock climbing. Basically I sucked at it. Not enough upper body strength, and I've also had very swollen fingers from a combination of wearing gloves nearly every day (sweeping snow, and skiing).Then there is the another photo of Nakiska Resort.
On a slow weekday this was taken. Don't ask me which run it is. I suspect though it was Maverick or Lower North Axe. One of the last runs opened. My favourite run though was Whoop-Up. I skied that on the last day. It had a nice groom on it that day, which made it easier to negotiate the steep pitch near the top.
A photo of the view (with the Eagle Tail and Easy Way Down) at the Top of the Mountain near the Gold Chair.Interestingly I have come to the conclusion I can't ski 'powder'. I learnt on groomed runs. Put me on a fresh bit of snow, on a black run and watch me do cartwheels, while swearing my head off at the ski buddy at the bottom the run.
Which brings me to the next photo of me at the Sunshine Ski Resort outside of Banff. The resort is one of the bigger ones around, and full of powder. Especially on the day I went. They had 20 cms the night before. I've never tasted snow so much. I just kept hitting soft powder and face planting it into the snow. It also didn't help I had forgotten my googles that day and was using my sunglasses instead. Sunglasses as I knew beforehand are usless after the first stack.
Some of the regrets I have of leaving Nakiska so early besides the friends include, not having learnt to ski backwards, not having convinced a ski patroller call through a 'Yard Sale' (think about it) instead of an accident, and not having skied at a 4th Mountain.. Oh well. There's always Whistler.
And then finally I have also included 2 photos of Calgary. The Fort, and the view to the Calgary Tower.
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