Up at 6.
Coffee, strudel, packs loaded, ski boots on.
Ring! Tito has arrived.
3 minutes later we are on our skis and skinning up the Kronplatz, the ski resort out our door.
Yes, we are skiing up a piste, training you know.
The lifts are not yet running so the corduroy is all ours. Skinning on corduroy! …now I know I’m Euro.
The climb is 1300 meters, straight up through the forest and the day’s thick clouds. Suddenly it breaks and the darkness we were in falls away beneath us. Soon we are looking down on a solid blanket of clouds and up at brilliant blue skies.
Still more climbing, now the runs are open and the skiers fly by, a few nodding with respect or uttering the odd “Ciao” or “Salve”.
Finally the top, I creep through the masses at the top gondola station with Everlast in my ears, it is like a movie, the first cigarette smoke hits me. Then the view hits me even harder. I can see forever; the Alps, the Dolomites, the Marmolada solid white from yesterday’s snow.
I don’t care about the people, or the smoke, I just stand there soaking it all in, isolated in my world with my music. I am the only one sweating, in fact I am drenched. Standing amongst lots of white parkas with fur lining, I suddenly feel a bit out of place in my skin tight lycra shirt. Ah but this is Europe… no one even notices. I could be displaying teal & purple like the other half of the people.
Janine and Tito arrive and we go straight to the restaurant for cappuccinos.
An hour later we are at work, and still the US work day has yet to begin. Maybe I have time for a quick road ride.
The Mobile Phone PIC of the Day
Janine skinning beneath a perfectly good gondola
2 Comments
Nice blog Dan and Jeanine! Nice snow too. I look forward to your stories.
I entered the blog world a couple days ago; weird isn’t it?
We’re in now too guys. Did you wear your Euro “ski alpinismo” racing suit today while “running up the mountain”? Super weather today in Northern Italy!