cheeseit

Didn't do much yesterday after Chris left - we had a Chilli that Paul made for dinner, then watched some TV before getting an early night. I didn't get up until about 9:30 so had a late breakfast. I then headed out about 11, but just as I got to the slope from the back door realised I'd forgotten my poles! I went down the blue slope out the back and caught the Wizard chair back up Blackcomb, then headed down Mainline/Green Line to Whistler village.

The gondola was empty, only four of us in it going up, although it did stop for about 5 minutes just after I got in! Up the top I headed straight down to the Peak Chair via one of the Blue runs off the side of the Roundhouse. The view from the top was absolutely stunning, as were the views all the way down. I took the Peak To Creek runs (upper and lower), which go from Whistler Mountain Peak to Creekside - a sign on the way stated this is the longest intermediate run in North America - besides perhaps one of the runs at Kobla in Slovenia, I think this was definitely the longest run I've ever done. It was quite nice, although a few too many mini moguls on the lower sections. I went straight up the Creekside Gondola and the Big Red Express, then down again to the Peak Chair. I came down the other side of the peak this time and did the blue run called "The Saddle", which was a fantastic run for getting a bit of speed up on. This ended up at the Peak Chair, so I then followed a green traverse over to Little Whistler Chair and then across the Burnt Stew Trail into the Symphony Amphitheatre where I jumped off into some powder and then carried on down through a few blue runs to the Symphony Chair. From Piccolo Peak I headed down the Founders Run (which is named something else at the moment). Then onto Adagio and through the Staccato Glades. I then caught the Symphony Chair again (it sadly closes early at 3pm) for one last run all the way down the mountain. I headed off into the powder again, but made a little error of judgement and ended up traversing most of a rather steep downhill. I then carried on down Burnt Stew Trail, Sidewinder and the usual collection of blues and greens to the bottom of Whistler. I then caught the gondola back over to Blackcomb, headed up Excelerator, took Cruiser and Green Line down to the Solar Coaster Express chair and caught one of the last trips of the day up (it closes at 4). I then had a run down Springboard, into Stoker, then a little of Grub Stake before bombing it down School Marm.

Considering I was planning a restful day, I think I did quite well, especially as I didn't stop for lunch! My knee didn't give me any real gyp today and I managed to go quite fast down a number of runs, so it was all good really. My technique also seems to have improved quite a lot in the last week or so, I'm much more confident hitting moguls thanks to James.

Hopefully the weather will hold out for our last two days, sadly Paul won't be out on the slopes anymore as he doesn't fancy falling on his backside, which considering that's what snowboarders do lots of times in a day counts out him getting up the mountain.