Segacs's World I Know

Posts Tagged ‘skiing’

Washington, D.C. in early February – so warm that you can walk around outside without so much as a jacket. Even the brief snowfall just melted as soon as it hit the ground.

Unfortunately, I spent most of my time there in hotel conference rooms. But I did return home this weekend to a pleasant weather surprise of our own: warm, sunny Montreal temperatures.

Yesterday was a great day to be outdoors. We went up to Tremblant and joined the crowds skiing on the thin snow coverage and taking the sun in the long lift lines. It was so warm, in fact, that we needed air conditioning in the car on the way home.

I know it’s just a ruse, and that winter will be back in full force shortly. I know that at the first temperature dip, everything that melted will freeze back over and turn Montreal’s streets and sidewalks into a skating rink. I know that the minus 25 temperatures and windchills are not over, they’ve just called a temporary truce.

But hey, my theory is to enjoy it while it lasts.

Sure, winter sometimes sucks. But hey, one of the things you learn as a Montrealer is that when life hands you a snowstorm… go skiing.

We headed to Tremblant today. It was my first ski day of the season, which means that tomorrow I will probably experience my first ski-related leg muscle pains of the season. In fact, practically every time I go skiing, I wonder what masochistic impulse leads a usually rational human being to wake up at 7am, dress in layers of high-tech uncomfortable clothing, spend ninety minutes in a car driving to a ski hill, putting on still more gear including big clunky ski boots, and spending a day in the cold skiing down a mountain at breakneck speeds. That sentiment tends to linger right up until the moment I get off the chair lift and start skiing down the first run. Then it disappears.

Overall it was a fun day. A bit icy, a bit foggy, but the temperature was perfect and, while there was precious little sunshine, at least there was no wind. The big dump of snow led to some great conditions early on. And despite failing to take a warning sign about ice seriously, no major injuries were sustained. I even managed to roll my eyes in a typically Montreal fashion at a billboard ad for Caribbean beach vacations that we passed in the car on the way home. What, give up skiing for sunshine and warm weather? Me? Perish the thought!

Some may disagree. But winter rules.

Damian’s been having shovel troubles digging his way out of the big east coast snowstorm.

We’re supposed to get dumped on tonight. Hopefully there’ll be some good ski weather.

Night skiing is fun!

Lest this news be overshadowed by the Columbia tragedy, there was more tragic loss of life today. Six skiers were killed in an avalanche in British Columbia. More are missing.

Just awful.

Update: The death toll from this accident is now up to 7.