Jan 11 - Whistler Day 3 of 8

I know that none of you really know all the ski runs that I'm talking about, but it's like my bike rides -- good reference for me -- what did we do that day anyway ?

Before going skiing, I checked in with Canadian Tire in Parry Sound.  The X5 is ready.  During skiing, that is using email from Pika's with my Blackberry (free wireless is everywhere these days) I exchanged emails with Sharon.  The appraiser has been and we'll know in about a week what that result is.  Everything is falling into place, knock on wood !

Yesterday was cold, -18C at the top and -14C at the bottom.  It "warmed up" to -13C / -8C.    I just checked the "live temps" on the website and it's -12C at the top; -12C at the bottom.  In the middle it's -13C.  How's that for consistency ?

We tried using toe warmers and they did help.  I never actually had to go in because my toes were cold.  Sandy still had some trouble.  That's not to say that I didn't need to go in because of the cold ... just that it wasn't my toes that were the issue !  We will do that again today.  The alpine forecast for the rest of our stay is -6, 0, +2, -1 ... and continuous sun.  It will be wonderful and warm the last three days.

We were up at Pika's around 9am, went in first thing for a) a cappuccino and b) to adjust my boots, which I didn't want to do outside.  Besides, I wanted that cappuccino.   Skier traffic was light yesterday; no-one in a hurry to get out there in the cold.  However, that didn't stop people from coming out -- it's glorious on a sunny day -- the chalets got more business than usual.

We did top to bottom a couple of times on Franz's and the Downhill; a couple of runs on Harmony Horseshoe; The Saddle; Downhill / Bearpaw, which had been freshly groomed; skied Whiskey Jack / Olympic; had a coffee in Chic Pea; lunch at Pika's again; you get the idea.

The Olympic run that we did first thing was great.  That was before the ski schools got out there and it really is a nice cruiser.

They've been making snow constantly on the lower reaches of the Downhill at Creekside, the bottom of Ptarmigan and, yesterday, Olympic.  They are taking full advantage of the cold.  They were setting up the guns on the steep part of the Downhill yesterday so I imagine that today that will be a target.

Given the total acreage, there's not a lot of snowmaking.  They focus on those areas way downhill of what's called "Mid Station" that lose their snow first so that people can ski all the way to the bottom late in the season rather than downloading on the bottom chairs.

We haven't skied down to the Village yet this year, not sure that we will.  We haven't been over to Blackcomb yet either; that will wait until tomorrow perhaps when it starts warming up.  We'll take Peak-to-Peak over, rather than skiing down and then taking chairs all the way up, which takes the better part of an hour.

Sandy lasted longer, stopping after a late day run to the bottom.  I went back up, hoping that I'd be able to get a run on Ptarmigan but it was still closed for race training.  Back up the Garbanzo around 2:45 I had plenty of time for a couple more runs on that chair but was getting chilled.  I took the Downhill all the way down and finished up just before 3pm.  I was tempted to go back up, they were still uploading at the Gondola, but no.

Sandy was still in the condo; headed to the hot tub shortly thereafter.  I had my daily salad and then after she got back, went to the grocery store for a few items.  Sandy was tired and not keen on going into town for dinner, so we walked over to Boston Pizza right here in the same spot as the local Sushi place.  The Food Plus place there has closed.  That used to be my replenishment place before they put in the large grocery store.  I guess that many people did the same thing and they went out of business.

Boston Pizza is a misnomer.  They have an extensive menu, pizza just being a part, along with meal sized salads, pastas and "regular" items.  Sandy did have a personal-sized pizza, a Mediterranean, which was very well (as in good) done, along with a huge green salad.  I had their Santa Fe salad, which had a variety of southwestern items along with the greens, like guacamole, black beans, corn etc.  I added the salmon filet to that as an option; chicken and shrimp being other options.  They call it salmon filet, but of course it's just a piece of a salmon filet.

Another day was done.

Today I've got Mass at 5pm and we'll eat in the Village.