3 April, 2006 (Monday)

Return to Silverstar
The second Silverstar bus and as luck would have it I manage to get my name on the list. It’s an early 7:30am start, but I’m not the last on. I’ve packed my Head Monsters and my helmet. Silverstar is known as a skiers mountain and if my guess is correct it’s going to be icy; I’ll need all the edge I can get. Not a lot of familiar faces on the bus, but I doze off and figure I’ll work out who I’m skiing with when we disembark.

Two hours later and we’re at Silverstar. The village is as cute as I remember – all brightly coloured wood buildings stuck closely together. There is a smattering of familiar faces, but a lot who I don’t recognize. Two weeks to the end and still so many who I’ve never met. I wonder what rock they have been hiding under? (Picture: Moi and Nick on the Commet Express 6-seater chair lift)


Morning skiing
Nick from Retail immediately hails me. He’s skied for more than a few seasons and has a pair of swanky looking next season Scratch BCs. Expensive twin tips. But nobody to ski with. I’ve heard a little about his skiing technique. John did his Level 1 instructors with him. John passed. Nick didn’t. I also see Carmen and her friend from Cen Res Catherine. Both are also carrying skis. There’s Sarah (Retail) hanging out with Aaron (Night Audit) and Gareth (Happy Valley). A few faces.

I end up riding the lifts with Carmen, Catherine and Nick. It’s extraordinarily icy in the morning. The sound of ski edges scraping against hard ice isn’t one of my favourite sounds. We do the front face, keeping mainly to easy running blues. I goof off. One ski. Aeroplane. Racer styles. Yeah, I’m a big kid.


Afternoon skiing
Lunch is at Long Johns (I have to doggy bag half my Mac & Cheese –after I declare I’ll ski with it down my pants if need be they offer to keep it behind the bar) and then Catherine and I hit the back face. The day has softened the snow a little and we tackle a few of the black diamonds. They’re steep and long, but there aren’t any stray bumps so it’s an easy cruise down. (Picture: Carmen, Moi & a beer - Lunch at Long John's)

Before we know it is 3 o’clock, time to head back. We ride Sunrun (not too inventive with the names) a wide-open green. I dodge off to the sides, between the trees, and ride out a few bumps, deciding to launch myself off the last. The pop is off centre though, and next thing I know my head bounces and my nose ploughs a channel through the snow. My camera gets crushed into my solar plexus. Ouch. Winded. Ski is somewhere around here. I don’t think I’ve broken anything.

The bus trip back is peaceful. I have the double to myself.


Family guys night
Back at home it’s Family Guy night. For the first time in memory Dave, Jae and myself camp out on the couch and laugh ourselves silly. Two-and-a-half men comes on. Charlie and Rose’s relationship hits a new level when Roses dad turns up, and hits on Charlie’s mum. We have a sit down dinner of rissoles and chicken, Dave style. Dessert is green jello, laced with a little something extra. We all agree, it’s been a great night in.
(Picture: Dave and Jae - Grinners are winners. Enjoying dessert)