January29-Feb 4, 2005
Some of The Coesters at Heavenly
This trip planning actually began last year when we all gathered at Salt Lake City. At that time it was proposed that we all meet the following year at Lake Tahoe. Jan and Sheri arranged for a house near the Boulder Lodge at Heavenly Ski Resort. Yvonne and I planned on flying in on TED on Sunday but because of several reasons including the fact that TED was way overbooked we had to spend $1400 to fly America West on Saturday. Our plane was delayed out of Orlando so we missed our Phoenix connection and had to wait three hours there before connecting to Reno. At Reno we got a Dollar rental car (Taurus) and drove the one plus hour trip over to Lake Tahoe and the Best Western Timber Cove. Kathy arrived about ten p.m. with her whole family including Kristen and Nick. On Sunday Kathy and I skied on the Heavenly California side slopes while Kristen took snowboard lessons and Yvonne stayed with Nick at the Best Western Timber Cove, which was a great motel ascetically and completely wireless equipped.
W e were able to get into the house at three o'clock and met up with Jan, Sher, Dan, Christine, Alexander, Sam, Debbie, Danny Erica, Dean, Kristen and Nick. Judith came in on Tuesday. Sher had brought her famous shrimp gumbo for dinner that night and on subsequent nights we had lasanga, Mexican and hamburgers.
We all had the usual lousy first nights of sleep but were very ready to hit the slopes when the lifts opened at 0900 Monday. But we all screwed around getting lift tickets and rental gear so didn't start skiing until about ten. Debbie (bless her heart) took Nick and taught him snow boarding at boulder Lodge. Dean Mom, Kristen and I headed up to the top of the mountain where we immediately found out that Kristen was unsure of herself and then she and Dean got tangled up and hurt Kristen's ankle. Dean had to take her to the clinic where they wanted him to wait five hours so he left and we iced her down and wrapped it up and got her crutches. Yvonne and I skied all day and really enjoyed the hills on the Nevada side.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were filled with more great skiing under clear sunny skies. Highlight included Dean and me skiing down the long steep Ellie's Run a black diamond where I got going faster than ever before, Jan wiping out and injuring his ribs, and Dan trying snow boarding and hurting his arm. On Thursday we got both Kristen and Nick up to the top of the mountain where both successfully skied several blue runs. We were so proud of them. Judith practiced her skills on the easier slopes and became proficient with her wedge turns. The skiing was spectacular all week as was the company and companionship of everyone. The young and some of the old played hilarious games of Cranium in the evenings and filled the house with laughter.
Friday was departing day so after getting Dean, Judith, Kris and Nick to the bus back to Reno, Yvonne and I headed out for some touring since our flight didn't leave until eight-thirty p.m. We drove all around Lake Tahoe and stopped at every viewpoint. We bought some sandwiches and ate them in a park on the shore of the lake. Also stopped at Mt. Rose ski area which had some black runs that looked enticing. Then we drove over to Pyramid Lake to look at the island shaped like a pyramid. The desert landscape on the way was eery.
It was a great ski trip and a fine time with the family.