Back in November I noticed that the girls had a 'teacher's workday' holiday the Monday before President's Day. Realizing this is an opportunity to take them skiing over a long weekend without the crowds of the holiday weekend, we set our sights on Mammoth Mountain - a resort deep in the Sierras, and a 5-6 hour drive from home. We left Friday afternoon, singing songs and listening to books on tape. Later in the car the girls watched a DVD while Lesli & I played with the GPS system ("Wow, did you know we are 2356 miles from Honolulu?"). Around 10pm we got into our rented condo and went to bed.Saturday morning we took it easy as the snow started falling. Here are the girls, still waking up. This is the main room of the 1 bedroom place. In addition to this room & the bedroom there was a walk-in closet and full bathroom. Cozy.
After a hearty breakfast, and with the snow really coming down, we put chains on the minivan tires and drove to a scenic woods for a snowball fight, sledding & snowman-making. The snow was perfect for this stuff. Here are the girls with our new friend...
We spent the rest of Saturday playing, renting skis, going in the hot-tub at the condo complex and watching an old movie (Flubber / The Nutty Professor). Meanwhile, the snow continued all night, and in the morning our car was barely recognizable!
Here is a close-up of the antenna-ball ornament. It is a little smiley face (from Jack-in-the-box) with reindeer horns and (appropriately enough) earmuffs!
The girls took to ski school with gusto! Each went to a separate class based on age & experience. Afterwards they got together with Lesli & I and did some showing off...
Here is Savannah showing the classic pizza-slice position
...and Charlotte ripping up a big rooster-tail of snow during a hard turn (grin)
...all the bunny slopes are groomed to leave the snow with small ridges, which makes skiing very gentle & predictable. Skiers call this snow "corduroy."
Lesli in the background watching her little dive-bombers (helmets are required for kids!)
While the girls were in school, Lesli & I struck off for steeper stuff. Here she is on the lift, denying the whipping wind any chance to find exposed skin...
When Lesli took this picture I imagined my pose made me look fit & eager to ski. I now realize I look like FDR using his crutches & braces to stagger to the podium (sigh)...
A 'poma-lift' is a seat on a rope. You put the rope between your legs and let the seat pull you up. It is easy & comfortable, but when seen from behind...well, lets just say its not the most flattering position for a photo opp. Here Lesli demonstrates while the girls exit above her...
The last day Lesli & I ate lunch at the mid-mountain lodge, and relaxed in beach-lounge chairs outside. The weekend was perfect: great snow, a good mix of winter activities, and a comfy/cozy place to stay.
