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Fri, Jan 11 2002 - Ski Trip (View Original Event Details)

Trip Leader(s): No Coordinators Found
Participants:Todd Biggs, , Kenneth Miller, , Barry, Susan Cooper, Patrick Barry, , Joe Donovan, David McBride, , Anna C. Higgins, Lea Zywicki

Write Up:
Late Friday afternoon, the group met at the designated carpool site. We were all glad that the weekend was finally here, and quickly loaded our equipment and ourselves onto the mini-bus and headed towards northwestern North Carolina to Ski Beech Mountain.

On the way up, there was lots of chatter. Jokes and story telling was the main theme; although there were a few lively and risqué word games being played. We stopped for dinner at a Pizza Hut in North Georgia and arrived at our mountain getaway a little bit after midnight. We took time to unpack the bus, prepare our beds, and relax on something much softer than a bus seat cushion.

Each of us was quite pleased with the chalet that had been rented for the weekend. There was a fireplace, a television in each room, nice furniture, a kitchen with breakfast bar and several full baths as well as a living room with a full view of the well-lit slopes. Within an hour we had all went to our rooms for a good nights rest in order to prepare ourselves for a full day of fun and adventure on Ski Beech Mountain.

Saturday morning, no alarms went off, but the sounds of walking could be heard through out the house. Some people rose to the occasion of taking pictures of the sunrise over the mountain to show proof to their friends and family that they woke early during their vacation. About half of the group headed to the mountain for the morning session to enjoy skiing and snow boarding. A couple of folks in the group attended the ski lessons, while others went straight for the slopes. The remainder stayed behind for leisurly conversation, breakfast, and coffee until about 10:00 AM. We took our time getting to the mountain since the next skiing session didnt start until 12:30 p.m. We took pictures, watched others ski, and enjoyed some more coffee at the local shop before renting our equipment and buying our lift tickets.

Saturdays conditions were overcast, and cold. There was not a lot of wind, so it was very comfortable on the slopes and lifts. Each of us were at different skill levlels, so there were times we shared the slopes together, and other times we were alone. Deidre and Barry took a painful route down the black diamond slope, although they had to do it slowly, they made it down , each in one piece. After that, the rest of the day seemed easy. Phil, after his ski lessons, made over sixteen runs, only to find Ken and Todd trying to keep up with his daring speeds and die hard intensity. Though I do admit the best skiers in the group were Dawnmarie, Ken, and Joe, the rest werent far behind. Everyone took a spill or two either down or across the face of the mountain, luckily with no major contusions. David did some snowboarding while Anna tried some ice skating to break the monotony of the afternoon. Todd stayed and skied on into the night.

Saturday night, the group as a whole went for dinner and lively conversation at a local restaurant/pub where we were entertained by each other as well as the owner. - He sang Broadway tunes and other songs for the crowd, complete with a Phantom of the Opera costume. (He had a great voice!) After dinner we returned to our chalet to chat, to watch television, and most of all to rest, as the day had consumed most of our energy.

Sunday morning, Phil Three-Pack Tuck headed for the slopes to ski during the morning session while the others helped pack the mini-bus, and get us checked-out of the chalet. David, Susan, and Todd decided to go tubing and found themselves coming down the hill at exceedingly high velocities only to be stopped by what seemed to be very large pillows. The rest of the group hung out in a coffee shop eating pastries, drinking hot chocolate and coffee, and reading their books that they brought along for the quiet times.

There were several shops, mostly ski wear and souvenirs, we each spent time at. We all noticed, too, that the employees at Ski Beech were all very friendly and willing to chat. This was nice and so was the weather. On Sunday, it was colder and slightly, more windy than the day before, but more beautiful due to the new snowfall that fell throughout the night.

Sunday afternoon was good for safe travel, the roads were clear, and sky was both clear and sunny. We began our drive home around 1:00 PM. …with good conversation, lots of sunshine, and a few quick and easy stops for refreshments and stretching. Though most of us slept at different points along the way, the drive home went by very quickly.

Arriving in Atlanta late Sunday afternoon, we pulled into our carpool location and unloaded our equipment. There was warm conversation followed by hugs, handshakes, and goodbyes. Atlanta felt distinctly warmer, and it was good to be home.

Special thanks go to Dawnmarie Hill, Todd Biggs, and Katt Martin for helping to organize this trip as well as for the leadership. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes as well as during-the-trip effort, which makes trips like this fun and possible.
Written By: Barry Bolling and Todd Biggs
Photos From: