Bike and Ski Tahoe

ROAD TRIP TO REHAB CHAPTER ll

Posted by on Mar 2, 2019

ROAD TRIP TO REHAB CHAPTER ll

Road Trip to Rehab Chapter II Saturday, February 2, 2019 We departed Moab, continuing the drive to Durango… Clouds were surrounding the red rocks and a sun beam protruded down to the valley floor with the La Salle’s in the background… Awesome site and awesome drive…         Dan and I road-tripped to Durango about 6 years ago, when they hosted our NASJA Western Winter Summit. We both agreed that this was a fun resort with lots of diversity and Durango was great community with expanding mountain culture, great music, beautiful art and year- round outdoor recreation… fishing, paddle sports and great mountain & road biking They even host an annual bike event, The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, that races the infamous Durango & Silverton Train, 50 miles up the canyon from Durango to Silverton. For more information on Durango, Colorado visit: https://www.durango.org/discover-durango/ We arrived in Durango about 12:30pm and drove directly to Purgatory… This was a Saturday and they had a good crowd and we found one of the last parking spaces in their mid-level lot. Actually, it was on their tennis court… This was a long walk to the shuttle pick up, but thankfully, Dan offered to carry my skis and negotiated the walk carrying two sets of poles… took me a while to get there, but we eventually got shuttled to the village base area… Greg Ralph, Marketing Manager and his lovely wife, April, both old friends, greeted us and he set us up with ski passes… We rode up the Village Express to the top and skied down to Chair 3, rode back up and skied down to Chair 5… Rode back up and Greg & April had to depart, so Dan and I continued moving across the mountain to ski Chair 8 “Legends Express”. This lift was recently replaced with a high speed detachable quad and made riding up super-fast…          I really like the layout of this mountain and how the runs have been designed through the trees with rolling bumps and tree islands… A great area to ski on flat lite days… We eventually made our way to Dante’s on the mid mountain to take a break and grab a bite… We skied a few more runs and made our way back to the Village, where I checked out for the day and Dan continued to make a few...

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ROAD TRIP TO REHAB

Posted by on Feb 27, 2019

ROAD TRIP TO REHAB

Road Trip to Rehab… This past year has been extremely challenging, personally, with medical issues looming in my mind as well as keeping up with my Bike the West events… Recalling early last year, being told by my cardiologist not to elevate my heart rate with No Skiing, No Biking, No Working out and basically No Life… But, I heeded the warnings… I did ski, but half the days and half the number runs I normally ski – just cruising blue runs… It was extremely hard not to ride my bike or hike in the summer months… I did get out a do some fishing, but limitedly… Well, I’m pleased to say that after a series of three surgeries, from end of June through end of October, to correct aneurysms and re-plumb both my legs and repairing the aortic aneurysm, I have a new lease on life and hoping within a few months to get back to my normal active outdoor lifestyle… Unfortunately, it is taking longer than I imagined, to get my legs in shape as I still suffer fatigued buttocks / gluts when walking any distance, but have found, it is easier for me to be sliding on skis, than to walk. For the past 18 years, I look forward to my NASJA (North American Snowsports Journalist Association) Western Winter Summit Meeting as a kick off, with old friend and ski buddy, Dan Giesin, to our annual road trip incorporating the meeting with another 2 weeks of travel to other resorts… The NASJA Western Winter Summit meeting was scheduled for January 27 – 31, 2019 for Salt Lake City with skiing the resorts in both Little & Big Cottonwood Canyons… Here is the account of my Road Trip to Rehab. Saturday: January 26, 2019: Blue Skies and Sunshine predicted this day as I prepared and posted my Lake Tahoe Mountain Resort Report on my www.bikeandskitahoe.com website… All resorts were open with snow depth bases ranging from 40 to 100”.  This will change immensely by the time I get back… Dan had to take care of some business that morning and was driving up from his home in Marin County that afternoon, so I continued to prepare and pack for the 17-day road trip… I had the Subaru serviced a week before, knowing that I would be putting at least 3000 miles on the road and gassed up and pre-packed the...

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Road Trip 2018: Salt Lake – Alta Ski Resort – Home

Posted by on Feb 17, 2018

Road Trip 2018: Salt Lake – Alta Ski Resort – Home

Friday, February 2, 2018: Drive to Salt Lake City – Alta Ski Resort We packed up the Subaru and enjoyed our included breakfast and bid our farewells to the Kalispell and Whitefish Mountain Resort… There was dusting of fresh snow this morning… Today would be another long drive heading east and south all the way back down to Salt Lake City and base of the Cottonwood Canyons resorts… Heading out of Kellogg was smooth and easy back on Hwy 90 towards St. Regis and beyond… as well as navigating through Missoula… We connected to I-15 just short of Butte and continued to Dillion where we stopped for a Subway lunch break… By this time, although Subway Sandwiches are a good and healthier option to the fast food chains… I was getting a little Subway’d out… About two hours later we came through Idaho Falls…and continued, until we cross the Utah border… Somewhere back there, can’t remember the crossing or town, but we had to stop for fuel as the Fuel light came on and glad we did as there was less than a half gallon left… Lots of traffic on I-15, and plenty moving at a much faster pace as we got nearer to Salt Lake City… Negotiating the freeway system in Salt Lake is now a breeze as the GPS Mapping System, put us on I-80 toward Park City, but the 215 Exit before it winds up to Parley’s Summit… The 215 freeway runs along the west side of the Wasatch Range and delivered us to the Cottonwood exit that we were looking for… Our accommodations were at the Hyatt Place Salt Lake City / Cottonwood… Hyatt Place We were fortunate to have this set up by our friends at Alta Ski Resort and Visit Salt Lake Visitors Bureau… This was a really nice hotel, more of a corporate business hotel with a very welcoming staff, large relaxing lobby and large food seating area for accommodating their included breakfast… Starbucks and bakery snacks also available as well as a bar… But, you couldn’t just order a drink at the bar, as it is a restaurant and you had to order food from their menu to get a beer or drink… Understood as Utah alcohol laws have been changing and since the 2002 Winter Games and although you still have to go to a State Owned Liquor Store to...

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Road Trip 2018: Back in the USofA – Whitefish Montana

Posted by on Feb 15, 2018

Road Trip 2018: Back in the USofA – Whitefish Montana

Monday, January 29: On the Road Back in the USofA and to Whitefish, Montana With the Subaru loaded, we decided to have breakfast in the Legends Restaurant in the Lake Louise Inn that offered a nice breakfast buffet… I like choices… great service as well… We hit the road at about 8:30am and programmed the GPS Mapping program, setting our end destination to Kalispell, Montana, where our next accommodations was set up… There was no 35cm of snow on the road and we were thinking that the server from last nights dinner, might have misread the report at maybe 3.5cm of snow… there was snow on the roadways and our concerns about the drive diminished. Snow was on the roadways in places but for the most part, easy going as we climbed back up over the pass and back through Radium Hot Springs… We made a short stop in Radium before heading to the Canadian/US Border… We presented our Passports at the US Border entrance at Roosville and headed south on Hwy 93 towards Whitefish, Montana… Lunch was on our minds and stopped at Cafe Jax in Eureka, Montana… We had stopped here in a previous road trip and they deliver great food and fun service! A few miles north of Whitefish the GPS Voice told us to make a right turn off the highway and so we did… not sure if this GPS System detects traffic and delays, but the route took us to the west of Whitefish, bypassing the highway going through the town and brought us back on Hwy 93 south of Whitefish and on to Kalispell… We had reservations at yet another Holiday Inn Express, just few miles south of Whitefish and at this junction there was everything one could want with shopping centers, restaurants, lodging and more… including a Cabela’s… And, no wonder… Kalispell is the gateway to Glacier National Park and this area has been growing as more and more retired folks are moving to this area… Dan was also interested in picking up some real estate information from this area, as you never know where one may migrate to in the future… We drove into Whitefish that evening to meet with old, but young, friend, Dan Hansen, who formerly worked at Mammoth, rode his bike across the US one year and works with the local tourism agency… We met him in the Great...

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2018 Road Trip: NASJA Western Winter Summit

Posted by on Feb 10, 2018

Road Trip 2018: January 21-25: NASJA Western Winter Summit at Schweitzer & Whitewater Sunday, January 21: Heading North to Sandpoint Idaho Morning came early, especially when one is attempting to sleep on the couch, but another cloudy day with light snow falling in McCall… We packed up the gear and decided to go the infamous Pancake House for breakfast… This place is a local’s favorite and features Cinnamon Rolls that are so huge, it consumes the entire plate. I did not go for that but for a more traditional eggs, sausage & pancakes breakfast… to which I did not even come close to finishing… http://mccallpancakehouse.com We hit the road around 8:00am and caught Hwy 95 at New Meadows and headed north to Sandpoint, Idaho, via Coeur d’Alene… This was a long drive but also had great scenery along the way… Skies were somewhat clear and the sun popped out as we drove over Nez Perce Pass… We stopped short of Coeur d’Alene in Plummer, Idaho, at a Native American gas / smoke / souvenir shop to stretch and grab a cup of coffee… As I was taking a few photos of Hula-Gan at this stop, a guy got out of a vehicle, walking up to the building and said hello, and, “Aren’t you with NASJA”? I took a second look and really didn’t recognize him, but replied, “Yes, and how did you know”? He replied that we had met at a previous NASJA Meeting and a conversation started from there… John Brice was a corporate member of NASJA and I told him, that Dan and I were heading to Schweitzer to attend this year’s Western Winter Summit Meeting… He said, he had let his membership laps, but was returning from making turns at a couple of smaller resorts… This “perhaps” meeting blew me away… middle of nowhere stop and to run into a person who was an acquaintance… This use to happen more frequently and blow Dan’s mind… Back in the day… early 90 thru late 2000’s, when I hosted the K-MTN TV, morning Mountain Resort Report at Lake Tahoe and then co-hosted and produced the Lake Tahoe Today show with RSN Network… I guess I was considered a celebrity and people would stop me and ask, “Hey, aren’t you Curtis Fong, The Guy From Tahoe”? I recall these situations happening in a restaurant in Aspen, Colorado; as well...

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Road Trip 2018: Jan. 18-20: On the Road / Bogus / Brundage

Posted by on Feb 7, 2018

Road Trip 2018: January 18-20: On the Road / Bogus Basin / Brundage Thursday, January 18, 2018: On the Road Again… Subaru Packed and set up with Studded snow tires… plus, had the front rally bar with the PIAA fogs installed… Dogs fed… Dog sitters briefed… Filled the tank last night and now ready to hit the road on this year’s adventure in search of snow… Every winter is different and this season with it’s slow start at Lake Tahoe, hitting the road with my buddy, Dan Giesin has always been a traditional Rite of Winter for many years as countless visits to other resorts planned before and after, all centered around joining our associates at our annual NASJA (North American Snowsports Journalists Association) Western Winter Summit Meeting…http://nasja.org For the past two years, we have added a travel mascot… Hula-Gan the “Hula Ski Powder Monkey” and with him joining us on this year’s road trip, we are hoping he brings us good luck in finding fresh snow and real powder. This year’s NASJA’s meeting is set to start Sunday evening, January 21 at Schweitzer Mountain Resort in Sandpoint, Idaho, then move to Nelson, British Columbia, Canada to ski Whitewater and finish up the morning of January 25… We planned to ski Bogus Basin and Brundage Mountain Resort before heading north to Sandpoint and Schweitzer… Dan and I headed out to eventually hit Interstate 80 to Winnemucca, NV… From there, after a stop at Subway for a bite, we headed north on Hwy 95 towards McDermott, thru the Jordan Valley and to the Boise, Idaho… We’ve made this drive a few times before and the mountaintops along the route had some white stuff, but just on the tops… there have been winters where these were covered with snow, but not this year. Not meant to be a commercial, but we have been use to staying at Holiday Inn Express… https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/us/en/boise/boidt/hoteldetail This, now an upgrade from the early days of our road trips staying a Super 8’s, because of free internet… and, sometimes being frustrated attempting to work out their hotel rooms, especially a few years back, when I would kick Dan out of the room to record my radio ski reports, edit the recording and file transfer it back to the radio station… Sometimes the internet would take so long to transfer it, and yes, I would curse and wait for...

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