Day 4 : a quiet one

No photos today. We have two days skiing at Mammoth on our Mountain Collective Pass (2 days at a number of resorts) and decided due to lack of snow, we didn't want to pay for any extra days. So we took today off, let the calves recover after yesterday and will ski tomorrow. It is going to be quite warm tomorrow (for the snow), so lots of discussion going on here about what to wear! 

We spent today checking out the shops, I am trying to buy googles to go over my glasses, so have tried a few on but haven't yet found 'the' pair. A good excuse to keep visiting the shops. 

We have plans and bookings for the next part of the trip. We head to Jackson Hole when we leave here, have booked a condo down the hill from the ski area, so will have to drive up each day. After that we are going back to Grand Targhee. Hopefully the weather will be kinder to us this time and I can actually get to ski there. 

So glad we don't have accom booked ahead and can check the snow reports and go where they have heaps of snow - and Margo is a whiz at searching out good deals!!!!!

Day 3 : Finally ....

I am sitting on the couch in our condo, icing my knee (just a preventative measure) and my calves after our days skiing. I had forgotten how much my calves always hurt after the first day skiing for the season - should have done more calf raises! It is with a great sense of relief that I completed the first ski run for the day, my knee worked and I hadn't forgotten how. We took it easy today, the runs are so much longer here than at home, that a few rest stops along the way were called for. Because there is not a lot of snow at the moment, Mammoth doesn't have all their runs open so it was quite crowded. After two runs, I decided skiing was going to be fine, still not sure about falling over though. Did everything I could to make sure that didn't happen, including being very aware of not getting in anyone's way.

We caught the gondola up to the top of the mountain for a look, the 360 degree view over the Sierra's was spectacular, shame we didn't take any photos. Today's shots are taken at the top of a run and at our morning tea stop.

The Americans sure make the most of their short holidays -  heaps of people at the bar at 11am when we had morning tea  and they were all drinking beer, bloody Mary's, cocktails and shots!!
Well done to the Aussie cricket team - wifi internet and an app or two and you can keep up with anything, even ashes ball by ball description.
Margo is going to be fine, one marginally steeper run today and she was almost back to her old self. When margo finished early she took the key and headed back to the condo via bus and I skied home (a bit like vail, to get from one end to the other requires 3 or 4 runs and 3 lift rides)
Seems the busses don't connect very well as it took 3 buses and 20 min waits for each! So I got to the condo and waited 40 minutes - you can make up a lot of scenarios in 40 minutes - the worst one was Margo twisting and buggering her knee slipping on ice getting off the bus - so glad when she arrived. I think we will take a key each next time!

Day 2 : driving through California

Today was a travel day, we drove through the Mojave desert to Mammoth. The landscape was dry, grey green with lots of low growing vegetation and the occasional interesting looking tree. The hills were bare of vegetation and very barren. We had lunch at the German Bakery in Bishop, along with very other traveller - it was very crowded and had lots of pastries and breads to choose from. Our condo for the next 5 days is great, well set up and cosy. We are across the road from a lift (very important) and are looking forward to heading out for our first day skiing tomorrow. It's going to be a sunny day with temperatures above zero. Not their best snow season yet but still have 50 runs open!  

Sight seeing and shopping without Casey and Marnie is a new experience, we have not been in one "junk"shop yet looking for trinkets and souvenirs - may have to do that so we can bring them something home!! Supermarket shopping didn't even require 20 mins in the lolly isle grabbing the girls fave sweets! But I have seen early signs from margo that I will be visiting a few shoe shops - only fair I guess as I bought some new golf shoes in Santa Monica.

Day 1 : Santa Monica

We arrived safely in LA early this morning.   Might be the first time for ages we have had no luggage issues. Collected our car and headed off to Santa Monica for a spot of shopping, a walk on the pier with everyone else and lunch. As you can see we are still learning how to take selfies. John keeps cutting me out of the pictures! Beautiful sunny Californian day- in t-shirt and thongs. John did his usual good job of driving on the wrong side of the road and navigating LA freeways and got us safely to Lancaster where we are staying the night. We head off in the morning for Mammoth Lakes. Both of us are looking forward to a good nights sleep, as it is over 24 hours since we slept.

Flying out

At the airport waiting to board, see you all in LA. To everyone else travelling these holidays hope you have a safe journey.

1 day to go

This time tomorrow we will be at the airport, patiently waiting (or not so patiently) to fly out. But today is for packing, cleaning and generally getting over the excesses of Christmas. Another Christmas spent with the best family in the world. 

Christmas First

One family Christmas down and one to go. Spending time with cousins, both big and small,  an essential part of Johnstone and Edgar family Christmases. The added attraction of a pool this year, makes for a cool Christmas day - thanks Muz & H.

A special time making the most of the sunshine and heat, before we head off to the northern winter.

3 weeks to go

This time in three weeks we will have arrived in Mammoth, California. Not having skied for 18 months due to a knee reconstruction I am eagerly anticipating the opportunity to get back on the snow. However there is still a sense of trepidation, just waiting to see if the rehab over the last 12 months has been successful.