The money I've lost on cars over the years would have paid for a new S/C and a holiday with VA in Antigua



Aint life a BEECH........  
" WITH MORE EXTRAS THAN A HOLLYWOOD EPIC "

So true, I wouldn't want to tally up the cost of my annual car change over the last 9 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The D3 has been by far and away the least costly I have ever owned.............. Currently: Carbon Black 535d
RIP: RRSTDV6 HSE & DISCO3 HSE

Ah Antigua!!!!!!!  2005 Zambezi TDV6 - Gone but not forgotten
2009 Alaska TDV8 - Gone and much missed.



WINNER - 2009 �Idler Of The Year� Award
Runner Up - 2009 �Just Doing What It�s Designed To Do� Award


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Ah Whistler, Canada

Only a few weeks to go, record snow levels, already had 16 feet of snow this season and getting about 4-12 inches a day......roll on March! L319 D4 HSE

1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF

1982 Series 3 SWB

RRUK wrote:

Ah Whistler, Canada

Only a few weeks to go, record snow levels, already had 16 feet of snow this season and getting about 4-12 inches a day......roll on March!

RRUK,

You lucky lucky ******* you did'nt tell me you were a skier , really jealous now , does'nt look like I will be going this year - sons school changed hands & cancelled ski trip - then friend who we had arranged to go to the states with had to go into hospital for hip operation out the blue & with Mrs MDP being a head teacher we really struggle to do anything other than in school holidays, which for skiing only leaves half term or easter. So now we are stuffed Still not given up just yet may do a quick few days in Europe & reconsider across the atlantic. If we dont get to go we are snookered then untill next year as colleague at work is away nxt xmas so I'm looking at FEB 2007........... a whole 12mths away ...  
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The skier's are now coming out!!!

Unfortunately I am a snowboarder . Yes, I am the reason for you all having to ski on sheet ice, please rest assured though that I do not refer to everyone on the mountain as dude, nor do I wear ski pants 8 sizes too big for me

So far this season:

Honeymoon (tied the knot on the 16th of December last year) at Lake Louise, Canada and stayed at the Chateau Lake Louise........truly stunning and especialy as we had Christmas out there!
http://www.fairmont.com/lakelouise/?cm_mmc...+ad+Jan+11
http://www.skilouise.com/

We had a tri mountain pass that gave us access to Lake Louise, Sunshine & Banff - we had 10 amazing days of being treated like royalty in the lap of 5 star luxury the service at the fairmont is second to none, you haven't experienced 5 star service until you have been here (we had a suite on the gold exec floor - we were upgraded on arrival from our standard suite as we were on honeymoon!!!!) The ski is also second to none, the wife is a skier so don't worry too much!

It cost a mint but it was worth every penny......

Then we hit Switzerland (went across in the D3 with 2 freinds - total goup on arrival was 25!! - mates from all across the UK)

We stayed here http://www.hotelalpenhofpost.ch/ and this is the mountain http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=e...en%26lr%3D

This place is our seasonal staple! Been going every year for the past 5 - we love it as it is completey void of tourists - just locals coming out of Zurich at the weekends. We have built up a very strong relationship with the owners and staff....they treat us excellently.

If the RRS turns up on plan during the last week in March (dealer confirmed yesterday that this is the date provided by LR) then we may try and squeeze in one final long weekend.......

Anyone have any recomendations for a good non brits abroad spot for a end of the season bash down the mountian??

S.Nowboardingmad Currently: Carbon Black 535d
RIP: RRSTDV6 HSE & DISCO3 HSE

RRUK.......do you have your own gear or do you hire?

If you have your own gear and you are planning on investing in upgrades with our good friends Snow & Rock before your trip I would strongly recommend you wait until you get out there!!!

We had a 'day off' in Banff.......I picked up an 06 year Burton Custom snowbaord along with Burton P1 Carbon bindings for $799 canadian - now when we went the exchange rate was almost 2 for 1. The same set up in snow and rock is £850.....Saved over half the UK retail price
These were sale prices however the North Americans believe in running sales during the season......all we get in the UK are the end of season run off's during sales in May

The other point being that they really do know what they are talking about out there - the guy who sorted me out was a North American Indian 'tracker' who spent each and every winter on a snowbaord, the kit they sold me along with the close attention to setting it up 'just so' has moved my boarding onto an entirely different level - had my first real experience of off piste powder. He recomended me a guide who took us right off the beaten track and into the mountains......REAL POWDER AMONGST DEEP FOREST!!!!!!

If you have room in your suitcase let me know  Currently: Carbon Black 535d
RIP: RRSTDV6 HSE & DISCO3 HSE

Very nice ST - hope you had a great Hooneymoon. I have been skiing for about 15 yrs approx and got hooked by those that were already skiing from within the local rugby fraternity. My first trip so many moons ago was with this lot and a shed load from the local wine bar ( about 40 in all ) we went to Kitzbuhel. Then for several years we used the Hotel Europa in Cervinia - this was a great 4* hotel immediately beneath the mighty Matterhorn in Italy and is one of the highest European resorts ( resort Altitude - 2050m highest skiing - 3480m )




you can ski into switzerland from here as well - you cross the glacier - through a tunnel and end up skiing into Zermatt. I have been to many other resorts inc:-

FRENCH
Avoriaz and Morzine
Courchevel
Meribel and Mottaret
Tignes
Val d'Isère
Val Thorens

Austria - Hopfgarten & Kitzbuhel of course

I have stopped in some great hotels & chalets over the years - but you are correct in saying the CHATEAU LAKE LOUISE is breathtaking.



I went with a group of 10 for 2 weeks Xmas/New Year several years ago & stopped in Banff ( beautifull ) at the Caribou Lodge



It was extremely cold as they were experiencing the worst weather in history a record -45 in Banff town centre and on the slopes at Lake Louise a windchill temp of -75 and that is bloody cold!

It was a great holiday despite the cold temperatures ( an experience in itself ) One memory will always be of the wild ELK roaming freely amongst the traffic in Banff town




Think I'll have to book up again now - see what you've done  
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Last edited by MDP on Thu Feb 09 2006 3:23pm. Edited 3 times in total

Excellent range of Pics Martin.....the honeymoon was fabulous! (will chuck some pics into my gallery this evening)

We also had the Elk! The bus almost didn't stop though! It was amazing to see the wildlfe roaming freely. Tempreature was not quite the -70 you experienced; first 2 days were around the -25 / 26 mark and then it didn't go below -2 for the remainder of the trip.

Not quite as experienced as your good self, I am only on year 6, we do however aim for three trips a season so I have about 24 weeks under my belt. Am currently working through intense negotiations with my line manager (the wife) over doing a full season at some point over the next three years with the objective of gaining my Snowboard instructors wings......this negotiation is very much a work in progress!!!

In terms of the French resorts that you list, what would be your recomendations for non tourist traps as I have never done France??

I hate going to a resort full of Brits - much prefer the locals!  Currently: Carbon Black 535d
RIP: RRSTDV6 HSE & DISCO3 HSE

ST - we share the same wedding anniversary except mine is in 1995! 10 years of hell! 2005 Zambezi TDV6 - Gone but not forgotten
2009 Alaska TDV8 - Gone and much missed.



WINNER - 2009 �Idler Of The Year� Award
Runner Up - 2009 �Just Doing What It�s Designed To Do� Award


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Ive moved this as was left

HHmmm ..... Britts seem to be everywhere when you go to France, Cervinia was good , got on very well with the hotel staff (esp in BAR ) also had great nights out with locals in resteraunts/bars.
I have found as you get older ( & Kids ) the skiing has been intermittent, but as my son is now nearly 7 he's reaaly kean & will be on his 5th week soon & given me and Mrs MDP a new lease of life
I have enjoyed all the resorts & have always gone with a great crowd/bunch of friends - so just as lively at night as during the day on the slopes.

My last outing was with My sons school to Hopfgarten in Austria last FEB it has an awsome ski area - perhaps the biggest - we were lucky in that there was buckets & buckets of snow.

see gallery for a few pics http://www.rrsport.co.uk/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=159 
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Hi ST and MDP

Hope you don't mind me butting in but I can recommend this place in France about 20 miles from Grenoble.

[url]http://www.ot-villard-de-lans.fr/

Went there a few years ago and didn't hear another English voice all week. A relatively easy drive down or fly to Grenoble. It's not in any of the usual ski brochures.

It's sometime good to go to somewhere like Les Arcs to use as a base to go to lots of different French ski areas each day.

Alternatively, in Austria I can recommend

[/url]http://www.ischgl.at/

Again, not big in the ski brochures. Realy good skiing. Amazing apres ski. Only problem was a bit of queue first thing in the morning at the cablecar if you leave it till about 10.00am. Lovely run over the back into Switzerland.
Hardly any Brits, mostly Germans.

I'm off to Lech in Austria at the beginning of March. Third year running.

Best resorts I've been to in Europe

Lech Austria ( by a mile)
Klosters Switzerland
Val d'Isere (the Tarantase Tour from Tignes is brilliant)
Ischgl Austria
Kitzbuhel Austria
Glenshee Scotland (on a good day)

Keith 4.4HSE Buckingham Blue
Alpaca Premium Leather, Rhodium
Dynamic Pack, PTI

LINKS

Here a the links you were trying to create Keith

http://www.ot-villard-de-lans.fr/

http://www.ischgl.at/ 
" WITH MORE EXTRAS THAN A HOLLYWOOD EPIC "

-75!!! you guys are crazy.. can't believe you actually go to cold places as a holiday! .. i have only ever been on a dry ski slope and was crap! so never even dreamed of going skiing. Is it really as good as it looks, or is it a lot harder then it looks which is what i think now!?

Where would you guys reccomend for a begginer like me to go? may consider it as it would be a change from the normal holidays i usually take, i.e. hot beach/middle eastern/eastern european countries. Pics look fantastic, and as so many people do it, surely i can't be that crap!

Hi Kam,

Best thing to do would be to book a trip with a load of mates who hav'nt been either. This way your all in the same boat together & can laugh your socks off at each others expense. Its not just about the skiing, my wife who insists on going every year and is scared of slopes/heights - simply loves the scenery/ambience. It is definately a group thing for me & the more the merrier.

So, speak to all your mates and be brave/adventurous for once. Convince them to try it & I'm sure you'll all have fun. KIDS LOVE IT

As for where to go - the list is endless. But a few pointers.

1. You need snow !
2. If you can avoid school holidays - its quieter/cheaper
3.Choose somewhere high with a good snow track record
4.A package holiday 1st time would be best & include all tuition/skis etc
5.Look for resorts that offer great fascilities for beginners Green/Blue slopes
6.A fully catered chalet is great - if you choose a small one and you get plenty of mates to go - then find a chalet you can have to yourselves.
7.Best places - you can ski in / ski out ( i hate queues )
8.If you go to the states/canada then the slopes are more open/motorways = again for beginners.
9.Avoid Geneva airport - it is ludicrously expensive
10.Take lots of beer tokens  
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