Tremblant, PQ - December 1999 - "Operation Mayhem"
Date: December 10th - 17th, 1999 Team Members: Tom Albano, Jim Valentino, Scott Caughlin Vehicle: Ford Expedition Lodging: Time share
Important Events: First trip to Canada, Ford Expedition, Quebec Invasion soundtrack, Scotty suggesting we come home a few days early to ski at Gore, Tom and Jim laugh, first border crossing, "That's Mr. Whiteface to you!", "Welcome to PQ baby! It's the French speaking province... in case ya didn't know.", Scotty blowing a stop sign immediately upon entering a new country, Tom gets in telephone booth in Canada, hitting the bathroom right across the boarder for the first time, Tom repeating, "welcome to the coastal plains of Southern Quebec", trying to follow Rt. 15 Nord through mid-day Montreal traffic, little snow on arrival, discovering our shitty room, proceeding to switch to slightly less-shitty room, muddy construction site, "it's the Bonichoix baby", Dope Wars, Scotty's portable DVD player, South Park - The Movie, "Blame Canada", The Superstar Mel Farr, "Is he wearing a cape?", French cartoons, Maury Povich, fear of balloons, drill instructors, "do we have to speak French?", Casey's for the first meal and beers (wings 'n' Labatts), Cabrio baby, Discovery of Boreale, excessive beers for Tom and Jim at hotel, Scotty and his morning coffee, "Edge of a Broken Heart" by Vixen, Scotty bewildered, TGV lines, Scotty afraid... doesn't ski, discovery of La Diable, our first Extreme Onction, trying every beer they've got, French onion soup, stock talk at the bar, Tom's trip to the cash machine, "Why are we exchanging our money?", Jim's futile quest for Labatt's Maximum Ice, Le Petite Caribou, Tom falls in love with Michelle, Michelle proceeds to drink Tom and Jim under the table, Scotty watching, hammered walk back to the car, Tom giving Scotty a pep-talk in the car, Scotty relaxed stops calling his Dad everyday, 14 trails open, Tom's ninja mask/pose, cloudy north side trails, Scotty's yard sale, Jim slamming beers at lunch, Jim feigning sleep on the Gondola, horse ride video game at the arcade, Scotty on the snowmobile, discovering Poutine aka Inferno fries, playing guitar in the hotel, Scotty again suggesting an early departure to Gore Mt., Tom flips out on Scotty (sort of), beers, long drive home, Scotty cheers upon returning to NJ, Tom and Jim long for Canada... vow return...
The PQ Ski Team is born.