The Tally
I’m no mathematician, but I think we spent over $400 (Canadian) on beer alone on this trip. Possibly closer to $450. Not too shabby and a little shocking now that I think about it.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
The Final Tally
7:15 ride on the dot. One stop – gas, McDonald’s breakfast, and bathroom at the border. That’s it. Back before 3 PM.
Overall, just a solid, tremendous trip. Perhaps we need to go back in August…
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
I'm not sure I blogged this before...
The other day, we were riding up the Flying Mile and Vixen's "Edge of a Broken Heart" came on in the speakers of the terrain park. This was the first chair of the day and really set the tone. It was like they knew we were coming.
The snow!
It is coming down hard and trying to thwart our pre-3 PM arrival. Only 30 miles to go and the arrival time still says 2:53. I don't believe that number for a second though.
Welcome to Albany
Capital of the Empire State. 150 miles until home. 2:55 PM estimated arrival. Starting to become overcast. I would welcome some snow to greet me at home.
Less than 200 miles!
Okay, I shouldn't get that excited. 191 to go to Norwalk. Signs of Albany civilization are in sight. Don't forget to track the final leg of this journey on my Google Latitude.
Okay, we might have overdone it once or twice...
I should probably point out that we had a three hour lunch at la diable yesterday. A pitcher and a glass of Extreme each. Almost a double metric lunch.
But, I suppose that is entirely acceptable when you fire down 17 runs in a day. Zig zag hurt a little more the second time around, for the record.
But, I suppose that is entirely acceptable when you fire down 17 runs in a day. Zig zag hurt a little more the second time around, for the record.
Past the half way mark...
Almost home. The time is flying by, but then again, Keith is flying. 207 miles to go and an estimated arrival of 2:53 PM.
I should probably take this time to summarize the trip...
In all, one of the best trips we've ever had. We skiied a lot. Perhaps some of the most skiing shoved into any three day period at Tremblant.
We drank... Just as hard. I wouldn't say it was the most ever. We didn't even break 20 pitchers and we're taking 19 beers home with us. Hardly a record, but not too shabby either. Everyone had their moments. Keith's breathalyzer sessions we're always entertaining.
I also felt that we had good variety. We hit la diable a lot, but we also went out for a nice dinner, made one in, ate breakfast every morning, and got some decent sleep. We even tried some things we hadn't tried in a very long time. La Forge was actually tasty and exactly what we needed that night. I could see myself going back there again.
I think we paced ourselves well on this trip and that made It much more enjoyable. Also, in the end, the trip was much more about skiing than partying 24/7. That helped too... As did the 30 pack of water that we finished in three days.
Best trip ever? No. But it is definitely top five. Not bad for a small, cold trip in mid February.
Next up? We're thinking Okemo in March. Quick weekend trip at the Best Western. Keep things cheap.
I should probably take this time to summarize the trip...
In all, one of the best trips we've ever had. We skiied a lot. Perhaps some of the most skiing shoved into any three day period at Tremblant.
We drank... Just as hard. I wouldn't say it was the most ever. We didn't even break 20 pitchers and we're taking 19 beers home with us. Hardly a record, but not too shabby either. Everyone had their moments. Keith's breathalyzer sessions we're always entertaining.
I also felt that we had good variety. We hit la diable a lot, but we also went out for a nice dinner, made one in, ate breakfast every morning, and got some decent sleep. We even tried some things we hadn't tried in a very long time. La Forge was actually tasty and exactly what we needed that night. I could see myself going back there again.
I think we paced ourselves well on this trip and that made It much more enjoyable. Also, in the end, the trip was much more about skiing than partying 24/7. That helped too... As did the 30 pack of water that we finished in three days.
Best trip ever? No. But it is definitely top five. Not bad for a small, cold trip in mid February.
Next up? We're thinking Okemo in March. Quick weekend trip at the Best Western. Keep things cheap.
143 miles to Albany
GPS has is getting into Albany at 12:51. Perhaps we can make a 3:30 arrival in Norwalk after all.
Mcmuffin was delicious
10:19 AM. We are fueled up and fooded up. Looks like snow is coming (12-15 inches) and we are just going to miss it. Of course, missing the powder sucks, but at least we didn't have to drive through the laurentians and upstate new York in a blinding snow storm.
170 miles to Albany.
170 miles to Albany.
Back in the USSA
15 minute border crossing. Not too shabby. Still managed to make McDonald's breakfast. We are normally leaving at this time, so this is a plus.
I am terrified about what a sausage egg and cheese mcmuffin is going to do to me right now.
I am terrified about what a sausage egg and cheese mcmuffin is going to do to me right now.
Good morning, nice of you guys to drop by.
Gentlemen,
Welcome back to the United States of America. And to the republic for which it stands, one nation...wait, sorry.
Congratulations on completely and totally dominating the mountain.
You have performed like champions, you have lived like vikings and you have conquered like PQFI.
Well done.
- Capt. Tom
Welcome back to the United States of America. And to the republic for which it stands, one nation...wait, sorry.
Congratulations on completely and totally dominating the mountain.
You have performed like champions, you have lived like vikings and you have conquered like PQFI.
Well done.
- Capt. Tom
3rd on line at the border
9:51 AM. Hopefully, this won't take long and McDonald's breakfast will still be a possibility.
182 miles to Albany.
182 miles to Albany.
No Canadian money needed
I didn't take out any money the entire time. All credit cards, all the time. Worked out great.
Well, that wasn't particularly pleasant
Traffic was nothing compared to what we're used to in CT, but it did manage to slow is down. We are currently leaving Montreal on the Pont du Champlain on our way to the coastal plains of southern Quebec.
387 miles until home. GPS says we'll be home at 4 PM, but I can't tell if that is a generous estimate or not.
387 miles until home. GPS says we'll be home at 4 PM, but I can't tell if that is a generous estimate or not.
Sad
La diable has an IPA today that we are going to miss. One day too late.
Also, there is a very real possibility that we have seen the last of Catherine. She leaves for school soon.
Oh well, we'll just have to come back up in August to play some golf and meet some new bartenders.
Also, there is a very real possibility that we have seen the last of Catherine. She leaves for school soon.
Oh well, we'll just have to come back up in August to play some golf and meet some new bartenders.
We left so early...
That we are riding to Montreal with the rush hour traffic. We'll have to see how this works out, but it has definitely slowed down a bunch.
Beaver Tails
I think I may have neglected to mention that we had Beaver Tails last night. Keith and I split a Reese's Pieces one while thorpe had a maple glazed.
For those of you who don't know what a Beaver Tail is, think about fried dough in the shape of a whitewater river raft. The inside of the raft gets filled with toppings. Delicious and absurdly greasy. Glad we split one.
For those of you who don't know what a Beaver Tail is, think about fried dough in the shape of a whitewater river raft. The inside of the raft gets filled with toppings. Delicious and absurdly greasy. Glad we split one.
First casualty of the ride home
Thorpe left his temperpedic pillow in the room. He's going to see if it can be shipped back to him.
We are aleady south of St. Adele. Mirabel is visible on the 10 mile map.
We are aleady south of St. Adele. Mirabel is visible on the 10 mile map.
The secrets to a happy and speedy return home from Tremblant
We all know how great the ride up is and how terrible the ride back always is. There are ways to minimize the pain though.
I learned a lot on my last ride home and I would like to share those secrets with you today.
1. Don't destroy yourself with alcohol the night before.
This one seems like a no brainer, but we all know it isn't. Sometimes you dominate straight through lunch to apres, sometimes you want to see Shelley one last time, sometimes the Ron has called you out. Face it, this is Tremblant. You have to do some drinking. However, how you perform this drinking is really the key. I suggest a nice dinner with wine early in the evening. Aux Truffes has been perfect for this role the last two trips. Once dinner is over, pack up and have a beer or two. Don't go crazy. We don't do It the night before we leave for Canada, why dominate ourselves for the more painful ride.
2. Minimize stops. Sometimes, this isn't possible, but the less bathroom and gas stops you make, the faster you will reach your destination. If possible, a high gas mileage car is advisable.
3. Don't stop at the border. No, you have to stop for customs. What I mean is that you shouldn't stop at duty free. You can't get your taxes back anymore and the liquor isn't that less expensive. You're already stopping at the border and likely right after to get food/gas. Why add a third stop in? Just tedious.
4. Bring a GPS. Having an idea of how far you have gone and how far you have left to go is crucial. It makes the time fly and you feel a sense of accomplishment once you pass the half way mark.
5. Good tunes. If you have a satellite radio, even better.
6. Don't drive the entire time. Switch drivers and take a nap if you can.
7. There is no number seven.
8. Leave early. This tricks your mind into thinking you just didn't spend all day driving. Hey, we leave early to go to Canada, why not when we leave? Of course, leaving early is much easier when you go to bed at a resonable time. You just partied for four straight days, you can dial it back a notch for the final night.
9. A good breakfast is key. Unless you are very hung over (which you shouldn't be - see number 1), greasy food is not advised. A dry English muffin will do the trick, hold you over until the US, and stop you from throwing up/dominating.
10. Keep up good/wacky spirits. Again, this all flows from #1. If you are hungover, you can't do this. It simply compunds itself.
Well, that's all I can think of for now. Although I suppose I could add blogging to this list. I just killed a half hour already.
I learned a lot on my last ride home and I would like to share those secrets with you today.
1. Don't destroy yourself with alcohol the night before.
This one seems like a no brainer, but we all know it isn't. Sometimes you dominate straight through lunch to apres, sometimes you want to see Shelley one last time, sometimes the Ron has called you out. Face it, this is Tremblant. You have to do some drinking. However, how you perform this drinking is really the key. I suggest a nice dinner with wine early in the evening. Aux Truffes has been perfect for this role the last two trips. Once dinner is over, pack up and have a beer or two. Don't go crazy. We don't do It the night before we leave for Canada, why dominate ourselves for the more painful ride.
2. Minimize stops. Sometimes, this isn't possible, but the less bathroom and gas stops you make, the faster you will reach your destination. If possible, a high gas mileage car is advisable.
3. Don't stop at the border. No, you have to stop for customs. What I mean is that you shouldn't stop at duty free. You can't get your taxes back anymore and the liquor isn't that less expensive. You're already stopping at the border and likely right after to get food/gas. Why add a third stop in? Just tedious.
4. Bring a GPS. Having an idea of how far you have gone and how far you have left to go is crucial. It makes the time fly and you feel a sense of accomplishment once you pass the half way mark.
5. Good tunes. If you have a satellite radio, even better.
6. Don't drive the entire time. Switch drivers and take a nap if you can.
7. There is no number seven.
8. Leave early. This tricks your mind into thinking you just didn't spend all day driving. Hey, we leave early to go to Canada, why not when we leave? Of course, leaving early is much easier when you go to bed at a resonable time. You just partied for four straight days, you can dial it back a notch for the final night.
9. A good breakfast is key. Unless you are very hung over (which you shouldn't be - see number 1), greasy food is not advised. A dry English muffin will do the trick, hold you over until the US, and stop you from throwing up/dominating.
10. Keep up good/wacky spirits. Again, this all flows from #1. If you are hungover, you can't do this. It simply compunds itself.
Well, that's all I can think of for now. Although I suppose I could add blogging to this list. I just killed a half hour already.
Good Morning from Das Beast
That's right, we were on the road at 7:44 this morning to head home. I guess that's what not getting great sleep for four days will do to you.
All went well on what is the earliest departure on record except for the fact that they may have charged us twice for Keith's lift ticket. We'll have to see about that. Only 400 some miles to go to norwalk...
All went well on what is the earliest departure on record except for the fact that they may have charged us twice for Keith's lift ticket. We'll have to see about that. Only 400 some miles to go to norwalk...
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Aux truffes
Excellent dinner had by all. Foie gras, duck, deer, and lamb all fell to our palates. Great stuff.
The afternoon was epic. Thorpe stole Keith's wallet and had Keith thinking he lost it. Keith didn't care because he thought he lost it at la diable. Thorpe had then entire gondola laughing and then Keith sealed the deal with an uncomfortable mother joke. On every lift ride... With 30 seconds left in each ride... Just long enough for the people on the lift to think twice about what he just said.
Time to pack up...
The afternoon was epic. Thorpe stole Keith's wallet and had Keith thinking he lost it. Keith didn't care because he thought he lost it at la diable. Thorpe had then entire gondola laughing and then Keith sealed the deal with an uncomfortable mother joke. On every lift ride... With 30 seconds left in each ride... Just long enough for the people on the lift to think twice about what he just said.
Time to pack up...
MVP
For the record, Keith baker has been voted MVP. It was very close, but his comeback today and final mother joke on the lift put him over the edge.
Dominate!
17 runs. Pete was wrong. We did 6 runs in the afternoon. Ha!
Oh, and he owes me a big apology for the last couple of posts. I dominated the entire time.
Oh, and he owes me a big apology for the last couple of posts. I dominated the entire time.
I learned something
On the gondola ride up.
1st- Keith has no idea where his wallet is.
2nd - Obama will make coffee with starbucks version of sanka, powered by unicorns and rainbows.
Jim is now the instigator - this could be bad.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
1st- Keith has no idea where his wallet is.
2nd - Obama will make coffee with starbucks version of sanka, powered by unicorns and rainbows.
Jim is now the instigator - this could be bad.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Re: Jim will
And now Jim wishes Pete Thorpe were dead right now.
Yep, it's time to hit the mountain.
Game on.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
-----Original Message-----
From: petethorpe@cox.net
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:09:30
To: PQFI<dreamth17.pqfi@blogger.com>
Subject: Jim will
Likely die soon. Throw a French dinner on top of this nearly bi-metric lunch and you can imagine his pain.
Baker is firing up and has just suggested we do at least 3 to 4 runs vs Jim's 1.
Keith is a genius but Jim may just puch him in the face.
Wow, that is Operation Dedication for you.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Yep, it's time to hit the mountain.
Game on.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
-----Original Message-----
From: petethorpe@cox.net
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:09:30
To: PQFI<dreamth17.pqfi@blogger.com>
Subject: Jim will
Likely die soon. Throw a French dinner on top of this nearly bi-metric lunch and you can imagine his pain.
Baker is firing up and has just suggested we do at least 3 to 4 runs vs Jim's 1.
Keith is a genius but Jim may just puch him in the face.
Wow, that is Operation Dedication for you.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Jim will
Likely die soon. Throw a French dinner on top of this nearly bi-metric lunch and you can imagine his pain.
Baker is firing up and has just suggested we do at least 3 to 4 runs vs Jim's 1.
Keith is a genius but Jim may just puch him in the face.
Wow, that is Operation Dedication for you.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Baker is firing up and has just suggested we do at least 3 to 4 runs vs Jim's 1.
Keith is a genius but Jim may just puch him in the face.
Wow, that is Operation Dedication for you.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
According to Keith
Jim was simply confused. No actually meant yes and yes Katherine, please pour us 3 glasses of extreme.
Pete almost choked on his beer upon hearing the explanation.
One of us will surely die on Kandahar in 30 minutes.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Pete almost choked on his beer upon hearing the explanation.
One of us will surely die on Kandahar in 30 minutes.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Not exactly a pitcher
Keith just got us some more extreme. While not a pitcher, we're going to be in bad shape.
One more run down kandahar, I suppose.
One more run down kandahar, I suppose.
Pitcher #16 is here
This one is a Ciel. We had a Keith's Dark last night.
...that's a beer. No, really.
9 Extreme pitchers if you're playing along at home.
...that's a beer. No, really.
9 Extreme pitchers if you're playing along at home.
Good morning
We made first tracks today. 11 morning runs. It's cold, but the conditions are alright. My blackberry stopped working at some point last night, which is why my postings have been erractic. Everything is all fixed now.
Operation Dedication
We sometimes rename a trip midway through and this trip can only be explained by this one word. Dedication. To be dedicated to one's craft. To hone one's skills in a relentless pursuit of perfection. That is the only way to describe the cavalcade of whimsy which we are only now perpetrating upon the face of mont tremblant.
Dedication.
Dominate.
Dedication.
Dominate.
Charles wouldn't try the bacon bourbon
No one a la diable liked it. I'm disappointed.
Keith is hurting right now.
Keith is hurting right now.
This could be wrong...
But we just walked into la diable and the waiter said, "the kitchen is closed". All I could do is laugh. That was probably rude, but appropriate.
Charles is a few minutes away from experiencing bacon bourbon.
Charles is a few minutes away from experiencing bacon bourbon.
Wow
Keith just paid for a shot of jack Daniels when Pete has a bottle of bacon bourbon in his jacket. That's dedication.
Speaking of dedication, Pete just poured a shot of bacon bourbon out at the bar and got some looks from the people next to him. They're from Plattsburgh and they certainly admired our dedication to our craft.
Speaking of which...
Speaking of dedication, Pete just poured a shot of bacon bourbon out at the bar and got some looks from the people next to him. They're from Plattsburgh and they certainly admired our dedication to our craft.
Speaking of which...
Oh... My... Lord...
These two are completely hammered. Not that I'm in great shape, but this is not going to be the greatest of evenings.
More to come...
More to come...
La forge
Yeah that's right. We ended up at la forge. I don't know about this, but they have something called Keith's dark. Really, what else do you need?
To make matters worse, I'm having a burger. This should be interesting.
To make matters worse, I'm having a burger. This should be interesting.
Damnit!
They have merkley hats, but they are all girly. I would even get any of these for Rachel. I am so disappointed right now.
It's 10:50
And we are relaxing at the top of the mountain preparing to head to La Diable in 30 minutes.
Keith just lost a contact...and is really , really hungover.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Keith just lost a contact...and is really , really hungover.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
More Than Words
Gentlemen,
My heart aches knowing that the PQFI is fully dominating Tremblant and that I, El Capitain Tomas Volant, is not there to join in the cavalcade of whismy.
I hope that the Extreme is as beautiful and tasty as the pictures show.
I wish you success and most importantly, complete and total mountain domination.
May your skis be strong, your hearts pure and your minds clear for the tasks at hand.
Ski hard, ski with authority and do not give in to the mountain.
I...I...love you too.
- Tomas Volant
My heart aches knowing that the PQFI is fully dominating Tremblant and that I, El Capitain Tomas Volant, is not there to join in the cavalcade of whismy.
I hope that the Extreme is as beautiful and tasty as the pictures show.
I wish you success and most importantly, complete and total mountain domination.
May your skis be strong, your hearts pure and your minds clear for the tasks at hand.
Ski hard, ski with authority and do not give in to the mountain.
I...I...love you too.
- Tomas Volant
Monday, February 16, 2009
Room 220, where I'm gonna do you!
We're watching ski school for the second time. Keith is dominating. Thorpe just destroyed a bag of Doritos while I was in the shower. We are trying to hold on so that Charles can enjoy that yummy bacon bourbon. Looks like we may go to Coco Pazzi for dinner tonight. That should be interesting.
In the words of Dave Marshack, all I can say is, "we came, we partied, we conquered."
Operation Conquest ReduX.
In the words of Dave Marshack, all I can say is, "we came, we partied, we conquered."
Operation Conquest ReduX.
Charles is offended
We're bringing him bacon bourbon. He doesn't know what to do. This should be interesting.
Ron is disgusted with us
He has been ripping on us for the last half hour because we had a pitcher of Blizzard. I guess that's three more Extremes for us.
Pitcher #13 on the way...
This one is a Blizzard. The Ron is in the house! Charles is working tonight and Shelley is on until 10. Good luck to us making first tracks tomorrow.
Exceptional
Good afternoon
Was had by all. 11 runs, all dominated. Emotion, Ryan haut, vertige...
Okay, actually, vertige had our number today, but as commander Baker put it, "vertige is like an old whore. She may have shown us some tricks, but in the end, we fucked her in the ass!". Well said.
We are currently at apres at la diable and are awaiting the Ron to show up. Nothing good can come from this. More later...
Okay, actually, vertige had our number today, but as commander Baker put it, "vertige is like an old whore. She may have shown us some tricks, but in the end, we fucked her in the ass!". Well said.
We are currently at apres at la diable and are awaiting the Ron to show up. Nothing good can come from this. More later...
Drinking instigator versus skiing instigator
Drinking instigator just won when the Ron showed up. Three more extremes it is. Well, four if you count Ron. :)
3 millionth beer
Spoke to Andre. Looks like we just missed. The batch is being brewed today which means that it won't be ready for another two weeks. Looks like Pete may have to come back soon...
What is this mountain coming to?
Perhaps it's the pending casino that is being built, but there are a ton of foreigners here this year.
Okay, obviously I'm a foreigner as well, but what I really mean is people from Europe and Asia. Lot of British, eastern Europeans, and japanese.
As this mountain continues to get bigger, so will the diversity. The gondola is almost finished that connects the bases and Le Soliel is building a huge base area. Once La Diable expands, I won't even recognize this place anymore. :-(
I guess I'll just have to cry into my Extreme.
Okay, obviously I'm a foreigner as well, but what I really mean is people from Europe and Asia. Lot of British, eastern Europeans, and japanese.
As this mountain continues to get bigger, so will the diversity. The gondola is almost finished that connects the bases and Le Soliel is building a huge base area. Once La Diable expands, I won't even recognize this place anymore. :-(
I guess I'll just have to cry into my Extreme.
It's Official
Captain Pete has destroyed his Palmer Burn and will have to go with his back-up board and/or switch to the Apache's.
I wonder if I should bring the board up the Soleil lift and cast it into the ravine...
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
I wonder if I should bring the board up the Soleil lift and cast it into the ravine...
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Morning recap
4 solid runs. Great conditions. Overcast but warmer than yesterday. Still crowded, but less so than yesterday. Looking forward to a solid metric lunch and a chicken burger. Oh yeah! The first extreme of the day.
Thorpe does it again
Somehow, he had his lift tickets ripped off of his jacket. Unreal. We should have gone up for a run instead of waiting for him. Oh well...
Quick thoughts from the last couple of days...
Over The Hedge is not a good movie. Way too corny.
Nothing exemplifies bad Canadian TV like Thumb Wrestling Federation. Wow, just wow...
Speaking of wow, when did Britney Spears start looking good again? Is she still crazy? Somebody let me know. I'll tell you one thing though, when she dances now, she looks terrible. Very uncoordinated and white.
Would it kill this hotel to have a roll of paper towels for each new guest. Last night's cleanup with tissues was not fun. Wait... Scratch that.
Right now, we've drank far more waters in the room than beers. Almost finished with the 30 pack.
Stephen Lynch, Foreigner, and Queensryche are playing in Stamford in the next two months. No, not all together. I may have to go to all of these shows.
That's it for now, I'm trying to ski instigate, but Keith has to shower or something. Keith... Who names their kid that, anyway? Most unattractive name for a male in the English language.
Nothing exemplifies bad Canadian TV like Thumb Wrestling Federation. Wow, just wow...
Speaking of wow, when did Britney Spears start looking good again? Is she still crazy? Somebody let me know. I'll tell you one thing though, when she dances now, she looks terrible. Very uncoordinated and white.
Would it kill this hotel to have a roll of paper towels for each new guest. Last night's cleanup with tissues was not fun. Wait... Scratch that.
Right now, we've drank far more waters in the room than beers. Almost finished with the 30 pack.
Stephen Lynch, Foreigner, and Queensryche are playing in Stamford in the next two months. No, not all together. I may have to go to all of these shows.
That's it for now, I'm trying to ski instigate, but Keith has to shower or something. Keith... Who names their kid that, anyway? Most unattractive name for a male in the English language.
Morning #3
Everyone is in good spirits. We calmed down our antics last night and only kept it to a couple of dinner time beers.
Pete's spaghetti bolognaise was excellent as was is garlic bread. He "boiled" the garlic in butter. Normally, this would be called a saute, but he used so much butter, that well... Anyway, delicious.
Against all better judgement, we are drinking coffee right now and getting ready to dominate the mountain (and bathroom). We will be on much earlier today and are hoping for no lines. We shall see...
Pete's spaghetti bolognaise was excellent as was is garlic bread. He "boiled" the garlic in butter. Normally, this would be called a saute, but he used so much butter, that well... Anyway, delicious.
Against all better judgement, we are drinking coffee right now and getting ready to dominate the mountain (and bathroom). We will be on much earlier today and are hoping for no lines. We shall see...
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Apres apres
After some chicken nachos, we are back in the room and will be dominating some homemade spaghetti bolognaise tonight.
Keith has just poured some bacon bourbon and is taking his drinking instigator role a little too far if you ask me.
Looks like another early night at this pace.
Keith has just poured some bacon bourbon and is taking his drinking instigator role a little too far if you ask me.
Looks like another early night at this pace.
Extreme
Will be the death of one of us for sure.
One extreme has turned into 2...and an order of chicken nachos.
I pray it doesn't turn into 3 pitchers.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
One extreme has turned into 2...and an order of chicken nachos.
I pray it doesn't turn into 3 pitchers.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Apres ski
The afternoon was great. It warmed up a bit and we dominated 9 runs, all diamond or better including zig zag. Tremendous conditions.
We are now, where else, back at La Diable with the Ron. A pitcher of Extreme is on its way. I was officially the skiing instigator for the afternoon and Keith is now the drinking instigator.
We are now, where else, back at La Diable with the Ron. A pitcher of Extreme is on its way. I was officially the skiing instigator for the afternoon and Keith is now the drinking instigator.
Lt Commander's Location: .089
I write this as I whistle the Star Spangled Banner.
We wait for Capt Thorpe at the top of the mountain as he got in the wrong line. Only 2 pitchers at lunch, but with the clear weather we decided to dominate the slopes. More to come.
We wait for Capt Thorpe at the top of the mountain as he got in the wrong line. Only 2 pitchers at lunch, but with the clear weather we decided to dominate the slopes. More to come.
Lt. Commander's Update: Check-in #.081 (circa yesterday)
First, I'd like to apologise for neglecting this post yesterday. You see, my "them" is to only post after measuring my BAC, and after Casey's I measured a .081, just barely over the legal limit. Disappointing, yes...but keep in mind we only had two pitchers and they made a mistake and gave us one of Molson Light. Here's all I was going to say anyway:
"At Casey's, the wings were great, and the Prime Rib Baguette was delicious. Now off to La Diable for some real beer."
See how terrible that was anyway? In any case, I hope that gives some context to my non-sense post last night. More non-sense to come.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
"At Casey's, the wings were great, and the Prime Rib Baguette was delicious. Now off to La Diable for some real beer."
See how terrible that was anyway? In any case, I hope that gives some context to my non-sense post last night. More non-sense to come.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Baker
Just asked if it was pronounced "boo-cocky"
Yes Keith, yes it is.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Yes Keith, yes it is.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
BAC
Last night Pete blew so high on the blood alcohol testing machine that it couldn't register. It only said "hi". That could be bad. Just thought all of you should know. We also paid 2 dollars Canadian for the privilege of confirming something we already knew from sight and smell.
Did I mention?
It is absurdly crowded up here. All lifts lines are very long. I hope that is only because it is beautiful out on a Sunday. Maybe all will clear up tomorrow. We'll see.
And yeah, do a little skiing...
Despite this morning's late start, we managed 3 runs and 7 trails. The conditions are excellent. It's maybe 20 degrees too cold, but other that that, it's great.
The board at the cabrio said "fast conditions" and they are. Perfect snow for Wilsoning the mountain. There were also spots of big corn which was fun to ski over and gave surprising traction.
peter has abandoned the clip in bindings and is instead strapping in. The amount of control he now has is amazing. It's like he is a completely different rider. Faster, More confident, more in control. He can turn on a dime and has been.
It's now 11:30 and we have our first extreme of the day. It is quite refreshing, but nothing was as refreshing as that long sleep we got. That may be the key to not Wilsoning ourselves the first night... Get up here early and dominate ourselves early.
The board at the cabrio said "fast conditions" and they are. Perfect snow for Wilsoning the mountain. There were also spots of big corn which was fun to ski over and gave surprising traction.
peter has abandoned the clip in bindings and is instead strapping in. The amount of control he now has is amazing. It's like he is a completely different rider. Faster, More confident, more in control. He can turn on a dime and has been.
It's now 11:30 and we have our first extreme of the day. It is quite refreshing, but nothing was as refreshing as that long sleep we got. That may be the key to not Wilsoning ourselves the first night... Get up here early and dominate ourselves early.
Late, but necessary start
We'll be on piste soon as everyone needed a shower. We are recalling fun moments from last night such as Obama's aim and pregnant bartenders. This may be a one pitcher lunch, but you know Pete...
The quest for 3 million beers
Could very well happen this week. Peter desperately wants to drink La Diable's 3 millionth. I would imagine his odds are slim considering the bar is packed these days, but you never know.
You'l pay for transgressions!
Morning. Day 2. I don't feel hungover, but I do feel like I was hit by a truck.
Pete just watched the video of himself calling his wife and Tom last night. He has no recollection of that whatsoever. Awesome.
Looks like today is going to be the coldest day. Fun.
Pete just watched the video of himself calling his wife and Tom last night. He has no recollection of that whatsoever. Awesome.
Looks like today is going to be the coldest day. Fun.
Apparently
I passed out several hours ago.
I guess Jims suggestion of less X-treme may not have been such a bad idea.
Half a bottle of G later and we will see what thew morning brings....
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
I guess Jims suggestion of less X-treme may not have been such a bad idea.
Half a bottle of G later and we will see what thew morning brings....
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Last man standing
So, I find myself alone tonight. The boys are both passed out before 9 PM. I'll find my way to bed soon. Pete better not wake me before 7 tomorrow.
Successful first day. Hopefully tomorrow will be even better.
I'll watch the end of Johnny Roland skiing the dome and then I'm done.
Night.
Successful first day. Hopefully tomorrow will be even better.
I'll watch the end of Johnny Roland skiing the dome and then I'm done.
Night.
Lt. Commander's Log: Beertime .218
It was an Epic night. I honestly wish that the border was quicker...not because we could have drank more, but because That Story of drinking could have gone from Epic to Legendary.
Here are some highlights:
"Hot Cock"
"Siberian Husky"
"Water Snake"
"Rackasaurus Reks"
"Captains Drunk"
It makes no sense, I know. We'll dominate tomorrow and prove more then. I have to go, Reid Jansen is calling all recruits to the mountain.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Here are some highlights:
"Hot Cock"
"Siberian Husky"
"Water Snake"
"Rackasaurus Reks"
"Captains Drunk"
It makes no sense, I know. We'll dominate tomorrow and prove more then. I have to go, Reid Jansen is calling all recruits to the mountain.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
La diable roulette is invented
One shot. Three people. Each chooses a number. The bartender chooses a number randomly. That person takes the shot.
Pete lost.
Speaking of lost. Keith just lost the... Nevermind. That's a story for another day.
Pete lost.
Speaking of lost. Keith just lost the... Nevermind. That's a story for another day.
#2 @
Charles just showed up on staff for the evening.
Jim is talking some nonsense about switchiong beers.
Not gonna happen
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Shelly says hi
We now have her email address. Wonder what took that long. We can now warn her in advance when we're coming.
Update: apparently, Keith has aids. More to come...
Update: apparently, Keith has aids. More to come...
The
Rack-a-saurus is in FULL effect.
Sadly my battery is too low for the flash to work properly...
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Sadly my battery is too low for the flash to work properly...
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Arrival...
Looking good so far. Quick pit stop at McDonald,s and we were back on the road.
Hotel worked out. Upgraded from a studio to a one bedroom on the 4th floor near the elevator. Tour des Voyages is quite nice. Stopped at IGA and picked up food and beer. Also a very nice place. Casey's wings and ribs await. Bacon bourbon is starting to kick in and the Molson export is passable. Waitress not great with English. That's one pitcher down. More later...
Hotel worked out. Upgraded from a studio to a one bedroom on the 4th floor near the elevator. Tour des Voyages is quite nice. Stopped at IGA and picked up food and beer. Also a very nice place. Casey's wings and ribs await. Bacon bourbon is starting to kick in and the Molson export is passable. Waitress not great with English. That's one pitcher down. More later...
Casey's
It's 3:30 and we're at Caseys.
Yes, it's ok to be jealous.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Yes, it's ok to be jealous.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Canada better get their shit together!
One hour at the border. The second we get up to the crossing, all the guards are swapped out and two new lines open up. Really?!
Then, to top it all off, when we cross the border, our traditional bathroom stop can't happen because it was under maintenance. Now we have to find a McDonald's or something. Not a good start.
But, we are in Canada right now, which is a plus.
Then, to top it all off, when we cross the border, our traditional bathroom stop can't happen because it was under maintenance. Now we have to find a McDonald's or something. Not a good start.
But, we are in Canada right now, which is a plus.
Painful
The border crossing has ruined everything. We have now been here for 30 minutes and there is no end in sight. You just want to tell at the border guard, but you also want to get in the country. Especially when the guard is letting one car through in your line for every two or three in the other line. Infuriating. And two lines? Really? If it's backed up this much, open a third line. People are honking, trying to switch lanes. This is a freaking mess and we chose the wrong line. Kills me. Oh well, no more records today. I guess the Extreme will taste all that much sweeter when we get there.
Greatest tremblant moments
We have decided to come up with a top 10 list for the 10th anniversary trip. We have some great ideas and will publish the list and an honorable mention list as we get closer to the 10th anniversary trip.
The border is in sight on the GPS map.
54 miles to Montreal.
The border is in sight on the GPS map.
54 miles to Montreal.
The new phrase on this trip...
Has got to be, "I think we should blog this". Ahhh, the interweb. Where would we be without you?
106 miles to Montreal.
106 miles to Montreal.
Speaking of dedication...
It is 10:10 AM and Keith is eating a turkey sandwich that he bought at the rest stop. I am shocked that he would do such a thing and even more shocked that he just ate Dutchess two hours ago. He claims that he is building up a good base so that he will be able to drink more at Casey's tonight. Again, I guess I can't disagree with that.
Thorpe has cracked a Rockstar beverage and we're hoping he doesn't have a heart attack. The second ingredient is taurine. That can't be good.
110 miles to Montreal.
Thorpe has cracked a Rockstar beverage and we're hoping he doesn't have a heart attack. The second ingredient is taurine. That can't be good.
110 miles to Montreal.
Dedication
Pete Thorpe is now taking a conference call from adirondack state park with limited cell phone coverage just so that he can have another billable hour. Hey, that means more money for beer for him. I can't argue with that logic.
123 miles to Montreal!
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
123 miles to Montreal!
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Leaving Exit 21
56 miles north of Albany. 157 miles to Montreal. 23.65 gallons of fuel in Das Beast.
No dominations. We didn't want to upset the delicate Dutchess balance that we have struck with our bodies.
We have decided to blog everytime we order a pitcher of Extreme. That way, it will serve as a semi-official record of our exploits.
The soundtrack is on, the tunes are pumping and psychostick's "beer!" is on. Appropriate.
No dominations. We didn't want to upset the delicate Dutchess balance that we have struck with our bodies.
We have decided to blog everytime we order a pitcher of Extreme. That way, it will serve as a semi-official record of our exploits.
The soundtrack is on, the tunes are pumping and psychostick's "beer!" is on. Appropriate.
Nine AM
24 miles north of Albany. 189 miles to Montreal.
Keith just relayed the Asian massage parlor story. 60 dollar massage, 40 dollar happy ending, 60 dollar BJ, 100 dollar full service. Wow. In Stamford no less. I'm shocked. I may have to go just for the cheap massage. I mean, 60 dollars?! Come on! Okay, maybe not.
Thorpe is taunting me with bacon bourbon right now. We tried the most recent batch last night and it was even better than the last. I think you can really taste the bacon this time.
Keith just relayed the Asian massage parlor story. 60 dollar massage, 40 dollar happy ending, 60 dollar BJ, 100 dollar full service. Wow. In Stamford no less. I'm shocked. I may have to go just for the cheap massage. I mean, 60 dollars?! Come on! Okay, maybe not.
Thorpe is taunting me with bacon bourbon right now. We tried the most recent batch last night and it was even better than the last. I think you can really taste the bacon this time.
In Albany
It's 8:30. New record. Spirits are high. Keith is getting tired. Likely because of the DayQuil. These two are going to get me sick. We will be switching drivers and starting the soundtrack soon. Great handling on the X5. This car needs a nickname. After the acceleration at the toll plaza, Thorpe suggests, "the beast". Done and done. This thing is a 355 HP monster. Actually, we may go with Das Beast because of the German heritage. We shall see.
Next stop, Exit 21 and the traditional rest stop.
Next stop, Exit 21 and the traditional rest stop.
About last night...
One of the greatest things about a tremblant trip is the night before. Last night, we did it old school. While we didn't watch ski school, we did manage to drink some Schaeffer and watch Demetry Martin's new show. (hilarious, in case you were wondering)
There is something about getting the boys together for bonding before the trip. It really brings up the excitement level. Wait... None of that sounded particularly good. Scratch that.
Anyway, those Schaeffers are starting to do their work now and sadly, Keith's passenger side window doesn,t roll down. This could be a long ride if you know what I mean. Sorry boys.
There is something about getting the boys together for bonding before the trip. It really brings up the excitement level. Wait... None of that sounded particularly good. Scratch that.
Anyway, those Schaeffers are starting to do their work now and sadly, Keith's passenger side window doesn,t roll down. This could be a long ride if you know what I mean. Sorry boys.
8 AM Update
JV - Well folks, it is now eight in the morning and we are 268 miles from Montreal. Some highlights from this morning so far...
5:20 AM wake up call. Out of the house by 6AM. Earliest start in history. Amazing dedication on this trip so far. We actually ended up waiting on Pete for once as he Dominated.
Speaking of Pete, he forgets his pillow 30 seconds into the trip. We go back. Dutchess breakfast. Jim fires down the first gay joke with a "throat babies" reference. In New York before 7 AM. Talking about plane crashes. Trigger integrity holding out. For now...
More to come...
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
5:20 AM wake up call. Out of the house by 6AM. Earliest start in history. Amazing dedication on this trip so far. We actually ended up waiting on Pete for once as he Dominated.
Speaking of Pete, he forgets his pillow 30 seconds into the trip. We go back. Dutchess breakfast. Jim fires down the first gay joke with a "throat babies" reference. In New York before 7 AM. Talking about plane crashes. Trigger integrity holding out. For now...
More to come...
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
And begin
6am and the team has already left. After a quick return to the house Pete has his pillow and Jim has already pissed 3 times.
Dutchess is in hand, the jokes are flying and the ETA is 2pm.
Dominate.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Dutchess is in hand, the jokes are flying and the ETA is 2pm.
Dominate.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
Friday, February 13, 2009
Operation Conquest ReduX Live Blogging Begins
Yes, I know this is the technically the day before we leave for Operation Conquest ReduX. However, a Tremblant trip doesn’t really begin when we arrive at Tremblant. In fact, it doesn’t even begin when we leave the house bright eyed and bushy tailed at seven in the morning for our cross-New York state trek. No, a Tremblant assault begins way before that. There is the anticipated run up to the event that culminates in the day before…
The day before is always a swirling mess of emotions. You wake up all ready to go and can’t believe that there is still 24 hours to go. The day passes slowly. Work becomes more tedious. You can’t wait to pack and get out there.
Once the work day is done, there is always the night before. We meet up. We pack the car(s). We sit down to a viewing of Ski School to get us in the proper frame of mind. If there is enough time, we even knock a few beers back and watch a Teton Gravity Research video. Sometimes we get to bed early and sometimes we can even sleep.
Well, I’ll try and sleep tonight. But we’ll have to see how that all works out. The excitement might be a bit too much.
And yeah… do a little skiing: Although Tremblant has only 57 trails open right now due to weather, there is still hope:
2/13/2009
There is a grooming strategy that is being used after we receive conditions such as rain and it consists of several phases which protect our runs for the future. It is a lengthy process but our grooming team will continue to work around the clock to offer you as many runs as possible. GREAT NEWS; if by chance you’ve put your winter coats away, start pulling them out of the closet again! Temperatures have dropped, beautiful sunshine is expected for the next couple of days and we will even see some snow in the forecast early next week!! Sweet!
One More Day
Soundtrack is created. A mere 24 hours to go. Tremblant awaits.
No, that wasn't a haiku.
No, that wasn't a haiku.
Monday, February 09, 2009
Live Blog of Operation Conquest ReduX
I know not all of you can join us in Tremblant this weekend. While this is a sad turn of events, I have decided to "live" blog the upcoming trip on pqskiteam.com. This way, there will be no annoying calls from La Diable torturing you about why you are not there. Instead, you can open your browser, go to the website, and see the latest updates (often drunken) from the world of total domination.
Hopefully, you will find this to be rather useful, yet not mocking. I am very interested to see how this works out.
Dominate!
Hopefully, you will find this to be rather useful, yet not mocking. I am very interested to see how this works out.
Dominate!
