April Fool = Powder Snow

Nice acrobatics at the big air competition (Fernie BC, Canada 7 April 07)
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We had a great April fool's day surprise earlier this week, when over the first and second it snowed nearly 50cm over 48 hours! Powder days in April are thin on the ground, yet as I write this it is still snowing and is forecast to do so for most of the rest of this week - the hill closes this Sunday but there's no danger of the snow running out.

Celebrated my 30th birthday a couple of months late this week with a day "mushing" in the Elk Valley. Something that I've wanted to do for ages, it was the most amazing experience to speed along the mountain trails with ten huskies pulling each of us along. I hadn't quite bargained falling in a creek (the spring melt exposed a river, and we steered the dogs just off the edge!) but luckily no bones broken, only a very wet bottom. Would thoroughly recommend a trip to anyone though. Visited the "world's largest truck" on the way - yep agree that it is pretty big! (http://www.sparwood.bc.ca/chamber%20of%20commerce/titaninfobrochure.htm)

Nice acrobatics at the big air competition (Fernie BC, Canada 7 April 07)
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This weekend Fernie hosted one of the last "big air" competitions in the season at the terrain park. Those braver than Rob and myself (and a little more skilled) hurled themselves off the biggest jump in the park, reaching heights of 20ft above the crowds below. There were some awesome tricks (although I don't think I will ever want to do a double backflip 1080 on my board!) and some quite frightening crashes, luckily no major injuries that you might imagine.

A little quirk of Fernie that I haven't yet shared is the phenomenon of the underwear tree. Various theories abound about the tree that has more jewels and pants than I do, but it's apparently a 15 year tradition!  A specific tree just above the Snow Creek Condos on the Elk Quad chair gets decorated with all sorts of underwear on New Years Eve and more gets added along through the season. Not sure how they manage to get the underwear quite so high on the tree, but it's an amusing picture!

V and Rob at the big air competition (Fernie BC, Canada 7 April 07)
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This week is our last week in Fernie before we head off on the next leg of our trip - can't believe how quickly 2 months have gone! Plan is to drive to Seattle from here, then fly up to Anchorage for 3 weeks in the frozen north before getting the ferry back to the US. Will miss here, but quite exciting to be on the move...

V