Report by David Inglis
As the world record holder in the x-country one meter (!) event, I was invited to the Olympic winter games now in progress in Sochi. With my Canadian flag wrapped around my shoulders and a suitcase full of poutine (a gift for Russian President Vladimir Putin… putin/poutine… same pronunciation, no?), my gold medal was a simple 43-hour flight away, via Patagonia. I did not get there. My problem? My alarm did not ring. I was also supposed to receive a wake-up call from my coach from the Jamaican bobsled team (it’s a long story) but he was too busy tending to his um, medicinal plants. So I missed my flight and my chance to win my gold medal.
My silver medal option was to join the Beaver Tails for the February 9^th destination at L’Esterel, a ski centre we had not been to in some 8 years. For many years this was a popular destination but the hotel/ski centre went bankrupt, closed, was sold, bought, then built into a huge hotel, minus the ski centre. The new ski centre is located on the grounds of the old ski shack, across Lac Dupuis. With a year-old log chalet that has that new wood smell, warm washrooms, adjacent waxing hut and $13 ski pass, the new L’Esterel is a x-country ski haven. Within 15 or so minutes after we arrived, a busload of skiers from another club (Ville Marie) arrived. Kudos to our club for our 8:00 am “Dorval departure,” being the first to arrive has its benefits. Check out the photo of the grooming machine, a sleek sand dune like buggy on caterpillar treads. I think Continue reading →