Courmayeur, Cervinia and Zermatt; And All Returned

Evening #3 in Courmayeur. Ciao from your SkiMaster friends, who had a terrific day in Cervinia, with weather that ranged from frost-bite white out to lunch in the sun on the terrace at the Hotel Astoria. Bob cDonald assumed the Great Mountain Guide role and led 25+ of us across the border from Italy to Switzerland, where the salad and pasta and pizza and Chianti warmed us for the trek back. People who love to pole
were in their glory as we trekked for miles, and rode the longest vertical t-bar in anyone's memory. But the hour-plus bus ride back to Corumayeur was unnaturally quiet as everyone napped following the harrowing return. No lives were lost and no arrests were made.

Ed Koehle graciously received the Spoon from Robb Rough, deservedly, as three friends had to help him retrieve the family heirloom flask he’d dropped from the chair. He was the hands-down winner, and could hardly protest with so many witnesses. In fact, he and Vickie volunteered to change their family name to O’Koehl for tomorrow night’s St. Paddy’s Day party, to be held in their room.

The last report of the mysterious loss (and even more mysterious re-appearance) of a boot bag was incorrect; Robin Calderon got all of her luggage, and though Terry Behme was the one without her boots for a day, she’d rented and fallen in love with the replacement pair, so all’s well and Hal gets to haul three pairs of boots back home.

Dinner back at the Pavillion Hotel was an improvement over last night. We all enjoyed a Caprese Salad (mozzarella on tomato slices with a basil dressing) before choosing between oglio/olio (thin spaghetti with olive oil, garlic and pepper flakes) or two soups. The main courses were beef, veal and lamb dishes, with the dessert trolly featured a chocolate crème cake, a flaky Napoleon and other delicacies. Claudeen must have lit a fire under the chef, as the offerings are much improved over our past two dinners.

Off tomorrow to Chamonix for skiing for most and shopping (for some) with a reminder to wear something green in honor of the day. Without Tom and Jay, it seems a hollow exercise!

Caio!