Friday, December 12, 2008

Parades, Skiing and more snow

Chris managed to get us VIP tickets to the Denver Parade of Lights - a major annual event through Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo is one of the sponsors, and participants in the parade, with their Stage Coach. It was rather cold, but we had a great time watching the parade go by. You could just feel the holiday spirit in the air.

The Southwest Airline float

Switching on of the lights on the City and County Building



The State Patrol



The following morning, at 6am, Mel and Jennie met us at our place to head to Breckenridge. We were all booked to take our first ski lessons. Mel and Jen normally snowboard, but decided to take on skiing with us.

The roads to Breck were snowy and icy, so extra care had to be taken.


The snowy icy roads to Breck

We had a full day ski-lesson planned, and got a great little lady called Lucy as our instructor. It was chilly, but we soon worked up a sweat learning the basis.

Jen and I on the gondola up the mountain

After breaking for lunch, Lucy decided that we were good enough to go on a blue-slope. This is where I went from Hero to Zero, falling at least 20 times. It was windy and freezing. Soon I figured out the technique and eventually managed down the mountain.

Chris had to get at least one of me in the snow
Stunning views

Chris did so well and was almost a natural. Mel and Jen did fantastic, and at the end of the day we were ready to head to a local hotel in Dillon for a hot bath, warm food and a good nights sleep.
My car which is filthy dirty - All the cars look like this due to the sand and grit they put on the snowy roads.

Large icicles at the ski-lodge

The professionals - NOT

On the ski-lift

Mel, Jen, Me and Chris

Denver also saw a good dump of snow this week. At home we had at least 1 foot. Here you can see the snow in the early morning from my office.

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