I was 1 of the fortunate 29 people that went on the European ski trip organized by Tom Szwedko.  It was a great trip and I’d like to thank Tom for putting it together, Chris for helping us get organized, and everyone that went for contributing to the fun that I had.

After a long plane ride, we arrived in Geneva, Switzerland on Saturday morning, and drove to Chamonix.  It is a definite resort area, with the ski areas within a short (and free) bus ride away.  There are many restaurants, hotels, bars and pubs throughout the town.  The language is obviously French, but English is spoken almost everywhere, and it's on the menus.  The weather was unreal - very sunny and warm.

Sunday was our first day of skiing.  Many of us went to Les Grands Montets.  Although hard-packed snow and overcast skies prevailed, it was fun.  Of course, eating French food on the mountain was quite nice.  The temperature was warm enough to ski in a shell, and still work up a good sweat.

On Monday,  I went to Le Brevent.  At that point in time, I thought I had seen the most beautiful panoramic view in the world.  The skiing was fun with the snow softening up quickly, and the sun shining so much that you could easily get a burn, and work up a sweat (we did a lot of that because the temperatures were much like here in Colorado).

On Tuesday, I went up to the top of L’Aiguille du Midi and saw what was now THE MOST BEAUTIFUL panoramic view in the world.  This is the area where the infamous Valle Blanche run is – a 20 km (about 12 miles) run.  I can only tell you how awesome the sight was, but you need Chris Horn to tell you about the great adventure he and several others had on the first day they went down it.  Chris became the SSC sherpa because he took 3 different sets of SSC members there.

On Wednesday, I went to La Flegere with Paula, Roy and Mary.  We felt like we had the world to ourselves on one part of that mountain.  For me, something just clicked to make that my favorite skiing day there.  Apres ski at one of the mountain restaurants was so relaxing and sunny and beautiful, that it was tough to leave (literally and figuratively).  This day was also Mary’s birthday.

Thursday was a travel day to Switzerland.   About a third of the group went to Verbier to ski before they arrived in Brig.  The rest of us stopped in Sion to see a beautiful castle built somewhere in the 1400’s.  It was quite a place. This day was George’s birthday.

On Friday, we went to ski in Zermatt, the home of the Matterhorn.  I had to buy a post card because the day was so foggy that we could barely see the person skiing in front of us, let alone that huge mountain.  I would love to go there on a clear day because I did not see much.  We had a group of about 10, and did a caravan with Arlen at the front and Chris at the back just to make sure we did not lose anyone.   We skied to Italy and had lunch – how posh!  The WC there was very interesting, and I’ll leave it at that.

On Saturday, some of the group skied at Saas-Fee, some went to Milan, Italy, and the rest stayed in Brig and did whatever they wanted to.  Brig is not much of tourist town in my opinion, but is quite beautiful, and very clean.

On Sunday, we traveled home.  To our surprise, at least in that part of Europe, daylight savings time occurred.  Think of how it must feel to come home late and find out that the clock must be turned ahead 1 hour when you have to get up for an early departure that morning – ouch!  This day was Melanie’s birthday.

All-in-all, we had great skiing (although I think it’s much more challenging in Colorado), great food, and great fun.  I’m sure that everyone will have pictures at the April meeting, and I personally advise you to take a look at them and try and prove me wrong.
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Misc. comments from the trippers...
In addition to the pictures and Marian's great trip report,  I was thinking of collecting people's abstracts, excerpts, tips, etc. from the trip and having Jim post them also.  Below are some examples.  The more obscure and out of order, the better.  It could be entertaining to have all these combined, assuming they don't offend anybody.  We could include Mary's story of explaining to the French Bartender in the Irish Bar what an asshole is, Melanie confronting the sandwitch lady, Didi dancing on barstools, etc.  Let me know if it's a dumb idea or send me some stories.
Still jet lagged,
George
*With regards to tipping in Restaurants, the "service gratuity in included in the check but the tip isn't".

*Chamonix was really crosscultural.  The second night we had dinner at a Tex Mex restaurant with Italian food, smothered pizza, fondu, internet terminals, and live reggae music with a flute player.

*The first night we were at Wallabees bar where we ran into a British Rugby bachelor party.  They gave us some cards with scantily clad women on them that you lick to remove the clothing, stick them to your forehead after somebody chants, and the last one to do so buys the round.

*The Ski Record for skiing seven days straight at seven different resorts went to Mary, Roy, ...

*We wanted to go to the local sports center to go swimming but they had a rule that you could only wear speedos, no swim shorts.  Couldn't figure out why.  Roy threatened to crash the place to see if he would get tackled by the speedo police & be forced to change.
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George,
 Thanks for the great pictures.
 I don't think I have too many stories different from everyone else, but I think the skiing record for seven straight days is for skiing at eight different areas. (possibly nine if someone skied all these and LeTour).
 1 Les Grand Montet
 2 Vallee Blanche
 3 Brevent
 4 La Flegre
 5 Verbier
 6 Zermatt
 7 Cervinia
 8 Saas-Fe
 Most people skied Brevent and La Flegre in one day, and also skied Zermatt and Cervinia in one day, and may have skied some areas more than once.
 Merci', Donka, Gracias,
 Arlen
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Arlen skiied 7 days in a row at 8 different places.
And he wasn't even tired!  Arlen tried to order a hamburger at Grands
Montets, but got only a bare burger, no bun or condiments.  He asked for a
bun and was told to use a baguette!?!  Becky had head cheese and liver
pate for lunch with a jug of wine.  My favorite signs at Grands Montets
were the dog with a slash through it in a warning circle at each lift.  My
cat would love to have one of those signs.  I liked skiing through the
tunnel at Grands Montets.  And the desserts were heavenly.

Anne
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Actually, I heard Arlen first try to order chili at the restaurant - that
was even funnier than him trying to get the bun after he ordered the
hamburger...  Should have had the spaghetti - no questions there.
Marian
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Whew,
Connecticut was brown but still very beautiful. And my Grandma May  ( also known
as Grandma May I... like Captain may I..... ) and I went to Manhatten for a day.
The Village, Chelsea, Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge- what a place, but place
hardly describes it. Got back to Mpls. yesterday afternoon and headed to the
allergist, next stop dentist. I think the Ski Club should storm New York City
sometime.
Anyway lets remember my barstool dance as a tribute to the Beatles. I was sorry
to say I saw the Globe at the airport had Paul and his new girl on the cover.
He's too old for me anyway, but Ringo Starr, that's another story. But hes' got
the Bond girl. Brabara Bach, enough said.

Anyway back to Health Plan politics today.

Was some trip. I'd like to thank Chris Horn for the Picnic on Valle' Blanch and
Becky for inviting me to join her in her let's perk up some men foray around the
Irish Bar. It eventually lead us to the underground bar elswhere were George had
a 'panic attack' thinking we were locked in that fire trap. And special thanks
to my friend Dan for simply being who he is, a pain in the....Good seeing you
Dan, hope the healing keeps up.
My friend Julie wants me to haul her to Colorado this summer, so maybe see some
of you then.

Dee-Dee
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*Hotel Room 301:
French television blaring in the background,
struggling hum of a hairdryer,
the smell of melting plastic,
quick flash of a FLAME!
Short scream of surprise!
LIGHTS OUT!....complete silence.......
SCORE:
France Electric: 3
Remaining functioning American appliances: 1

* ...with a tram tram here, and a tram tram there. Here a tram, there
a tram, everywhere a tram tram!

* Say "fromage"!
 -Just Becky-
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The lack of service on the Denver to JFK leg
The squeal from the girly-man on the JFK landing
Hanging around the Sammy Adam's bar at JFK - Going & returning
Getting bumped and flying Business class
Hanging out in Brussells with Mary and Roy in the Red Carpet Room
Lingering breakfast coffee with Gail & Bob
Hip check to Morine getting off one of the Trams, and then explaining I was just following French egress technique
Co-discoverer of the Italian resturant in Chamonix
Almost leaving my ski boots on the train in Zermatt
Going to Milan with 5 women- and seeing my people
Using Barb as a 5-foot gage for the 35-foot Bronze doors at the Duomo in Milan
Helping Melanie with her Yak Rack
-Bob in the Fog-
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Eurovisions:

People sleeping on the floor 35000 feet above the ocean

Snow, snow everywhere but only Guiness to drink

Play money

How did they manage to put a tram up there?

Crepes and beer, breakfast of champions

First glimpse of the Aguille and the Matterhorn

It’s huge!

The bark of German from the loudspeaker packing us into the Tram

Street or sidewalk?

Runny eggs, raw bacon

Late afternoons on the balconey

Wine and bagettes

The weathered face of a French guide

Bus activated street pylons

Switchbacks and grape vineyards

Skiing by braille in Verbier

Great people and great adventure
-Dale-
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I think you should include the rope on the top of Aguille du Midi
that everyone had to pass through on the way to skiing Valle Blanche.

Also Cheese for breakfast!  I still have a craving for this in the morning.
-Audrey-
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Hope everyone had fun!

Europe is still a memory - still a lack of sleep to me.  It was quite an adventure home. Got home after midnight last night.  The plane from Geneva was late.  The plane from New york was 2 hours late - what an excuse for a terminal at JFK.  SwissAir and Delta are now in different terminals about a half mile apart not even connected. We were told the plane would have to stop in Omaha because it was too heavy to carry fuel to make it NY to Denver. Instead it stopped  in Chicago were a man was carried off to an ambulance. The second week was quite different from the first. It snowed three times mostly at night or at beginning and end.  Monday there was 4 inch new snow; after a sunny Tuesday that night it snowed over a foot before clearing before noon Wed. Thursday we made it to the top of Switzerland - 15200ft - on Monta Rosa(duFour Spitz) - very scarry/exposed ridge on top- one slip and that would be it - Made a snowcovered Capital peak look like childrens outting. From alittle below 15000 ft we had a 5300vt run down to the hut in dry thigh deep powder on a pretty steep grade -best I had seen all year - they compared it to Canada - It was -21C or -6F if you havent got the conversion done yet. Spent 5 days up at the hut on the Glacier. From there The view of sunrise every morning hitting the Matterhorn - first place it hits was incredible. By the way I skied 13 different places without repeating a route.
If anyone has a comment to pass on to Carla let me know.  Hopefully we have some pictures to share at meeting.
Nothing unexpected happened on way back sunday! No wrecked cars, missed planes, fights!

TomSKI
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29 People from Satellite Ski,
Went to Brig, Zermatt, and Chamonix.
We had many fine adventures along the way,
Including the Sion Castle and Verbier.

From Denver to New York to Geneva we fared,
Our choice of carriers was Swiss Air.
Upon arrival in Europe we picked up our Rental cars and bags,
Not paying attention to the fact that we were all jet lagged!

In Chamonix our favorite nightly hangout
Was Wallabee's where we drank Ale and Stout.
By day we skied Valle Blanche, Brevant, and Le Tour,
When that wasn't enough we went back for more.

Some people skied every day, others skied and shopped.
At night some of us partied until we dropped.
The view from the Aiguille du Midi tram was awesome, all right.
We have pictures to prove that it is out of sight!

In Brig, Sherlock's was our favorite place to eat.
The menu translation from the waiter was not to be beat.
But the real party town we found out was Zermatt.
With great skiing by day and at night bar hopping non stop!

This was a great trip, I'd like to go back.
The alps are beautiful, there's no disputing that!
Now it's back to the US of A.
Where we will have to ski Colorado today.

-Audrey Dessauer
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All
More pictures of Bars and Glaciers, (They both
are dangerous and have a lot of ice) including a
great shot of the Aguille du Midi Tram.  Major
scariness.  A few weeks before we got there a
tourist slipped and fell 3,000 feet off the
knife ridge you crawl across ropes to ski.  We were on
the Tram when this was mentioned by one of the
British tourists.  He said the guides rope people
up to get down the 300 yards or so to the glacier.
He sez 'You do have a guide don't you?'.  We
pointed to Chris with Happy faces.  He turned a
whiter shade of pale and shut up.  It was pretty
funny.  Chris makes a great guide but we should
buy him some crampoons so he can look more the part.
Roy :)