Tales from the Hinterland: 2014/2015 edition

amazing i went surfing on lake erie today, but now iam starting to think i chose the wrong sport. should be in buffalo. i could see it from across the lake and it was black with snow clouds all day long!

Chuuurles wrote

amazing i went surfing on lake erie today, but now iam starting to think i chose the wrong sport. should be in buffalo. i could see it from across the lake and it was black with snow clouds all day long!

Nice!  I've been seeing some pretty nice pics of Erie going off - on the SurfOntario FB page. Also some ok waves at Bluffers.. Nothing wrong with seizing the day...

Today was a day off, so I planned to sleep in a bit. When I woke up in the early daylight, peered at the clock radio to check the time (yes, we still have a clock radio) and realized that the power was out, I went back to sleep. Eventually, I got up and and saw this:



But, since the power was off, other priorities reared their ugly heads. Like, COFFEE. Fortunately, I had some leftover from yesterday (yum) and could heat it up on the BBQ. Unfortunately, the BBQ was covered in snow:



Once fortified with coffee and breakfast, I ventured outside to investigate the new snow. It was definitely deep (note that this is in the driveway, recently cleared of the previous 10" snowfall):



I was a bit worried about starting the tractor, which powers our snowblower. The power being out, I couldn't plug in the block heater, and it is a little reluctant to start when it is this cold and not plugged in. There was a lot of snow to shovel:



The power came back on around 9:30 am, and as you may have noticed from the previous pics, the tractor did start and snow got moved. After a little lunch, it was time to go skiing. Most years, my first ski is on marginal snow, using the trusty and venerable Trak Couloirs. Not today, it was time for some CHARGER LOVE!



The skis behaved more like sliding snowshoes as I slogged out to the nearest of our little stashes, Bonk Hill. Conditions looked primo and the guide said we were good to to go:



Even with the Chargers, at 112 underfoot, the skiing was s l o w - m o t i o n. Just as well, all things considered:



Considering the late hour of the day and my slacker mentality, I decided that one run was enough and that I would take the "easy" way out up the logging road. Hah. Well, the pond was a no-go:



So I headed across the beaver trail and first beaver dam:



Slogged through the forest, only to find that I needed to do some serious schwacking across the second beaver dam:



After a long, slow climb up the logging road, I made it home. What a great way to start the ski season.

Winter is here, go get some!

Always be beeping!

A slushfest!

The coffee addiction seems even stronger than the ski addiction.

Beep, beep!

Hah, even my cell phone didn't work for most of ths trip. First time ever though, used Facebook messages to set up a safety net. Home alone and all, the dog can't dial 911.

Harvey wrote

A slushfest!

The coffee addiction seems even stronger than the ski addiction.

The slush was carefully avoided.

Coffee and skiing are inextricably intertwined.

That's how we roll Harv.. We're caf-fiends!!
A few weeks ago we lost power, I fired up the Generator and promptly carted my trusty Rancilio out to the garage...
To pull a loooong  doppio espresso.

Telemark Dave wrote

That's how we roll Harv.. We're caf-fiends!!
A few weeks ago we lost power, I fired up the Generator and promptly carted my trusty Rancilio out to the garage...
To pull a loooong  doppio espresso.

That's core. I think you should change your username to "Rancilio."

Sick Bird Rider wrote

"Rancilio."

This word comes to mind when I consider SBR's day old cup o joe heated in the barbie.

Here is a little teaser for a complete report to come at some undetermined time in the future.

TD gets some Charger Love on Secret Hill:



And goes head over heels in love after the rollover:



I have to say that it sure is nice to have help breaking trail in these conditions.

Sa-weet.
Watch out though, PA won't be happy you be'in in the trees.

PeeTex wrote

Sa-weet.
Watch out though, PA won't be happy you be'in in the trees.

Hey, we were all wearing eye protection!

Nothing worse than being poked in the eye with a sharp stick.

Just to prove that although SBR is a polyvalent glissemeister, he loves freeheel skiing the most...'cause nothing can beat tele for equipment fiddling.  

Here he ponders on his binding preferences..while Jeff LeCheff patiently waits...
Something's never change.

 A enthusiastic thumbs up, while Jeff contemplates some Charger love...

...and here's my equivalent of SBR's Muskoka chair (Adirondack chair) snowfall gauge.  My mailbox.


Not Niseko Japan, and (thankfully) not Buffalo either.  But not bad for November 19.

Day 3 of snow.. Another 6" last night..
Forecast for Sun-Monday is the four letter R word, and warm.

Harv, this ones for you.  Hinterland jump-start.  Quad long espresso.

seems to have nice adhesion

OK, I will see TD his snowmeter and raise him one. This morning at SBRHQ:



It's not Buffalo but man, we have a lot of snow.

And, you know, after 4 hours of sleep in the last 24, I just don't think I can muster the eenrgy for an in depth report on yesterday's tour. As you may have gathered, we had some excellent snow, and had some fun.

There was fiddling done by all parties and our new ski amigo LeChef is definitely yearning for fatter skis:



And of course, for every down, there is an up. The Charger crew went up this hill with no skins attached, for what it is worth: