Skiing in the Alps

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Skiing at San Maritino

Adam arranged the whole thing for us. The night before all of CIMBA MBAs went out for drinks and a nice meal in Treviso. It would be our last time to see on another all together until after Christmas. We didn't get back to CIMBA until after 2am.

Adam, Josh, Jenn and I all went to San Marino. Jay had hurt his back a few days before, so he was out. And Lisa really wanted to come, but she was getting sick and wanted to rest up for her trip to London to visit cousins for the holidays.

We woke up around 5:30am and went down to the center to meet Adam with the van we rented. The road up the hill to CIMBA is too narrow for the van to go all the way up.

I was a beautiful sunrise drive, we did get a little turned around for 30 mins, but no biggie.

I didn't have ski gloves, but Vera said I could rent or buy some when we got there. We went up to the rental office where there told us there was no shop to rent or buy gloves. "So, I guess I'll be skiing in my dress gloves?" I said to Adam. To which he responded "Well, do you plan on falling much?" "Adam, does anyone really plan to fall when they skii?!?" I said, clearly questioning his logic.

When we were getting our boots and skis, I told the man I was a 41, I was actually a 42 apparently, but they were still very tight around the calf. The boot didn't adjust around the calf at all, and I could tell they were going to be painful. As the man is strapping me into these torture devices he says that these are the largest shoe size for females in the shop, and that i have fat calves. (this is not considered rude in Italian culture, because it's true) It is just surprising to me that I am the tallest, fattest, big-footed female to ever have skied this mountain apparently. Don't get me wrong, I understand that I'm a big girl, but dang, come one people!

We rode up the gondola, and did a little practice run on the only green slope on the mountain. (which actually turned out to the iciest of all because it was above the tree line where the wind was whipping pretty strong) And then we split into pairs. Jenn and I went a little slower than the boys and didn't mind if they went ahead without us. We stuck to the blues and reds and took a break for lunch at the cafe at the top.

I only fell twice. Once, Jenn allowed me to blame on her because I was in the process of helping her up. Both times I quickly lifted my non-water proof gloves away from the snow. I would be in big trouble if they got wet.

At the end of the day 4pm, we sat in the cafe sipping hot chocolate. But not just any hot chocolate, a kind of hot chocolate that was heavy and thick in your mouth. We couldn't finish it. But then we rode down the gondola and met the boys at the van.

We talked about nick names and stupid stuff we did in junior high on the way back.

It was and amazing day that was incredibly fun. The next day I would be heading home to see my family for the first time in 4 months.

(and I had massive bruises on the front of both my calves from those stupid boots)

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Photos

Trail Map
I was here

At the top
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Yeah Jen
Doing a little warm up on the bunny slope.

Bucket List
Here I am, crossing off one of my things I must do before I die.

Gondolas
Through the window of the little cafe at the top.

Jenn
like a tiny safety cone

Snow Covered Alpine Pines
One of my all time favorite pictures