Les Arcs Diary - Week 14

Saturday 3rd April

Paul is suffering from a hangover so, and I am in no rush to get out on the icy pistes, so a lazy morning is followed by lunch at the Blanc with Julia and watching Man Utd dump Arsenal out of the F.A. Cup. Finally get out for the last two hours of the day, by which time the snow is soft and we have a great time. On my only run through the park I manage to ollie off a rail.

Friday 2rd April

A late start to the day as we are both knackered afte being up so late. We cruise over to Arcs 2000 meeting up with Gary, Phil and Ben on the way and riding with them from transarc to Arcs 2000. Stop by the park to check out the newly sculpted red jumps and do the rail.

Thursday 1st April

Another sunny day is spent riding with Zoe and Charlie in the morning, Mel and Tom in the afternoon. Thursday evening is a quiet one in the Blanc, but I have to stay up late and wait for Paul Jameson to arrive from the UK. I have just droped off when he arrives at 3.30am.

Wednesday 31st March

I fix my new bindings and go out on my own in the morning to test them out. They are so much stiffer than my old ones that they feel very strange, it geel like someone has clamped a coffin lid to my feet. I spend the afternoon cruising with the Subzero guys - Gareth, Ben, Greg, Gary, Ben and Susannah, and Megan.

Tuesday 30th March

It's another hot day and I spend the afternoon cruising with the Subzero guys - Gareth, Ben, Greg, Gary, Ben and Susannah, and Megan. Go shopping in the evening and buy myself some new top of the range bindings - Ride SPi's and riser plates. A nice surprise this evening as Ralph and Gemma come over from La Tania to be at my last karaoke night at the Blanc. Ralph was the Cheap Wniter Sports rep based at the Blanc last season, and loves his karaoke as much as me. A big night ensues, ending, as usual, at The Marlu.

Monday 29th March

After yesterday's exertions I am in the mood for a gentle cruise, so I join Zoe, bar girl from the Blanc, and her friend Charlie, and head over to Arcs 2000. Zoe has to leave for work at 11.30am, but we head up to Agille Rouge and do the run down to Villaroger, picking up one of the guests from the Blanc, Helen, on the way. The snow is great on this run, until it gets slushy near the bottom, and the final piste down to the village is shut.

Sunday 28th March

The prospect of fresh powder gets me up and at the Blanc for 9.00am, despite being a little confused by the clocks going forward. I have to drag a hungover Liam out, but it is worth it. We do the Crete de Lanchet run, an off piste run from the Grand Col to the village of Nancroix. It is a four and a half hour round trip, with fifty miuntes of hiking and traversing to get to the powder field, for four minutes of powder riding. Definitely the best off piste run of the season, not so keen on the half hour walk down a muddy track to Nancroix to get the bus back though!