Gone skiing

Hiya! So, last week we went away for a little midweek ski trip getaway to Bear Creek. We had a great time! Okay, I'll be honest, the skiing conditions were definitely quite slushy and the very definition of "spring skiing"...but this meant the weather was warm enough that we were able to dress down and not have to bundle up so much. We had a blast!

The resort there was really great. We stayed at the lodge that was right there "on mountain," and it was very nice. It was new and modern and clean (we asked, and they said the part we were in was only 4 years old, and there was an even newer part that was just built at the end of last year). It had three restaurants (one was cafeteria-style, but still very nice, and another was also very casual, but one was a proper restaurant) and indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs. One thing I really liked was that if you stayed there, you got a big locker in the ground level that you could store your skis and boots in. They gave you a lock and key and you could just leave your ski stuff down there and not have to tote it around. Then the elevators were right there to go up to your room.

Our room had a king size bed, and one of the more current conveniences was that there was an iHome clock radio next to the bed that we could plug our iPod into.



Even the colors and decor were fun...the walls were yellow (near the bathroom sink it was red!) and there were a ton of pillows all over. We had a sitting area, and...



a fireplace! It was a gas one that you just pushed a button and fwump it came on or went off. Toasty warm and cozy.



Even the main lobby area was cozy and cute. The whole place was a sort of rambling collection line of buildings one after the other and there were cozy sitting areas with fireplaces all over the place. Heh...did I mention it was cozy? ;) I can only imagine how much cozier it would be if there were actual snow on the ground...the slopes were all man-made snow and there was none to be found elsewhere. Oh well.

This was the main lobby. You can see out the windows in the background how very foggy it was! We arrived in the fog, and the driving got a little hairy at the end but then suddenly we came over a hill and all the night-skiing lights just lit up the fog and the whole place glowed. It was pretty cool.



Another view of the cozy lobby area:



The first night we were there it rained all night long. So we sort of expected the skiing conditions to be rather slushy...and they were. But it was still a lot of fun. The best part of it was that there was NO ONE THERE. This midweek ski trip was a great idea.

Anyway, Wednesday morning this was the view from our room...you can see the raindrops on the window, but also the blue sky peeking through the clouds. It stopped raining midmorning and then the sun peeked out a few times during the afternoon, and it was a decent day after all.



Thursday was gorgeous though...sunny all day and warm.



Here we are, doing the classic, hold-the-camera-as-far-away-as-you-can-and-take-your-own-picture thing. :)



In the evenings after skiing both days, we went to this hot tub:



It was awesome! We were kind of pooped after a full day on the slopes so we didn't really do any skiing at night, but it was fun to relax in the hot tub and watch the skiers and snowboarders go by. The only downside was that there wasn't an indoor locker room or anything...you just had to take off your pants or whatever you wore over your bathing suit right there and hop in! Brrrrrr!!!! Of course, getting out was even worse...!

Here's a nighttime view of the place.



So...hope you enjoyed my rambling recount of our little ski trip! :)

Now back to the knitting. Believe it or not, this was all the knitting I got done while we were away:



So, the sock moves slowly onward. I still really like the yarn.

And, as promised before, here is the first Fall Embossed Leaves sock complete...I love how it came out! Oh, and I did one less repeat on the pattern so my leg part is shorter. I like how it fits this way.



The attention to detail in the pattern is fun and I like how the decreases in the toe sort of follow the leaves a little:



I haven't started the second sock yet...in fact, I haven't been knitting so much because I have gotten myself sucked into a book...The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. (Yes, I know, I'm a little behind the times...finally getting around to reading this book!) Really good book...I read through half of it Friday night and yesterday, and for me, that's fast. Today we had to do chores (bleh) so I haven't read any more. Anyway, great book. Read it if you haven't yet.

Oh, and one more photo I have to share...when we got home we had two very happy cats...and, well, I think Moose missed us. When I sat down in the chair, he climbed up on my lap and then proceeded to get veryveryclosetome, settling himself on my chest, right up against my chin. Could not have gotten any closer unless he sat on my head. I'm not actually holding him there, he's just that close. hee. :)



Now, sadly, it is time for bed. This daylight savings time switch has me all confused today...it's way later than I think it should be, and there are things I would rather do than go to sleep. But I'll regret it in the morning if I don't!