I slept like a log on Wednesday night. Going to bed early had been a good idea. Thursday was Conor and Sol's day off. We had an early start. Our lesson started at 9.15 today and was a four our tour. Courchevel in the next valley had been promised. We had our breakfast promptly at 8 am and we got a lift from Highlife and were ready in the Chaudanne at 9.00. We were in good time so we posed for a group photo and an Irish skier passing buy kindly agreed to take us all.
Adrian first took us up the Saulire cabin to the first stop. He brought down the "Geai" run to warm us up. We finished at speed heading for the "Col de la Loze" lift which is the easy way to Courchevel. We found our later that Lisa Katy and Senan took the harder way via Saulire and down a red run! The view from the top of the Col de la Loze was spectacular.
The first part of the run down towards Courchevel was beautiful. The Col itself is as wonderful. The run was nice and gentle and wide. As we skied down we had a choice between an easy green detour and a steeper part of the Blue down. It was confirmation of Adrian’s success with the class that everyone took the shorter direct route. The snow was just lovely the sun was shining on it and it was just lovely powder. We then had a "road" through the forest and then down to the Bioll ay lift. “Bioll ay” was a nice wide blue which turned into a herb and brought us through the lovely Chalets above Courchevel 1850. We travelled down a snow road under a bridge and into the centre of Courchevel. There are 2 cable cars out of Courchevel 1850. We got the cable car back to Col de la Loze. There was a short 2 man lift to the top of the pass.
At the top we stopped for coffee at the Restaurant looking over at Mont Blanc. After the rest we skied back to the middle stop on the Saulire cabin via an easy Blue "road" called Boulevard de la Loze. Back in familiar territory, we skied back to the top of the Rhodos cabin and then down to the Chaudanne. It had been an excellent morning. We met up with the others. They also had had an excellent day. They had taken a more difficult route to Courchevel via Saulire. We decided to try eating in the town for a change. We left our skis and boots in the shop. We found a nice pizzeria.
After lunch we went to the photo shop to look at photos taken of us on the slopes yesterday. There were some pretty good ones of the kids. We ordered them and arranged to collect them on Saturday. We skied for an hour after that. Mags and I got a lift home while the kids decided to do the home run. When we got back to the chalet Sol had a lovely chocolate cake waiting for us.
We were out to dinner that night. We had booked into the restaurant at the end of the road. We had a lovely meal. Deirdre and I shared this traditional Savoy Cheese dish called Raclette. It was set up on a contraption which gradually melted the cheese. The melted cheese was scrapped onto plates with a woodden paddle and eaten with cold meats and pickles. While we made a good attempt to eat it all it defeated us in the end. The kids cooked their own meat on "hot rocks" We were all pretty exhausted by the time we got home - another early night.
Declan Kidney makes four changes to the starting team. He is reflecting the strong performance of D'Arcy (v France) and Best and Leamy (V England) as final quarter impact subs. O'leary is probably being punished for a weak (by his standards)performance against England. I would expect to see O'Leary, Heaslip and Flannery on the pitch in Murrayfield in the last twenty minutes, each hungary and with something to prove. Kidney knows something about winning and motivation.
15 – Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster)14 – Tommy Bowe (Ospreys) 13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) Captain )12 – Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)11 – Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster)10 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster) 9 – Peter Stringer(Shannon/Munster)1 – Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster) 2 – Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)3 – John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)4 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)5 – Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster)6 – Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster) 7 – David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)8 – Denis Leamy (Cork Con/Munster)
After the white out of yesterday afternoon we were just a little worried about the weather. The morning looked a little dodgy. There was small patches of blue sky but not very much. Well we did have a glorious bright Monday and it is the middle of February. But we can ski and the legs are working. We headed into the ski shop a little later today The Salibas were also running even later. We took the bubble from the bottom of our road that brought us right into the middle of Meribel Centre.
Mags and the girls wanted to look around the town but Senan was anxious to get on the slopes. So he and I got booted up and got the “Roc de Fer” lift which brings us out at the top of “Gelinotte”. It was still dull and overcast. We started down the run. This is the same run that Katy found difficult yesterday. I was beginning to see why. I hadn't done the run before and that also made me nervous. Being nervous is not a good idea when skiing. Everything slows down. Turning (especially my dreaded left-hand turns)get more difficult.
I ended up using the one advanced skill I can rely on and started to slide slip most of the way down. This is when you place your skis across the slope and by leaning on the downhill ski you use the slope to care you down sideways - ideally without moving across the piste. I prefer to sideslip facing right. The only problem with that is that if you do start to move forward across the slope then I end up with the scary left hand turn. Strain and stress and some proper skiing as well as lots of accurate and well intended advice from Senan which of course is entirely useless when your brain and your legs are not working properly! Anyway we made it down and went up “Rhodos” for a proper warn up on familiar slopes and skied down in time for our lesson at 11.30.
As we assembled for the lesson the sun started to burn off the clouds and it began to brighten up and to look like Monday. The lesson brought us up the “Plan de L'Homme” lift to the snow park. In the snow park there are lots of ramps and jumps for snow boarders and skiers. After giving us a few instructions like “bend your knees” and “relax” - Adrian sent us down to the hump that we could see. It looked a little daunting but off I went.
As I went over the first hump six things happened:
I realised that there was not just one hump but a series of ten;
There was no way out of this
Me and my skis lifted off the slope;
I bent my knees - but it could have been at exactly the wrong time;
I speeded up as I headed for the second hump;
I thought "oh s***".
By the time my brain computed all of that I was over the second hump bending my knees at the wrong time and leaning back on my skis. This is wrong of course and as a result I had less control and was moving faster a I went over the third hump.
Adrian had said relax and enjoy the sensation! I tried that as I went over the fourth hump and my skis left the ground again. So that didn't work. So I just tried to hang on to some control as I got faster and faster over the remaining humps. Finally I was travelling at the speed of sound as I cleared the last and realised that I had to pull in behind Adrian and the rest of the class in a narrow lay-by. I managed not to take them all out as I struggled to come to a halt before getting tangled up in some netting on the side of the run.
That was a bit of a shock for all of us that morning. We carried on down to Mottaret, a little nervous but ok. We did the run down to Mottaret again - without the snow park, before taking the nice easy route down the "Truite" green run back to Meribel. We planned to go on a Blue Guide with Highlife at 1.30 and although we made it to the meeting place by 1.30 we just missed them. Perhaps it was just as well because we didn't get time to get some lunch.
After lunch we took the Sailire cabin to the very top. We had a very expensive cup of coffee (7 euro each!) in fantastic surroundings. We were up at 2703 metres (8750 ft) looking down at the top of both valleys and the spectacular mountains all around.
The only way to ski down from Sailire is via a red run for about 1,000 metres. We could see the first section below us - it was steep, busy and full of moguls. Moguls are mounds of snow formed by skiers as they turn going down steep slopes. They become the only way to ski down the dreaded (for us) Black slopes. They form a skiing version of stepping stones.
It looked easier, beyond that initial section, so we thought we would give it a go. After about 10 metres it was clear to Mags and me that this was going to be very slow and difficult. She took the sensible option and decided to take the cable car down. We arranged to meet at the top of Saulire 1 lift as our route would bring us down to that spot. The short descent in the photograph above was very slow for me. When there are moguls, my side slipping trick doesn't work. My left hand turn was broken again and the traffic of some expert skiers on the slope was disconcerting . But I managed to get down ok. Lisa Katy and Senan really had no problem!
The next kilometre was an ok Red - though when the brain thinks "RED!" it really doesn't help. So with long wide traverses and a sharp intake of breath plus an expletives at every essential left hand turns together with a minimum of the side slipping kop out, we were soon back on familiar territory and travelled down the "Geai" blue from the top.
We waited at the top of Saulire 1 cable car as planned. There was no sign of Mags. We got a call from her. There was a second cable car from the top of Saulire which was bringing her down to Mottaret. So we arranged to meet back at the Chaudanne. She just had to follow the "Truite" run from Mottaret to Meribel just as we had done this morning. We skied down and we all arrived in good time to meet Conor for the run home.
We went up the “Plan d'Homme” with Conor and went down beside the Snow Park while Lisa Katy Senan and Conor did the jumps! We then got the “Tougnete 2” lift to the top of Tougnete (2500m).
The view was fantastic with blue skies over Meribel to the east and mist and dog over Val Thorens to the west. This was a pity because the sun was just setting at 4.15 and the view of the sunset could have been spectacular.
As it was the first part of the run was called "Cretes" and was a ridge run. It was followed by the top of the "Jerusalem" Red down to the Val Thorens valley. It was just the easy part again along the top before it turned left downhill. At that junction we turned right down the Blue called "Chocas". Even though it was cloudy to the west there was an orange tinge to the snow as we travelled across the top ridge. Turning down "Chocas" it got a little darker and just a little icy as it had been in the shade for the afternoon. Mags and I had done a lot of skiing that day and we were a lot slower than the others. But we were fine - it was a lovely run and we were enjoying it at our own pace.
Then we left "Chocas" and joined the top of "Gelinotte". That was just a fraction tougher for me - but maybe that was in my head from the morning! When we got to the left turn for the La Raffort run it had been closed. There was just a narrow steep opening to get onto a narrow lane like run.
Mags went first - it was tricky and she managed to get through going a little too fast. She stopped by turning into the mountainside bank. I followed just a little nervous agains but doing slightly better, I stayed upright - just. Conor was a flyer - the others were well able to keep up with him but myself and Mags were a lot slower. The narrow paths are just a little nerve-wrecking!
When I say narrow, they are about the width of a country lane with the forest on both sides, the mountain rising on your left and sloping away downhill on your right. When you’re tired, controlling the speed with an alternative left and right sideways movement as we had learned in class that day just gets a little harder. Snowplough is just too tiring and doesn't allow you build the speed you need on the flat parts of the run. I had a tumble when someone skied over my skis. Then I used Senan as a brake and knocked him over! We still had a mile or two to go and it was now getting difficult. There were just a couple of steep spots on the run which I managed down through excessive and tiring side slipping.
But then as we approach the last half mile I lost my nerve on the top of an icy slope. I took off my skis and walked down the edge. It’s an interesting trick. Firstly it releases the feeling that you are trapped on year ski-run with no way out. Then, as you plod slowly down hull in heavy awkward ski boots, carrying cumbersome skis on your shoulder, you realise that this walking idea is a much poorer option! So as has happened in other years after about 40 slow metres downhill I stopped and put back on my skis and skied home with not too much difficulty!
- What a day!
We Skied Home, Uploaded by M+MD.
We arrive about 50 metres from the chalet - the run home was exactly that! Tea and fresh home-made biscuits were very welcome before the even better de-tox routine of shower hot-tub, sauna and bath!
We are a rugby nation on a mission. This is our third Step on a Grand Slam journey. The first step was achieved when we beat France at the beginning of February. Victory over Italy was a necessary but expected result. Last year England managed to beat is comprehensively in Twickenham. This was the last rugby game we will ever play against England in Croke Park looming (with all the related history). We deserved to carry the mantle of favourite - due in part to a weak performance by England over Italy, though they were better in the second half against Wales. The favourites tag doesn't always suit us - though as a nation we are learning to accept it on occasions!
Ireland started the game well and the intense physical start expected from England didn't show up in the first 10 minutes. Ireland dominated the first 20 minutes. There was one lovely rehearsed move from a scrum just outside their 22 – O'Leary box kicked deep into space. The ball dribble over the try-line, but England just won the race to touch it down for a drop-out. The only reward for all that pressure was a couple of penalties. Ronan O'Gara was surprisingly off form and missed both before finally slotting one over after 30 minutes. Ireland had dominated the first 30 minutes. but only had 3 points to show for it. To make matters even more unfair, just before half time Toby Flood kicked a penalty to square the match. 3-3 at half time.
The second half started with continued Irish pressure resulting in another penalty after 2 minutes. Again RoG was unlucky - this time hitting the upright. A few minutes later after the referee had indicated another penalty to Ireland, Brian O'Driscoll took a free shot at a drop goal which went straight through the middle of the posts. We were back in the lead, 6-3.
O'Gara's tactical kicking was much more effective than his place kicks and he kept England pinned back in their own half. England started to get physical. There were 2 very big hits on O'Driscoll - the second, by full back Armitage, was late and he was lucky not to get a yellow card. Drico looked dazed but refused to go off. The resulting penalty was kicked to the corner and the assault on the England line which followed resulted in Phil Vickery being sun-binned for deliberately killing the ball. Shortly after that O'Driscoll squirmed in under the English forwards to score his 35th international try. Amazingly Ronan's conversion hit the woodwork again. But the score was 11-3 and we were two scores ahead with twenty minutes to go. This was proving to be very hard work.
Armitage then landed a long-range penalty from the half way line to being them back within 5 points. It was time to bring on fresh legs. Enter the subs Stringer, Best and Leamy. With 10 minutes to go the England discipline - their Achilles heel all season - lapsed again. Care, their replacement scrum half, shoulder charged Marcus Horan. He got a yellow card and Ireland got a kickable penalty. For some reason as RoG lined up the kick,I was very confident that he would get it. The crowd around me were not so sure. However it was the old dog for the hard road and he kicked straight and true to put us back to the comfort of 14-6, two scores ahead. As the minutes ticked down, we needed that margin of comfort. A clever kick ahead from substitute out-half Andy Goode, bounced kindly for fullback Armitage who went over for a try in the corner. Goode did well to kick the conversation over , bring the score to 14-13. But with 2 minutes to go it was clear that this Irish team was not going to make the same mistake they made against France 2 years ago. It was a long kick off from O'Gara to restart. O'Connell followed up like a man possessed and though England tried to run it out of their own 22, they were harried all the way and only got as far as the half way line before turning it over as the clock turned full time.
O'Driscoll was man of the match - he had a captain's day - leading by example, as he has done on all his good days. He was assisted by Paul O'Connell. In this performance they both laid claim to the Lions captaincy this summer. But they have a more important job to do before that. France beat Wales on Friday night so Ireland are the only team who can win the Grand Slam. Mags and I are off to Murrayfield on the 14th March for the next stage in our Grand Slam search. I am optimistic against Scotland. I now need to find a way to get to the final match against Wales in the Millennium Stadium on the 21st March, that will be the championship decider.
We awoke on Tuesday to a very overcast sky. Breakfast was at 8.15 and we were out and ob the way to the Ski Shop by 9.30. It wasn't long before we were at the top of the Rhodos lift and off skiing down to the Altiport ski-lift. A couple of times around and we were warmed up and ready for a quick coffee before our lessons at 11:30. It was just such a different experience from last year for me and Mags - we had found our feet and the freedom of travelling so fast overground under your own steam is exhilarating.
The lesson took us up the Saulire bubble again. We learned to do parallel turns and also how to to longer slower step like traverses which meant less steep turns and more control. As we passed by the Rhodos lift Adrian (our ski instructor) sneaked us onto the end of a Red (next level up from a Blue) and we really didn't notice as he made is do extra long traverses. We then sped down to a new chair lift which brought is up under Dents de Burgen and the start of the Geai Blue run.
Time flew by. I discovered that I was having a problem with my left hand turns. Adrian said I was using a snow plough(basic) turn when I should be turning parallel as he had thought us. I had no problem with the right hand turns. I struggled with this for the next day or so. I had't knee bandages and a thigh strap, which I found very helpful last year after I had strained my knee. This year it was working well to keep the strain off the knees. Apart from that the lesson went well and confidence and speed was increasing. We finished up the lesson and met with the kids and headed back up the Rhodos to the Rhododendron restaurant. It was a much better experience on the previous day.
After lunch we went once more around the Rhodos run and then headed for the Dents de Burgen lift. The kids hadn't done it yet so I thought it was a great opportunity to impress them! As we went up in the lift the mist was getting thicker and when we reached the top we could hardly see more than 10 feet in front of us. It was a complete white-out. We made our way past the Red run and onto what we thought was the top of the Blue But when we looked down we could see nothing but white. We decided to wait until another group arrived off of the ski lift. But there were not too many people travelling up in the mist! A group arrived - but they headed down the Red slope. After a while another group arrived and they set off smartly down the Blue. We had to move quickly to keep up but soon they were moving out of sight. But by then we were committed and we carried on in wide traverses. It was pretty strange skiing with white snow below you, white sky above you and white mist in front and behind you. Distance and speed get difficult to judge. We needed to stop regularly to stay together and to re-focus on our direction and destination.
But as we descended we could see further and soon we were down in more familiar territory. It was an interesting experience - not exactly frightening but more disorientating than anything else. But it used a lot of adrenalin and we skied a little longer but by 3.30we were ready for home.
The girls and Sen decided to try to meet up with Conor who was going to ski home (as he does every evening.) It was loose arrangement they had to be at the top of the Plan de Homme lift by 4 pm. They were up there at about 10 past four and thought they could see Conor in the distance. But he was too far ahead and he is a fast skier. They skied down the Blue but icy "Gelinotte" run and missed the tiny exit off to the left that is the narrow piste home. They survived the "Gelinotte" run - though it was a little tricky in places.
There was tea and homemade biscuits waiting for us when we got in and the ski de-tox routine of shower, hot tub, sauna and bath worked a treat. Rest, wine, dinner and chat made up the rest of the evening before we retired for bed sometime after 10.
The weather was great on our first day. We got our gear in the ski shop. Its much easier to get up on the slopes than last year in Morzine. Our lessons don't start until 11.30 so we headed up the Rhodos cabin to a lovely wide Green slope.
With some trepidation I put on my skis. Will my legs work? Can I remember how not to fall down. Will I be brave enough to look down the mountain?
The memory of that wonderful last day of skiing last year keeps me going.
- Skis on. I gingerly push forward with my poles.
- It all seems ok! I am moving forward, in control.
- In fairness it's a gentle slope down to a flat area before the slope begins in earnest!
- But it's all working and the turning movement is coming back to me.
- Look down the mountain!
- Don't be frightened of the increasing speed, pressure on the downhill ski.
The kids are off and waiting for us but we've got the hang of it!
Its a lovely wide run and soon enough we have all made it to the bottom. Not even a hint of falling! Its just like riding a bike - once you learn you can't forget. Well maybe that's taking it a little too far.
We were with a new ski school this year - Magic. They are only in the 3 valleys and they have much smaller classes than ESF. Our instructor was Adrian. Lisa Katy and Senan are in the slightly more advanced class. We set off back up to the same slope we had just practiced on - so that helped the confidence. The class are a nice bunch and we're all at pretty much the same level. Adrian slowly took us through the basics. Soon we were travelling at reasonable speed and with confidence down the runs.
We headed down for lunch and met the others. They too had a successful class apart from Senan losing his class just at the end when he fell off a drag lift - easily done. But he found his way back ok.
Mags and I had a second lesson in the afternoon - a great way to get up to speed at the start of the week. Lunch was a bit of a nightmare. We went to the Castors Restaurant by the Magic Ski meeting point. It was bedlam. We finally managed to order - but we had to leave to join our class before it arrived.
We went up the Saulire bubble to the first stop. We skied down a fairly gentle Blue run getting instruction on skiing parallel between turns. Time flew and at 5 pm we were tired but back in tune. We met up with the kids and the Salibas in the ski shop and called Highlife for a shuttle home.
Back in the chalet there was tea and Quiche ready for us. We then spent some time in the hot tub and 10 minutes in the sauna followed by the application of Deep Heat and Ibulieve and various magic ointments and potions! A little relaxation and catch up on our days and it was 7.30 and time for dinner. 3 hours and 4 bottles of wine later we were ready for bed. Myself and Chris tried our hand at the Highlife song book - maybe that's what cleared the room so fast!
