Tahoe (9th-13th)

Arrived in South Tahoe Friday evening, it was just me, Garrett and his StepMom Jenny. The time share at the Ridge Resort was really fantastic! 2 bedrooms and 2 huge bathrooms with jacuzzi tubs and then a full kitchen and living room with a fold out sofa. Saturday morning I went down to Heavenly ski resort with Garrett & Jenny to get their ski passes, etc. They left to go swooshing down the slopes and I head out to window shop and see what else I could do. I bought a wool hat (couldn't find where I stashed mine before we left) and then found a little wine shop. I got a 3 flight tasting and sat down with my book, called to catch up with my Mom and then decided I might go next door and watch a movie. I ended up seeing "Benjamin Button" - it was really good... I didn't need any tissues like everyone was saying, but maybe it was because people were warning me it was sad... still a good flick though! After the movie I only had to waste about 15 minutes until I met Garrett and Jenny back at the Gondola lift. Jenny had to drive to Reno to pick up Kristen and Matt at the airport and was going to give me her ski lift so I could ride up the enclosed Gondola to the mid section of the mountain. It's $30 for ONE ride up the Gondola if you don't have a ski pass... not cool. If you want to go snow toobing or ride the zip flyer or just hang out up there to have a drink... you have to still pay the $30 and then pay for snow toobing ($20 for a really lame hill) or the zip flyer ($40 and cool... but still a rip off if you realize it really cost you $70!) What if you had to pay for each of your kids to ride up and then go snow toobing!!? That is $50 a kid!? Like I said, a rip off and I wouldn't take my kids to Heavenly. Just FYI. So I got to ride up with Garrett for free and then we just went back down again. Lovely view of Lake Tahoe! Every night we were zonked and ready to sleep by 9:30pm and wake up at about 7:30am - I think it was partly the altitude because I wasn't exerting myself skiing and was still just as tired. Sunday morning Jenny & Garrett went off to the slopes and Kriste, Matt & I went for a little snow shoe hike behind the resort. It was fun, I would definitely go show shoeing again! We then went to the main lodge and played some racketball and then headed back to the room to have dinner. Matt and I decided we kind of wanted to try snow boarding... but a package deal for lessons, rentals and pass at Heavenly was $160!! However, Jenny found a great deal at Diamond Peak Resort up the road 25 minutes - "learn to ski week" all inclusive package for $30!! For $30 I could totally end up hating snow boarding, but still be content that I had given it a try! Monday morning Matt & I headup up to Incline Village (around the east side of Lake Tahoe and up to the north point) to attempt snow boarding. I really really wish I could like snow boarding. For one main reason, the shoes are SO much more comfortable to wear than ski boots. :( Oh well. I gave it a go... no luck. After taking skiing lessons for the first time last year, I was able to equally compare my two experiences and skiing is SO MUCH BETTER, for me that is. I hated that I had absolutely, at any time, no control. You begin to stand up on your board on the slightest teeniest incline and it starts moving... yeah, I can't handle that. With skiing you can just angle your skiis perpendicular to the hill or slope and you can just hang out and get yourself together before heading on. I fell a lot... first time I fell my butt landed on the other foot strap (hard to figure that one out isn't it? typical me) and I STILL have a giant purple bruise. Later I wiped out and hit my head on the ice and my hat when flying - at that point I knew I was done. See ya! Matt had fallen on his wrist, but decided he wanted to continue until the lesson was over and just avoid using his hands to fall (which is exactly what they tell you not to do, but it's hard to go against instincts). After the lesson he was ready to go too. He could move his wrist but said it hurt pretty bad. Later that evening he went to the Emergency room with Kristen and confirmed it had a small fracture or something. He's already much better a week later! Tuesday was my last day, I had a massage at the lodge and then Kristen, Matt & I paid the $30 to go up in the Gondola to meet up with the others and try some snow toobing for fun. We were originally told it was $10/hour to go snow toobing and were really ticked when we got up there to find out it was not only increased to $20 but it was a lame hill. Garrett's Dad bought me a zip flyer ticket to go up with Garrett & Jenny - it was pretty cool! You go up on the ski lift about 1,000 more feet and get in a little cloth chair that is on a zip line and they let you out the gate and you zoom down on the line - they say you go about 50 mph and the stop at the end is probably the funnest part - you zoom in and wonder how you are going to stop and then your line runs into these big springs and you bounce bag - not good for anyone with recent wiplash injuries, but we thought it was great! :) Garrett & I headed home after dinner and I had to work the next day (Wed). Thursday morning Garrett headed back up to Tahoe to have one more day skiing with his Dad & Jenny and they all drove back Friday afternoon to spend the rest of the weekend in SF.