Get those chores around the house finished, skis/boards tuned, check you pants still fit and start flexing those muscles....only 4-5 weeks and it's game on !!!
Where do I start?
WORKING BEES: Firstly I would like to thank John, Patrick & Sean, Franz & Ineke, Heather & Kevin, Roger (whom we will see more of this season!), Catherine & Jim for their efforts on March 19th-20th at the National Park lodge working bee. We had excellent weather and managed to complete a lot of exterior jobs e.g. weeding, cleaning out bike shed, painting window frames, stacking firewood, gardening etc. We also managed to spring clean inside and have since added a NEW stove, microwave, fridge and stereo all ready for a BIG season, you'll be impressed. We also found lots of undies under the beds - strange!!!
The final working bee at the top lodge has also been completed successfully - if you have stayed before and found the beds uncomfortable - we will have new mattressess so no excuses now!! On top of all the other improvements and maintenance done on the top lodge this year you will find it transformed. Get up there this season and check it out for yourselves.
All of the committee would like to thank the tireless members and a few non-members who have given their weekends to the working bees this year, it has been fantastic and you should all be impressed with the results.
GRANT: We have been lucky to recieve a $5000 grant from the Perry Foundation which has gone towards buying mattresses for the Ruapehu lodge. We are very grateful for this and the new mattresses are going to be great.
We have to date approx 70 early subs paid, amongst these a number of new members who tried our hospitatity last season & still want to join! ha - A warm welcome to those new members (have you been told about the initiation tests??? :-)
COOK: At a recent committee meeting we discussed the placement of a cook/custodiam at our top lodge. It was agreed that we require someone for the period starting early September for approximately 5 weeks. We have one interested person at the moment but if you are or know of anybody interested, please contact Grant McTavish on secretary@skiclub.org.nz or 027 279 1608.
WEB SITE: Mike Fitzmaurice has added a bulletin board to the website. Check the website, there is a link on the homepage. Users will be validated and only those signed up will be able to see and add to the forum. A members contents page has also been added. There is also a link on the homepage for that. You can email details to be added and links can be created to pages you yourselves have made. He has also added a check list so you wont forget anything when heading to the snow. Link to that is also on the homepage.
RAL: If you haven't already heard RAL is currently completing numerous improvements for the 2005 season - Turoa - has now got parking for 400 more cars and a new ticketing/base area. - Whakapapa - has the new access road (no more loop, now it is up/down) and snowmaking up through the waterfall area. This snowmaking extention is significant, last year Marie and myself started skiing as soon as the mountain opened and were really surprised by the amount of man made snow on the Rockgarden trails (and the vastly improved grooming). This year even if snowfall is a bit marginal, skiing and boarding shoud still be excellent from Knoll Ridge Cafe right down through the Rockgarden - SO - don't put off booking until later in the season - some of the best skiing last year was right at the beginning.
Think about booking your week/weekend now - Marie can prebook you - book via the website or email booking@skiclub.org.nz or ring 09 838 9683. Don't forget the July school holidays are coming up.
Bernies Private Lesson No 1: (inspired by Grant McT's acrobatic antics at Snow Planet)
Alley OOp Flatspin 540:
Keep pressure on the front of your boots when leaving the pipe. Begin turning your body up the hill to a 90-degree angle. As your body begins to turn, allow your feet to come up to the same level as your head. By now your body should be turned 90 degrees. From this flat back position turn your stomach (most of you should habe no problem spotting this) and spot the ground. Your body should naturally rotate. If you are not grabbing now - then GRAB! If you can't at least look stylish! Keep your composure and stay committed to your rotation. Start thinking about your landing and completing the rotation. Let go of the grab and begin putting your arms in front of you. Take your eyes of the ground coming towards you and turn to face your landing. Stomp your landing with your hands in front, vision up and pressing the Tranny, yeehaa see you in hospital.
Don't forget that we have a BBQ at National Park - which everyone is welcome to use (2 spare full gas bottles there) - as long as you clean up after yourselves.
EVENTS CALENDAR.
Dion is putting a calendar of events together for the season. Event ideas put forward so far include:
Top lodge: appres ski cocktail evening - quiz night - celebrity chef night (Sat, we are putting pressure on Jamie Oliver) - all-mountain ski rally - midwinter X-mas - snow man building contest - families in school holiday
National Park: our world (Heritage Park) famous Curry Night - spit roast night - wine and cheese evening - quiz night
We will set the dates & email these out and put the calendar on the website and in the lodges. Use these to schedule your ski weekends - if the weather is lousy we'll still have a good time!!!! Any other ideas are welcomed (except yours Kevin - the 'Lets see if we can get to Ohakune on a jigger" was a bad idea - especially when we all froze on the viaduct bridge - but then how where you to know we were all scared of heights!). Any ideas email Bernie on clubcaptain@skiclub.org.nz
AVANLANCE AWARENESS training programme. If you are interested in some back country knowledge, there are some avalance awareness courses this year on four occasions. Fri 19Aug (8pm)-Sat 20 Aug or Fri 16 Sep(8pm)-Sat17 Sep at Whakapapa firestation or alternatively Fri 26 Aug-Sat 27 Aug or Fri 9 Sep-Sat 10 Sep at Owhango fire station. If you want more details we have flyer we can send you. Contact Bernie or Marie.
"SNOW PLANET" : If you haven't been to Snow Planet yet, you should give it a go, just to get those ski/board legs back and get the 'vibe' or practise jumps, backward flips and the Alley Oop flatspin 540
The July School Holidays are coming up before you know it, start booking your space today