I had some doubts when I first signed up for the all inclusive trip to le Plange. After a fun filled week on the slopes, I’ve changed my mind about all inclusive trips. The price was unbeatable, and I had a good time with all the other folks on the trip. If I’d been cruising around solo, it would have been a fairly lonely Christmas. The food and lodging weren’t amazing, but still a good value for the money.

The best part of course was the skiing. This picture if from a large slope that I feel in love with and spent a solid day skiing again and again. I think I’d put it on my list of top 5 runs I’ve encountered.

I’m about to hop on the bus to Geneva, where I’ll spend tomorrow before heading over to meet up with my buddy Aaron who has just flown over from the states.

My first few days in le Plange were warm and sunny and made for some amazing skiing. But the catch with a sport that depends on snow is that you have to expect a little bad weather. It’s cooled down the last couple of days and the wind has really picked up. I don’t really mind though since I know it means I’m likely to have some good snow next week in Switzerland and the turbulent weather has a beauty all its own.

When I was backpacking as a kid, my dad told me that when looking for a place to take a poo or eat lunch, always consider the view first. With this in mind, I decided this was a good spot for lunch. Click the picture to see the larger version.

My new resolution to blog more about domestic adventures paralleled nicely with reality this week when my friend Tim mentioned a summer trip to hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. If it fits in with my life’s itinerary at the time—which is currently rather up in the air—this will be a trip I will be wholeheartedly joining.

Hiking the Grand Canyon is a bit family tradition for Tim, who has probably done this hike a good five times or so. I have done it once with him, and out of all of my U.S. travels, my best memories come from this expedition.

Tim, our friend Alex, and I rode lying down in the covered back bed of a pick-up truck for the few-day roadtrip from Illinois to (and from) the Canyon, traveling and camping along the way with some of the rest of Tim’s family. The Canyon hike itself involved a four hike to the bottom, a day spent lounging in one of the contributory creeks trying to get relief from the 140 degree dry heat, a scorpion-hunting night with the aid of black lights, and the six hour hike back up the next morning.

The natural beauty of the hike is breathtaking—as is the hike itself. Hopefully this summer will have me re-appreciating the trek once again. And as I also consider this to be one of this country’s most unique natural adventures, expect to hear more from me about it soon.

Title says it all. This is the first few seconds of a run on the 1992 Olympic bobsleigh track in Le Plagne. The video cuts off because we started leaning fairly hard on the turn and I decided it might be wise to hold on to my handle.