Taos, New Mexico

February 20 - 27, 2010

Florida Ski Council Trip

Twenty-nine Space Coast Ski Club travelers arrived in Albuquerque headed for Taos Ski Valley.  Roger Mariani and crew greeted us for our drive to the resort.  When we stopped for groceries, we noticed that it was starting to snow.  As we exited the store, the flakes were huge and swirling.  We checked into our beautiful Snakedance Condominiums and headed to the FSC registration where we signed up for Ski Week lessons, Wine Tasting, Wine Dinner, Cooking Classes, Race Clinics, Ojo Caliente Spa, and more.

We awoke Sunday morning to 8 inches of fresh powder.  The conditions were incredible as we “skied off” for our lessons. I t continued to snow all night and on Monday, we woke to 12 more inches of fresh powder!  Everyone ran to rent fat skis to learn to ski powder properly!  Cal Staubus commented that conditions were the best snowboarding he had ever experienced.  The Monday evening FSC dinner was a wonderful affair. Tenderfoot Katie’s cafeteria was transformed into an elegant dining room and the food and service were superb.  The upstairs bar opened for dancing where SCSC was well represented.  Space Coast can always be counted on the dance and keep the party going!

Tuesday brought bluebird skies and sunshine and nice groomed conditions, perfect for the Nastar Race.  Don Swem, Race Captain, organized an awesome team of racers and their results were impressive.  Our race team won 2 silver medals and 5 bronzes.  The racers who medaled were Rick Schmid and Jeannie Kilpatrick-Staubus winning Silver and Carol Fredericks, Tamara Koss, Kevin Simmons, Mike Steininger, and Don Swem winning Bronze.  Their efforts won the club its first ever Gold Medal in the FSC competition.  Also, Carol Fredericks won for the fastest woman on the mountain in her age group!

Wednesday was another great day of skiing. Unfortunately for Jeannie Staubus, an out-of-control skier in her ski class smashed into her at high speed causing a concussion and severe injuries.  She was at Holy Cross Hospital in the ICU for two days.  Along with her fractured shoulder blade, 4 broken ribs and a broken collarbone came a pneumothorax, which made it impossible for her to fly home.  So Jeannie and Cal rented a car and made the three-day drive home.  Not exactly the cross-country vacation they had planned to take one day!  However, another entertaining trip report could be written with the experiences Jeannie and Cal had travelling from New Mexico to Florida!

The Thursday night Mexican Fiesta Farewell Party brought ‘Gold’ to Space Coast once again.  Kevin Simmons and Alex _________both won 1st Place for their costumes!  Tom Venezia (always one to put together an exceptional costume) won ‘Most Original’.  The party featured everything necessary to make us feel we were in the heart of Mexico from decorations, spicy food to Tequila shots!

If it were not for the unfortunate skiing accident that Jeannie experienced, it truly would have been the most perfect ski trip ever.  Toas Ski Valley and the Snakedance Condos pride themselves on providing exceptional, friendly service because they know it is not easy to get the area.  However, once you are there, it takes only a short while to realize your travel efforts are rewarded on every level.  Between our hosts, the accommodations, the ski lessons (which everyone felt were paramount to improving their ski skills), the parties and of course, the weather, we could have not asked for more. Again, perfect.

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