| AN ALPINE ADVENTURE AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD | By David Eickhoff, ATC |
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Tucked into the side of a mountain, high above the Engadine Valley in southeast Switzerland, St. Moritz is probably Europe’s most famous ski resort. Often mentioned as the favorite site of the jet set and royalty, the resort has a long history and tradition for its winter sports activities. The SCSC recently sent fifty-five members to this posh setting for a week of skiing, touring and beautiful scenery.
After an overnight flight to Zurich, club members boarded a doubledecker bus for a four-hour ride with spectacular scenery and Christmas card views of the Alps. Arriving in St. Moritz, the group checked into the four-star La Margna Hotel and was treated to a welcome party by the hotel staff. The accommodations at the hotel were excellent as nightly five-course dinners and daily full breakfasts gave club members time to mingle and plan the day’s activities.
St. Moritz averages 320 sunny days a year but the sun was hard to find the first couple of days. Foggy conditions with snow flurries resulted in low visibility and some interesting adventures. On the first day, Diane Baker and Ron Rodriquez led a group of skiers to the top of Piz Nair but were in rare form when both of them performed face-plants due to the poor visibility. Dale Albritton was following Alice down one run when he suddenly fell into a hole and had to be rescued. Later in the week, while skiing with Alice again, he took a wrong turn and (refusing to ask for directions) ended up in the wrong town. Fortunately, they were able to catch a train back to St. Moritz. Roger Holzman, while skiing with Jill Nanney and Marsha Lutz, came down one run, did a cartwheel and tail spin and landed on his face in some deep powder. Tor Lileng was the first skier on the mountain one morning but was disappointed to find out a six-pack was the name given to a six-person chair lift. Leslie and Andy Cashio, along with Jim Newton found themselves stuck on a chair lift for twenty minutes during a power failure while the loudspeakers blared ‘there is no danger’ in four languages. New club member heldon Tuffias dazzled the women in the club with his excellent ski style. Angela Martinez and Stephen Gallagher tried some snowboarding but a nasty fall landed Stephen in the clinic with a broken elbow. For Carmen Mikhail and David George, it was déjà vu all over again as they repeated last years performance in Chamonix and ended up in the clinic.
Mother nature saved the best skiing for the end of the week as blue skies and a bright sun were in order. Jill and Roger struck up conversation with a British Ski Club member and he treated them, along with Carmen, Jose Araujo, Bruce Baird and Pilar Gonzalez to two fabulous days of mountain guide service. On Thursday, the group went by rail to Diavolezza Bernina, famous for its six-mile glacier descent, which ends literally at the train station. “Ski in, ski out” took on a new meaning here.
Another group consisting of Dennis Newell, Jim Hodges, Pilar, Bob Knupp, Carter Ness, Cheryl Harland and David Eickhoff, ‘The Magnificent Seven’ found the most exciting run of the day to be a terrifying Tbar ride which took you up and down some steep black diamond slopes as you hung on for dear life. At lunchtime, the group stopped in at a restaurant high atop the mountain but was turned away for not having reservations!
Non-skiers had plenty of activity around town to keep them busy. Shopping was popular as boutiques bearing the names Versace, Gucci and Armani could be found. Joe Kulpinsky, Pat McKechnie, Lee and Sandra Williams could be found strolling around town window shopping, visiting museums or enjoying some of the sinfully delectable chocolate at Hanselmann’s pastry shop.
Thursday brought the Cartier Polo World Cup to St. Moritz and SCSC had a large group enjoy watching it. The event consisted of horse polo matches played on a snow-covered frozen lake next to our hotel. Cathey and Brett Littell, Russ Collison, Gloria Lopez and Dawn Rodriguez enjoyed the event, some of them watching from a hotel room.
We were fortunate to have the train station right next to the hotel and club members took advantage of it. Jim and Carmen Newton rode the spectacular Bernina Express through the Alps to Tirano, Italy. Lisa Robinson celebrated her birthday on the trip by taking the train to Chur and had lunch. Joining her were Marsha Kilgore, Lynn Burch, Ray Villarreal, Clara Tuffyas, Sara and Charlie Moore, Gloria Lopez and Penny Chancey. Sara and Charlie Moore were also celebrating their recent wedding and used the trip as their honeymoon. They commemorated by taking a horse-drawn sled to the nearby town of Pontresina. David George rode the Glacier Express train to Zermatt, home of the awe-inspiring Matterhorn, before flying home.
Skiers were treated to some great nightlife during the week. Most of the bars reside in the basement of large hotels so it took some effort to find the action. Tor (who always seemed to be able to find a good time) and Jose went barhopping one night and found themselves being followed by some stunning Latvian women. The two thought their dreams were about to come true when at 3 am; the clubs had all closed; yet the women were still with them. Their dreams were quickly dashed when the Latvians asked for contracts and wanted to ‘negotiate’ for further service.
Tor led another group out on the town later in the week to a bar named the Kava which translates to Cave. The group which included Charles Albright, Jose, David, Jim, Carter and Dennis was treated to a wild time at the Coyote Ugly party. Carter enjoyed the ‘deep throat’ competition as rowdy barmaids walked around with long bottles of liqueur which they literally poured down your throat. Not to be outdone, Charles found his niche with a hammer as he participated in a contest where the goal was to be quickest at pounding a nail into a piece of wood. He was later boasting of his knack for nailing women. To top the evening off, the group was treated to a table dance by three of the scantily-clad sirens.
Club members were treated to two different excursions during the week. On Monday, a group, which included Ross Baker, Gai Lynn Marshall, Jean Franks, Melanie Palasi, Mary Ann Harrell and Lynn Messer, toured the Upper Engadin Mountains and lakes. They viewed the luxurious winter playgrounds of the rich and famous, such as the Shah of Iran, saw homes of famous philosophers such as Nietzsche and Hesse, and sampled the famous, reputedly beneficial (but odd-tasting) mineral water from a spa. After lunch, the group witnessed a Cresta Run race. This unique sport involves a headfirst, on the stomach, white-knuckle ride in an ice chute while grasping an iron skeleton (toboggan).
On Friday, a large group toured the famous Val Mustair monastery near the Swiss-Italian border. Donna Berglund, Mark Monroe, Sean O’Brien and Brett Henderson all enjoyed this historic building, which was built by Charlemagne in the 13th century and is still used today by Benedictine nuns. The group also stopped in the picturesque village of Ardez on the return and viewed some of the best-preserved frescoes in the world.
Twenty-one club members went on to Milan, Italy for a four-day post-trip extension. The group was able to experience the fashionable shopping and retail of the ‘golden triangle’ portion of the city including the very first Galleria. Most of the club members took a half-day city tour and viewed the extraordinary Il Duomo gothic cathedral, which included a close-up look at da Vinci’s Last Supper. Our guide was most informative in explaining the significance of many aspects of the painting and intricate restoration work done over the years. Many from our group took the train to Lake Como and enjoyed long walks around the lake and scenic cruises from a boat. Venice was preparing for Carnevale, a Mardi Gras type festival held before Easter. A few traveled there and saw souvenir shops stocked with the fancy masks and revelers strolling around town in their extravagant costumes.
The St. Moritz trip was a great success as the skiing, touring and scenery were all simply spectacular. The club looks forward to a return to the ‘Top of the World’. |
| HEAD OF THE LIFTLINE | By Christine March, President |
This is my last article as President since I am about to turn over the reins to Cindy Moore.
Cindy will soon find out that as a new president you start the year with grand notions of all the things that you want to do as president. Soon reality begins to set in and you learn that just keeping the club together is quite an accomplishment in itself. We have faced some challenges in maintaining membership levels and trying to find a meeting place that did not cost an arm and a leg.
Lori Gilliland, our VP of Trips, along with her DOTs Marsha Lutz and Kayleen Kill, gave us a great ski season with an impressive array of trips to great locations. I am grateful to them for a really successful ski year. Marc Fellows, our VP of Programs, was new to the club and took on an incredible challenge. Although he was not able to finish his term, we know that he gave the club his best. Ellen Eastham is a saint for taking over as VP of Programs when Marc resigned, and I am very thankful for her dedication to the club. She and Chip Stokes, her DOP, are well loved and very appreciated for assuming these positions in mid-season. Penny Chancey was a great VP of Membership, a really gracious woman, and I am so glad I had a chance to get to know her and work with her this year. Ross Baker, our VP of Publications, was responsible for expertly assembling the Sitz, putting it out on time and under budget. Leyla Ozkardesh kept records of every word said at our Excom meetings and never failed to get us timely notice of our meetings, along with great maps to get there. Llona Doubet as our Treasurer ran a tight ship and kept every single penny in the right place and every budget balanced, plus I loved her book, The Three-Week Rule. Sean O’Brien performed well as our representative on the Texas Ski Council. He has a wealth of knowledge and is an asset to the club.
We also have a new website that allows each member to update their membership information online, and with this new season, you will be able to renew your membership and pay your membership dues through our website. Bruce Lowther did a great job with the website. We are all hoping he will continue next year as our Director of Communications to further refine what our website can do. We had a glamorous and successful anniversary party led by Vicki Faulkner. Thank you, Vicki. Our Sunshine Kids Auction, led by Peggy Montgomery, was so much fun, so worthwhile and a huge financial success. Peggy, we appreciate your hard work. I want to thank every one of these wonderful people, the members of the Board of Directors, the trip leaders, assistant trip leaders, activity coordinators, assistant activity coordinators and all of the volunteers who have been so generous with their time and who have each made a great contribution to the tradition of this club.
[A BIG Thank You to Christine for doing a wonderful job as President – ed.] |
| Ellen Eastham, VP of Programs and Chip Stokes, Director of Programs | By PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES |
When we volunteer, we reap the rewards. I am rewarded every time someone tells me that we had a great general meeting; or when MANY people show up for an activity to have a great time; or when we reserve a Happy Hour for 50 people and 80 show up! Jose Araujo will begin his term of VP of Programs in May and he, too, will reap the rewards!
An additional reward of being an SCSC officer is the opportunity to go on FAM (familiarization) trips with TSC. I was privileged to represent SCSC when I went to Kelowna, British Columbia, and skied three different ski areas with TSC: Big White, Silver Star, and Apex. Our group attended wine tastings, explored the nightlife, enjoyed fine dining, and were entertained by many local officials. By the time I returned, I had gained a large understanding about skiing in Canada and the Canadian wine industry. I also made many new friends.
As a volunteer, I am very inspired and planning many more great meetings, activities, and happy hours for you. My reward comes when you attend them! On April 11, we have a super meeting planned, featuring various sports-oriented clubs that will inform SCSC about other opportunities, events and activities in the Houston area. Our May 16 meeting will be a LUAU at VITO’s (check the ad for information). Pam Smith and her committee have innovative planning ideas for this last meeting of the season. Two of our many long-time volunteers, Ron Hayes and Judy Schiro, have agreed to let us use their home for the Volunteer party on June 25. Christina Anderson, AC, and her committee will plan a Wet & Wild Volunteer party, for all the VOLUNTEERS that keep SCSC going. In fact, we have so much fun planned for you, we may set attendance records!
Check out and participate in the wide variety of activities we have on our upcoming Calendar of Events. Jose, your new VP of Programs, and I have discussed potential summer activities. We are currently planning a pool and dart tournament for the June and July Happy Hours, along with other activities to keep “cool” in the summer heat. Won’t you consider “stepping up to the plate” by volunteering to help organize these events? You, too, will be rewarded.
Our brief four-month term as your VP and Director of Programs is now over. Chip and I have enjoyed working with the Excom and planning various FUN activities for SCSC. Our reward has been the privilege of serving you, the members of Space City Ski Club. Please join us in welcoming my successor, Jose, and volunteer to assist him in the year ahead. |
| FROM THE SKI DESK | By Lori Gilliland, VP of Trips |
Hello my fellow ski fanatics! By the time you receive this April issue of the Sitzmarke, 100 + of our fellow SCSC members will have returned from our two final trips of the year, Heavenly Valley/Lake Tahoe and Whistler/Blackcomb. I’d like to thank Leona Schroeder who stepped in at the last minute to join Cindy Moore (ATC) as the replacement TC for the Whistler/Blackcomb trip.
Sadly, we must say goodbye to yet another SCSC ski season. It went by fast, but what an excellent ski season it was! Mother Nature was very generous with the fresh powder this year. SCSC had a very successful 2004-2005 season. Because of the hard work of our outstanding team of TCs, ATCs and DOTs, we ran 10 great ski trips to world-class destinations, increased our skier numbers, recruited new members and welcomed back former members.
In addition to an awesome crew of TCs & ATCs, I was very lucky to have two excellent DOTs this year. My DOTs, Kayleen Kill and Marsha Lutz, worked extremely hard, put in untold hours and supported me in so many ways. I could not have been as successful in my position as V.P. of Trips without their support and their dedication. Thank you Kayleen and Marsha!!
Although the 2004-2005 ski season is coming to an end, the work really never ends for those dedicated officers and trip coordinators. SCSC is very fortunate to have a great group of new officers that will be leading our club in 2005-2006. I’m very excited that Kayleen is going to be one of those new officers as our new V.P. of Trips. I know that she has some great ideas for next year’s ski trip schedule. The V.P. of Trips position is a challenging and sometimes thankless job, but as so many of us know, Kayleen is the right person for the job. Please support her efforts by volunteering to help run a ski trip in 2005-2006.
On April 15-17, 2005, SCSC officers and interested members will be attending The Annual Texas Ski Council Bid Meeting in Austin, Texas. Top ski resorts will be presenting an exciting selection of trip options for the 2005-2006 season. If you have never had the opportunity to attend Bid Meeting, I highly recommend that you join us. You’ll have a great time and learn a lot about the way the TSC works. You will also be able to give your input to help SCSC select the best destinations. And heck, you may even get psyched up and find yourself wanting to run a ski trip!
Thanks to all of the SCSC members for a great year! |
| RACING RESULTS | By Kayleen Kill, Racing Director |
Space City had 37 racers participate in the Texas Ski Council club races at Snowmass. Our racers earned one Silver and 10 Bronze medals. NASTAR has changed its handicap chart this year making it harder for racers to earn medals, so this is quite an accomplishment. Mike Murphy earned the lone silver medal for the club. Unfortunately, SCSC came in 4th in the TSC Division 1 race.
At Copper Mountain, we had 18 racers, earning one Silver and four Bronze medals. Kayleen Kill earned the Silver. Again, we came in 4th in the Division 1 race.
But not to worry, with our 1st place at Winter Park, we are not out of the competition. Hopefully everyone on the Heavenly trip signed up for racing and helped the club bring home another trophy.
Dave Stotz, Racing Chairman for the Snowmass trip, had this to say about his wife Diane, and her experience on the racecourse. “Our only injury on the trip was during the races, when one of our fastest racers caught a ski tip on a gate during a high speed turn. Race officials believed that she was traveling at approximately 65 miles per hour when the fall occurred. Spectators estimated that the racer cartwheeled at least 15 times. After the ski patrol arrived and loaded the racer onto a sled, she was seen to be incessantly flirting with the handsome patrolmen. The initial medical report reveled a broken fingernail.” So even if we don’t do well on the racecourse, it sounds like some of us can have fun anyway.
We had five racers in Snowmass that participated in the individual races. Dave Whitehead, Robert Wray, Phillip Vice and Jim Jeans earned medals. At Copper, our six racers were very successful. (At least the women were). Angie Westergren was 2nd in the Open class, Kayleen Kill was 3rd in Seniors and Judy Schiro was 2nd in Super Seniors. In addition, Kayleen and Angie won silver NASTAR medals and Robert Samen, and Alan Bitzer won bronze. CONGRATULATIONS.
Would you like to see the club results, or how you compare to other racers? Go to www.nastar.com and click on “Check Race Results” on the left side. You can then view race results for a particular race or race results for an individual. For instance, under “View Resort Race Results”, select “Snowmass Ski Area”. You will see that the Texas Ski Council Club Race on January 13 is listed as well as the Texas Ski Council Individual Race on January 14. By clicking on the particular race, you will see the full results of the race. While on that page, if you click on any individual’s name, you can see their full results for this year. You can even go to prior seasons to see their results. You can also see how they rank nationally.
If you would like to see how you rank among other racers, click on “View Rankings” on the left side. This year, NASTAR has started a new ranking system. This page may be a little confusing unless you understand the ranking system. An explanation is available by clicking on “?Help” at the bottom of the page.
For competitive skiers, reviewing results on nastar.com is a quite interesting. Have fun. See you on the racecourse. |
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