Back from Europe...

[INDY GS]

if you have never been, GO!

Just spent the last 2 weeks in Italy, Slovenia, and Serbia. The snow in Val Gardena, Italy, was a little lacking since they had not had any significant snow in the week prior to our arrival. Despite the hard pack conditions, Italians and South Tyrolians appear to love to ski the center part of the run down to a pure sheet of ice, while allowing a nice creamy re-constituted pow-like substance to form on the the sides of the run. Perfect for the Bros.

The area of Val Gardena/south Tyrol is absoluty mindblowing. For approximately $34.00 per day you can get the Dolomiti Superski pass and ski any of the areas that are all interconnected. Freaking amazing! At one point, I was skiing, took a right down a nice uncrowded slope, after skiing for a few kilometers, I ended up in a little village, with the closest lift being about 1.5 KM away, so I have to boot it down to a the Town Gondy. I ended up skiing through so many areas, and from the top there were lifts for as far as the eye can see. If you get the chance GO, It is good with bad snow, I can't imagine with good snow!

After 4 days in the dolomites, it was down to Venice for some Tourist time. Sweet town, awsome architecture, but not enough time. We must take the train to Slovenia this night.

Arrive in Ljubljana, Slo. Stay the night in a "hotel" that could best be described as a dorm. Clean, but absolutly no frills. In the morning we arrange a rental car, drive north to Bled, Slo, with a quick stop at the Elan Factory and outlet store. If I needed anything made by Elan this would have been a great place to add to the quiver. Most equipment, new, unblemished was selling for better than 70% of retail. After leaving the factory we get to the village we had planned on staying in, and found a great apartment to rent for 75 euro for 3 days total. Dinner, then bed.

Next ski day was at Vogel, Slovenia in the middle of Triglav National Park. What an amazing beautiful place. The snow was in good condition, no pow, but as good as Packed Pow can be. From the Base you must ride a tram to the ski area, and then the ski area starts. Once you get to the ski area, it is much like A-basin colorado, High alpine, with some trees towards the bottom. However Vogel is maybe 5 times as large in area as abay. Unfortunately I had no guide, and they were one snowfall away from their inbounds off-piste to be really good. This was our only day to ski in Slovenia, because we need to get on our way to serbia to see family.

Next night is spent in Belgrade, Serbia. Beautiful city lots of nice places to see, and I got see where my dad went to University. If you come here, Eat somewhere in the area of Scadarlja, you will eat more good food than you can imagine.

Next day we head to Nis, Serbia to see family, and get ready to ski Kopaonik, Yugoslavia.

Kopaonik is a relitively flat mountain, but has some very nice off piste terrain, and since it appears that maybe one other skier likes powder there, all of the tree stashes were mine! I had the best pow of my season this day, knee deep and very soft. This is where the Bros perform the absolutly best! Plus I can guarantee I was the first to ski Bros in Yugoslavia.

Then it was time to do more tourist type things, so the skiing came to an end. all in all a great trip, beautiful countries and great people.

I will try to post some pics later, when I catch up and can actually unpack.

Later,

INDY

[mrw]

Nice trip. Post some pics when you can.Slovenia...so hot right now