Keeping The Faith (TR)

[bad_roo]

“OK. I’ve picked up a whore. She’s not doing anything. I don’t think it’s secluded enough. If I crush a few of these people with my car maybe it’ll be secluded enough now. Hold it. I’ve driven down a subway. The car’s smoking. Damn. I got out but she stayed in the car and it blew up. I suck at this.”
Gincognito on Grand Theft Auto.

Chasing Euro pow at the start of December was never statistically likely to succeed. A week before the off, many of the resorts we were looking at still had very little in the way of skiable base and the forecasts looked sketchy. Then things changed. A big storm blew into the southern French Alps and plastered the resorts with two feet of snow. More followed. A frantic search for accommodation followed. I secured a vehicle. Brownmonkey, Mulletizer and Gincognito were in. Mit would fly into Zurich and get his ass to Grenoble to meet us. Schemes were afoot. Blags were organised in all directions.

We’d bagged a chalet in Allemond, a sleepy village tucked beneath the Alpe d’Huez. This would give us the flexibility to hit Alpe d’Huez, Les Deux Alpes, Serre Chevalier or resorts like Les Sept Laux. Wherever the snow was, we’d go there. The first night we were there, it snowed six inches down at 880m asl which isn’t common at that time of year. Alpe d’Huez the next day was a bit of a trial. Only a few lifts were open, we couldn’t see anything, the wind was ripping, it was snowing hard and we were all skiing like gomers. Being in the high alpine in these conditions isn’t the most fun. We headed down to Grenoble in the evening to pick Mit up from the station, popping into the Skipass lab to have a drink with Supercastor and giving Mulletizer the opportunity to leave his Arc’teryx jacket there.

The next day looked the same but climbing the 21 hairpin bends to Alpe d’Huez brought us through the cloud layer into the blue. The resort was absolutely deserted. There was basically ski patrol, a few French army dudes and us. Another six inches of fresh snow had fallen overnight at altitude, so we just plundered everything we could find and threw in a bit of sluttage for good measure. Mulletizer was wearing one of Gin’s spare jackets. You may have seen Gin’s primary jacket. Quite.

I was loving the Spatulas, smearing big turns all over the hill and not hitting a single rock. Even the breakable crust on top of Signal was pure fun on the Spats. I sent a text to Mrs Roo proclaiming that I never wanted to ski another ski again. We ducked ropes, jumped fences and even let Gin lead us into the only stand of trees above Alpe d’Huez village to ensure the Eastern arborophiles didn’t suffer from agoraphobia. Even though it was only 40% open Alpe d’Huez was showing her pretty side. It couldn’t last though. With no new snow overnight, Mulletizer got on the horn to the Grenoble crew to find out where to score big. The mutterings were that a tiny resort in the Chartreuse was reporting a meter of fresh and was opening the next day. We were there.

The €10.60 for a lift ticket to Saint Pierre de Chartreuse may well have been the best investment I’ve made in quite some time. A gondola and a chair gave access to 3000ft of vert of tree lined fluff. Somewhat astonishingly, virtually all of the people who visited stayed on the pistes. We decided it was only right to slaughter every section of pow in the most shameless manner possible. It was one of the best day’s skiing I’ve ever had but came to a rather abrupt conclusion. A leap off a cat track brought me into contact with an already tumbling Brownmonkey. He was clouted in the face with his own skis and then mown down by me. Dazed and spitting blood, he was wondering why I was fifty yards down the hill with only one ski before realising we must have both landed on the same patch of real estate. The big huck to flat had also snapped one of my Spatulas just in front of the binding toe piece. Those of you who thought I’d wreck my Spats in no time at all were proven correct. Less than two days. Off to the half a pair thread for me. Brownmonkey was a bit beaten up but otherwise OK. He must have effective anticoagulant.

The final day's skiing was one of the most beautiful I’ve ever had, We took it easy, skiing some low-angle cream at Alpe d’Huez, fast cruising the pistes, standing slack-jawed at the scenery and hucking a few rocks. It was a day for a lazy lunch, milf and mullet spotting, and shooting the shit. Gin and Mulletizer put some huge figure 11s right down the Sarenne glacier from high on the Chateau Noir side which was quite the sight to see, huge plumes of snow following two specks disappearing into the distance. Mit’s knee was a bit sore after an innocuous-looking tumble at the end of day two but otherwise all was OK. I was having to relearn sidecut again with the Motherships that still harbour one spectacular and terminal delamination.

There are so many stories to tell. These are the bare bones of what we got up to. I’m too spent to do a whole lot else. Help me out here guys. In the meantime, here's some pics.

[shera]

Sorry about your spat. Where's the pics?

[bad_roo]

Mulletizer cruises down Signal, Alpe d'Huez


spots a soft landing at Saint Pierre


and heads down towards Villard Reculas.


Gin, Brownmonkey and Mulletizer down in Allemond


My hair it is perfect, no?


If you don't pay $1m by Friday, I will cut off their facial hair

[edg]

Nice!

(And MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE *gasp* MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE)

edg

[bad_roo]

Gincognito prepares for lift off


Going for the grab in the Chartreuse


Gin shows the O Face


This shot merits a solid four out of five on the O-Face-Ometer


Throwing the signature pogo air


Showing the attack face

[edg]

Looks like someone had some fun in Photoshop...

edg

[bad_roo]

Evening view from the chalet to the top of the Vaujany tram


A cruise down La Balme back home for Gin and Brownmonkey


A nod to our kind spancers, Chrysler Jeep for the use of this brilliant vehicle


because this is the sort of steeze they want to associate their brand with


Observe waddage


Roo, Gin and a momentarily camp Brownmonkey ponder the insanitary

[Telepath]

I really, sincerely and of all my heart hate you guys.

[bad_roo]

Gincognito drops the bomb


Roo is a menace with golf equipment


Roo prepares for splashdown


and hucks a fun rock


No respecter of piste signage.


"Did I tell you I love these skis?"


Savour days like these.


Friends on a powder day.

[ulty_guy]

the goatee, so hot right now.

nice, boys.

[bad_roo]

This one almost took me out.


Brownmonkey gets the goods at Saint Pierre. Remember that name.


and shows the O Face


A lot of this sort of thing kept happening


Brownmonkey having fun


noodling off the back of Signal

[shera]

Very fine!

[bad_roo]

Casualties of gnar


They say they're Canadian but these gentlemans are surely Japanese


Rollin Wit Mit


Mit plows some pow


and hits the shoulder of Signal looking for some bark to bother.

[teledave]

That TR does not suck.

Good stuff as always Roo, and some spectacular pics as well.

[bad_roo]

Most of the photo credits have to go to Brownmonkey. The guy's getting pretty good behind the lens.

[road trip]

Brilliance!

I feel the O-face is the new armpit steeze.

[Arno]

Great photos - brings back happy memories of ADH and Allemont. Did you see the tiger?

[Tectonically_Neglected]

Good stuff guyz

[bbirtle]

Fucking sweeeeeeeeeeeeet! Some of those shots are really amazing... all of them just really get me in the sprit. Moremoremoremoremoremoremoremore!

[horizon]

hey, great TR...excellent photos!

Was the Spat already broken when you launched off that cliff?

[QUOTE=bad_roo]

Roo hucks a fun rock

[Benny Profane]

Very nice!

[edg]

Roo hucks a fun rock

Are you hucking with a *broken* spat there? Or does it just look that way (right ski)? (Sweet pic)

edg

[Jiehkevarri]

Quality.

Your TR really makes me want to try Spatulas (or Birdos, or Lotus or similar) one day...

[marshalolson]

spat related condolences.......

[subtle plague]

that one photo which is really good, is really good !

nah i ike them all and you've won our little europe powder trip contest because i did not go on any trip..
the stupid slovenians did not get their resort open
-----> i hate you more than anybody ese in this thread.