We were told that some fresh snow had fallen thus our lack of haste was rather perplexing. We were only really having a morning spin as we were still waiting for my board - I had to pay CAN$60 in Customs/import duty which was most rude - before leaving for Apex.
We had a few really nice runs - there was maybe 2 inches of fresh dry Kootenay snow. Well it seemed dry to us, although these Nelsonians seem to have a propensity to think anything less than a foot of fresh isn't any good. Spoilt is what we think. The food in Whitewater Lodge is delicious. Wholesome, cheap food - like eating at Soul Mamma's (Google it) at home. The Ymir (Why-mer) bowl is an awesome coconut curry for only CAN$6.00. It was worth the three hours riding just for this. Everyone raves on about it. I tasted Dallas' and it was most salubrious in nature.
Highlight of the day for me was having the co-owner of Whitewater go past Josh asking how the photo shoot was going, and telling him how good he looked, and as he replied cheekily "thanks, so do you", having her add about him "....but not as good as in a bathrobe". Yikes!
Tim, photo Packy
Phil, photo Packy
Tim, photo Packy
The board finally arrived - see picture below - this is a preview of one of the production designs for 2008. Some minor aesthetic tweaks required...
We got away a little later than I'd have liked which meant dusk driving. Normally this would be ok but given the poor headlights on the minivan, and given the presence of moose and deer, I'd have preferred a mid-day drive. The photographic opportunities in a day-time drive also made this option more attractive, so we resolved to day time transit where possible.
After getting lost just trying to get out of Nelson - the road signage in this country is a nightmare sometimes (very ambiguous) - we finally got on the road. It was touch and go for a second as we got more lost my instinct took over then all of a sudden I was driving on the LHS of the road. Josh thought this was hilarious.
Out of Nelson is a summer spot called Lake Christina - photo below - which was semi frozen and just amazing. After the offensiveness of the copper smelter in Trail, it was nice to see man residing quietly in this unspoilt area. I really must mention the poor road signage that we take for granted. The road-side poles (the short ones that hold reflectors) are not present here. There are no cats eyes. This makes night time driving pretty sketchy. Numerous times I had to put the brakes on hard when the lights from oncoming vehicles literally blinded me.
After a very windy (wine-dy) drive, and two deer sightings (no photos), we came over a range to a sky lit up by the town of Osoyoos, which resides on a lake and was a pretty big town. Massive actually.
We finally arrived at Penticton and I realised I had no idea where Apex. And silly old me thought that maybe there'd be some signs in town. We stopped at a servo, where the attendant had no idea what Apex even was. It's only a major ski resort outside town. A little too can't-do from Mr Servo Attendent. After purchasing The Most Expensive ice-cream ever (a delicious Haagen-Dasz vanilla/almond concoction), we stumbled across a sign and proceeded onto the most pov-##sed road (I'm currently typing this between Penticton and Kelowna and Packy's driving, Packy's mum, you need to have a word to him about it. He's waaaaay too relaxed about it) heading into the hills. It was like a scene from Psycho or The Shining or something. Dark, winding road, no light poles, no road poles, no road markings; no nothing. Packy was having kittens over the lack of snow, I lost count of the number of times I heard "Hmmm, I'm really worried about the lack of snow".
We eventually hit the snow line and soon after came around a bend to a fairy light-lit snow village (similar to Big White, but much smaller). It was a bit weird actually. The town is like something out of a modern snow village super-imposed over a wild-west feel. Names like Gunbarrel Saloon, Winchester etc etc. We rolled past a Mountain Spa and Hotel and found our place - right in the heart of the village. We parked directly outside our place, unloaded and sat in the lounge to sort through the photos from Red.
It was a bit of a culture shock going from the cruisy, real mountaineer-like feel at Nelson and Whitewater, to the loud, drunken obnoxiousness of the hostel. Three guys in particular were very mouthy and just carrying on. One in particular wouldn't shut up about how boring Apex was, and how in Whistler there's this party and that party every night. At this point I had to get involved - "well, why are you here then?". "Because in Whistler I was into some bad stuff (this conveniently ignored the fact he'd been rabbiting on about the drugs he did last night) and that stuff isn't here." To which Packy and I both retorted, "well isn't it good you're here then?" He couldn't see the circularity in his argument. He still replied it was boring, and I said, well leave then. Some people can be rather dense.
We hit bed about midnight and slept really well.
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