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Lake Tahoe - Holland Ski Trip, Winter 2004 |
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Thursday, February 26 - Sunday, February 29: The storm of the century
We caravaned up on Thursday during daylight hours, but still had quite a challenge scaling the peaks on the way to Soda Springs, where this year's cabins were located. We got to test out our brand-new Honda Pilot's four-wheel-drive capabilities quite a few times (and happy to say, it did great!). But after creeping and crawling our way north through swirling snow, we discovered yet another hurdle: finding the cabins. Our directions were clear -- assuming you could see the street signs. However, with 14-foot snowdrifts piled on the side of the road, there was nary a sign to be seen...and the whiteout conditions had us thinking about the scary scenes in "The Shining." After several random guesses (and more than one turn into someone's driveway, thinking it might be a street), we finally landed at Ground Zero -- the main Holland cabin. The expected crew there would be the Bessers, the Rieds, the Holland patriarchs, Uncle Al, Cousin Jimmy (and son John), and Gray and Laura. After getting Mom and Dad Holland settled, we set off for the dog cabin to meet up with Uncle John, Aunt Adele, Rod and Suze (and Emma), and Paul and Gen (and Cosmo). After averting a food crisis (Dave slogged through the snow to the Holland cabin bearing pasta), everyone settled in and got ready for a fun weekend. The snow continued Friday, but that didn't dampen spirits as a few hardy souls set off for the slopes. By Saturday, the skies had cleared, the weather was brilliant, and the conditions were outstanding. The weekend was a whirl of snowboarding, skiing, snow tubing, and snowmobiling during the day, and big meals (and epic games of Scattergories) in the evenings. By Sunday, most of us had figured out how to get from cabin to cabin -- just in time for our departure. Happily, the weather held, so the exodus was easy. Now the snow is melting, and all we have are our memories to sustain us until next year...that, and photos! Click at the link at the top of the page to see what the weekend held. |
When we made T-shirts for the annual Holland Ski Trip, little did we know how prescient we'd be when we printed them with the words, "We survived the blizzard!" Because boy, oh boy, was it snowy!