Ski Day at Jasper

It was another early start today, so early in fact that I had to order breakfast to my room because the dining room was not yet open. I was being was being picked up by a lovely young lady called Janka, she is from Slovakia but has been in Jasper for I think 5yrs, She popped into the De'd Dog pub very briefly yesterday while I was having lunch with Helen Kelleher-Empey, she wanted a photo taken together. We met by accident alittle later and she said she would pick me up at my hotel at 7.30am and take me to meet the ski instructors at the ski hill before it got busy.
So I had my cereal and toast, got changed and went to the reception to wait for Janka. She arrived and took me to pick up two other friends of hers and we headed for the Marmot Basin ski hill.
I only needed a pair of ski sticks as I already had a pair of skis I was trying out from the Ski Hub in Banff with a view to buying them if I liked them. I also registered for the Marmot Challenge the ski race, and got my bib. Then Janka, her two friends and me went off to have a ski and a quick practice for the race.
The race started at 10.30 and I skied my first run which went quite well but I knew I could go faster. At the bottom of the first run I was introduced to Andre who was trying to race with a few broken ribs but found it too painful so he asked me if I could do his second run for him so of course I did and also did my own second run as well which definately felt faster. I also met a group of young British guys who were doing their Grade two Ski Instuctor Course.
At around noon I was taken down to the Lodge for lunch with Brian Rode Vice President of Marketing for the Marmot Basin Ski Hill I had a burger and chips, well I though I would lose quite a few pounds as I was skiing all day!
I also met a journalist from the local newpaper I think it was called the Jasper Beever so I gave her an interview and we both went up to 'The Eagle Ridge' which was a ski run because she wanted to get a few photo's for the newspaper.
I then carried on skiing with Janka and also George from the De'd Dog Pub and a few others on and off, we skied up until the lift guys said it was the last run, so we went up to the top of the hill, we met a young girl boarder called Zoe who was boarding with her father, unfortunately she got very frightened coming down from the top as it was a bit steep. We cheered her up and I had my photo taken with her while we waited for the snowmobile to take her down the hill. After that we all skied down and Janka gave me a lift back to the Hotel where I had a quick 45 minutes in the hot tub then got changed and I was off to the pub for the results of the race and the prize giving.
My team I think came about 12th and I was 21st overall wich was out of about 130 or so, I didnt think that was too bad considering I am old, unfit, and have'nt raced in 25 yrs, I won a t-shirt which I will wear with pride.
I had a little drink and something to eat and had a chat to alot of people, including an engineer who worked on the railroad from Jasper to Vancouver, George who owned the pub and the Astoria Hotel, and some of the British Ski Instructors, and of course Janka.
I finally left about 10.45 and headed back to the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Hotel
and to room 120 where I watched a bit of TV and went to bed thinking what a great day I've had and thank God I've got a lie-in in the morning!