spring? - kind of...

During February, while friends were getting spring fever, I resisted - there was unfinished ski business, and   winter is a long affair; I didn't want to be seduced into false optimism. But now we've had irises, primroses and crocuses in the garden; 19 degrees; and the birds are going ballistic. Whatever snow the gods might throw our way between now and May, spring is starting its journey from the valley upwards, and I can feel the sap rising...

 

So it was strange, this Sunday, to leave spring behind and re-enter winter, only the longer daylight hours signalling the change of season:

While Juan took a flight to Madrid and enjoyed lunch with his family in Salamanca prior to a week of meetings in Spain, I went out with the CAF ski nordique group. As we tramped up to the Grand Rocher, the topic of conversation was what supplies to take on the trek to Norway later in the month. The argument wasn't about whether cheese was suitable (complete agreement there) but whether Comté (45% fat content) was better than Beaufort (48%).

Coming down, Chantal's Level 1 outing became more of a rando event. But my newly acquired downhilling confidence gave me a feeling of indestructability as I slid down slopes that would previously have completely phased me:

I'm happy that I've made it out with the CAF at least once this season (on nordic skis hired for the whole season... hmmm).