Scenarios, weather, web sites and snow

I had a day mid week at Makarora helping run an Outdoor First aid course. The change of scene and the people [a fire/rescue group] were great, but oh my, the sun does not peek above the over shadowing mountains very early at all. It ended with a wicked scenario - a two car and bicycle collision. Such scenarios are very powerful even for those who set them up, and a great reminder to be safe on the roads.

We had our catch up with weather on Friday and Sat. and by it's end on Sat. evening I knew we'd at last got decent dump of snow on the ski areas. To while away the time until it cleared today [Sun] I refurbished the web site of a good friend who leads a nomadic life with Wanaka on the circuit every year or so. I built it in 2005 when we were fortunate to have a series of high powered trips in the Alps always being in tune with the weather, and the rebuild bought up lots of nice memories. She's quite the artist and loves to see ice in all it's shades of blue and turquoise. You can take a look at her work and enjoy her prose here.

Today's photo is predictably all about my big passion for x/c skiing. Tonight on leaving the light worked it's magic for a few minutes at the Snow Farm. I'd arrived up there late, but still got out for a long trip [training - big Merino Muster race next Sat.], but got caught by the next front, and had a tussle with high winds and snow, and then it magically cleared for these shots.