California Snowboarding

Part I: The Snowboarding. Oh Boy. I showed up late, around 1AM and the only person awake was some guy waving to me from the jacuzzi. Rich introduces himself as the Snowboarding Chiropractor and gives me a quick run-down of house procedures before launching into a rant about how lame the rest of the house members are for not staying up and having a beer or some tequila on Friday night. I get my stuff into the house (I got my own room - YAY!) and decide to join him to learn about the ski club and what I should expect for the duration.

Lake Tahoe has about 10 ski areas within striking distance of the 'Apres Ski Club' Ski Lodge in Kings Beach.

I turn in around 2AM and feel reasonably rested when Rich barges into my room at 9:20. We're on the snow at Northstar by 10 AM and hit the slopes hard until 3:30 PM.




Part II: The food. Oh Boy. Kings Beach, where the Ski Lodge in located, is a town two miles from the California/Nevada Border. You drive around a bend in the road where you see the border, it's marked by the start of 10,000 neon signs for the Casinos. It was recommended that we go to the Casino for the 'Prime Rib Special' Gambling is an activity I find about as enjoyable as burning $20 bills with a bic lighter. Thank goodness the casino owners find it profitable to reel in the gambling addicts with cheap, good food and drink. This restaurant, the casino and the whole town had a 70's kitch feel about it. However, as long as they keep serving up those meals at those prices, I'll tolerate the pervasive tackiness until I get fed and then get back to the neon-free, flashy-light-free California side of the border.

Rich Mark, Marks girlfriend and I went to the 'Biltmore Casino' and sat down for Dinner in their smoke-free restaurant. Rich and I each had the Prime Rib Special, Mark and his girlfriend each had the steak and shrimp special. The tab was 11.90 for BOTH prime rib dinners. $5.95 each, it was very good quality, huge quantity and I was so happy. Big Prime Rib, Baked Potato, Salad, veggies. I've found paradise for folks like me who have big appetites.

I totally ran out of steam at the end of dinner and I knew I wasn't heading out for any partying after we got back to the house. We returned, I was down at 10 PM and didn't get up til 8AM Sunday. The days snowboarding had me beat.

Sunday morning the Casino-subsidized feast continued. I went for a walk to the lakeshore, then hopped in the truck and drove straight back to the Casino. I walked right past all the noisy slot machines to get the $2.50 breakfast special with a $1.50 pot of coffee. $4 total for all huge plate of eggs, ham, hash browns, toast and coffee...I could get used to this.

One nice hospitality touch they have here - the first thing the servers give everyone, every time without asking...a big glass of icewater. The dry climate here does a number on you without you realizing it.