Heavenly Ski Resort and Matterhorn Motel

Saturday, February 24, 2007 ((Day 1))

• Of course, I am always .. and I mean always excited to be heading up to the snow for a day trip of good ole snowboarding fun.  Whether, I have to get up at 4am to meet up with friends to get to the resort by open time coming from the East Bay Area, or waking up at 630am to drive up from Sacramento, CA.  Snowboard day is a Snowboard day.
• We all met up in Hayward, then picked up some coffee at Starbuck's in San Lorenzo.  Yummy!!
• After obtaining our delicious stimulants, here starts our road trip to Heavenly Ski Resort in South Lake Tahoe.
• A few hours pass by, many cities we have passed along the way.  Two cars communcating via walkie talkies.  One car expresses their opinion of hunger and the other car agrees.
  

  Here's the crew before we split up
    We stop a few exits later and eat at McDonald's.. yeah yeah yeah I know.. bad, bad, bad..but o well.. not very many options if we're in a hurry.
• On the road again.. i think we drove for another hour or so and then we were finally there.. yay!!  Snow, Snow, Snow.. everywhere.
• Time to strap on and get ready to rumble... put on my boots, my jacket, my hydration pack (which i filled with propel.. grape or mixed berry.. not sure I forgot already), turned on my iPod, put one ear bud in, started my Boarding Playlist, strapped on my helmet, picked up my pretty little snowboard.. and there you go.. I'm ready baby!!
• We separated into two groups.. 3 stayed with our 1st time boarder and hit up the less advanced slopes.. but from their pictures I know they had a fabulous time.
  

  View from the Gondola.. looks good to see all those cars in the parking lot.. look at all those cars.. all here for the snow.. Love it
    Myself and 3 others went up the highest of the mountain where we knew we could handle.  By the beginning of the day we were in California, by end of day we were on the Nevada side of the resort.
• I had mucho fun of course... it was super crowded and congested.. which kinda sucked cuz it took forever to get back up the lifts again.
• I just love being up there.. the bright white snow is so beautiful and comforting to look at.  Though looking at snow might make people just feel cold.. riding the mountain just gives me a rush, it gives any rider a rush I think.  (Though it's been awhile since I've done this, but back in the day, or shall I say a few years ago, I use to eat a light breakfast in Sacramento, drive to one of the resorts, strap on, go up, and hit it hard.
  
  . and be all good with just my granola bar, and a few sips of water or gatorade [not too much or I'll have to go to the bathroom,but yeah i dunno if that was me and the cousins being hard core, or just being crazy, we just get so into it], then drive back to Sac and go to our traditional Carolina's post-snowboarding restaurant and get food to bring back to the house).
• So after 4p, resort closing time we all met up on the Nevada side to go around, browse, light shopping and eat dinner.
• We ate at some restaurant, I don't remember what I had, but I think I do remember that I enjoyed it.. lol
• So now what?  Let's begin our travel back home.. good ole Bay Area!!
• Super freezing, so we all agreed to get coffee.. but I, myself did not.  Since I had coffee already early in the morning, I opted out for hot chocolate.
  

  In the Gondola.. on the way up the mountain
    Warmth and relaxation in the cup of hot chocolate.. What a treat that was =)
• So.. drive back.. one would think.. or might i say 8 would think.  We tried but failed.  The extreme darkness, and heavy snowfall would not allow us to leave that night.  So busted a u-turn and started looking for lodging.  I think we got shut down twice, and the third place finally had a vacancy.
• Matterhorn Motel.. 8 people, 1 room, with 2 beds.  We tried to get 2 rooms but they only had one.  3 girls on each bed and the two guys on the floor.
• Funny story:: everyone set their phone alarms, and we all tried to fall asleep.  We were talking a bit, and with 8 people talking it wasn't too quiet, so of course we were shhhshing each other to keep it down or what not.
  
    Then suddenly, we heard a knock on the door.  You can guess what happened, but you won't guess right.  Lol.. Almost everyone jumped up off the beds and tried to hide.. 3 of us squeezed into that little bathroom.  Then we heard laughing.. what the heck is what we were thinking.  One of the guys thought it was funny to knock on the door (from the floor) and scare the shit out of us.. which it did till the laughter erupted.. but you know what.. it truly was funny.  I was just glad it wasn't the motel trying to kick us out.  What a night =)