Dolomite 2006 Climbing Invitational - Confirmed

This trip is now confirmed.

• 23rd Aug - 3rd Sept
• 3 days in Venice before driving (Peugeot 407) to Dolomites for 1 week, return to Venice & back to Prague

Anyone who is interested, fly into Venice & hook up with us.

Accommodation options you'll need to sort out. Colletts URL below is pretty comprehensive. We're staying at Arabba with Mardi & Ross

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June 2006 - 2 weeks of climbing, drinking & being scared.

Just received some guide books for 100 selected Dolimite climbs plus Ferratas routes - bloody awesome.

If you're interested in climbing 250 - 500m cliffs, please start saving your AUDs.

Don't know how much it costs, we're going !!!!!

Participant Criteria

• Lead grade 10 - 15 on natural gear. Setting up complex belays on chockstones etc
• Large wallet to supply the team with beer
• Willing to do creche duties every 2nd day
• Willing to sleep with anybody....................on a ledge 200m in the air ;-)
• Headtorch for the late night descents
• Play cards - 500, cribbage, Ucha etc
• Well over 30 years old

Please send us an email if you're truly interested because we might need some money to secure accommodation etc. Yes, we're serious !

Some accommodation options: http://www.colletts.co.uk/

M

frEEZing

This must be the coldest morning we have experienced so far...not as bad as Russia's -50...but imagine trotting off to school in -17, on a Monday morning to boot.

Light Freezing Fog

Yes it is cold. This was the temperature when N caught the bus thismorning. I love the description, Light Freezing Fog.

N & I went skiing again last weekend. N loves it and after only 2 lessons is really good. She goes down the big slope with no trouble, unlike her mother who is still trying to master stopping quickly (twice using N's body to do so with messy results-legs twisted around each other). N decided after the second collision that she was going to take off down the slope, away from the instructor, away from harms(her mothers) way. She is wise beyond her years!

With a huge, enthusiastic smile on her face N now says"Skiing is my favourite spot"....oh great! While M is in India(end Feb) N and I are travelling to Austria..to go skiing with some friends from school. We are driving down with one of the school mums(Nancy) and her kids. It takes about 5 hours to drive there. N is already looking forward to next years skiing season, saying that maybe we shouldn't rush home for Xmas next year...maybe we should wait til the ski season finishes??(Is this N talking??...what happened to my daughter??)

Ziggy RIP

Ziggy passed away peacefully before Xmas.

She was a member of the Portman family for over 18 years.

Farewell & lots of tears. 

Skiing at Moninec

One of the parents from school, that I play tennis with, offered to take N & I skiing. Apart from 2 days cross country skiing I have never skied before. About one hour drive from Pruhonice(outskirts of Prague)is the small ski area of Moninec(5 min southwest of Votice).The area is not very challenging for the experienced skier, but is great for kids and beginners. It is used more by cross country skiers and apparently has many trails. The surrounding fields with snow covered trees and small stone farm houses was picture perfect. Ski hire,1 hour private lesson and lift pass for both of us cost 850Kc/$42AUD.

N did really well. By the second time down the slope she could stop herself and by the end of the lesson she was turning and manoeuvring around objects.