Zermatt - 21st & 22 August 2010

8.07am. On the lift to Trockner Step. Not a cloud in the sky, hopefully not to busy up top.

Looking down at Schwarzsee












Now it's 10.10am and I'm at Plataeu Rosa having a coffee and desperately trying to work out the physics of snowboarding. Combining ultra stiff boots, an extra 8cm of board length plus rocker camber in one change was possibly not the easiest of things to get to grips with. The rocker is just odd if you are used traditional camber, the board floats around all over the place. Add that to extra length on the back and front of the board you really have to throw the board into the turn. Once on the edge it holds magnificently until the transition when you really have to concentrate as the front of the board realeases, if you don't fully control the rear then you are
> off. There is no lazy leaning to snake down the ice at high speed, if you are not actively riding her then your fate is in her hands. That being said, i bet powder is fun. Even on ice it feels like you have a hovercraft strapped to your feet.

View from Plateau Rosa












Okay, 1.30pm and done for the day. Bugger the physics of it, trial and error is more to my taste. She is great, still a bit frightened of her but she behaves a little better when I get my weight forward. Actually the set up is a huge amount of fun, and it's nice to have to learn again.

Down at Furri for a late lunch and a beer, it's mid afternoon and the sun is shining, actually it's bloody hot!! I'm glad I dressed light today. Base layer, TNF soft shell Alpine pants, long sleeved T and a thin TNF zip up hoodie. The pants I am most impressed with. However they don't afford much in the way of protection when you go for a slide arsewise down the glacier (which I managed twice).

A colourful picture and a large late lunch











All in all a good morning, got chatting to a German girl on the T-Bar as we travelled up who was complaining she was a little rusty and her carving was not quite right. I'd hate to see how fast she travelled when it was!! A quick Ciao, and she was gone. Frightening speed.

So back to the hotel, 40 winks and a shower before a wee walk round town. Having a swim, sauna and jaccuzi before heading out to find food.

I need to get some fitness back, could feel the extra pounds I have mysteriously accummulated since May. Also I felt the altitude today, especially above 3600m when working hard. I seem to recall the same last October, doesn't take long to get used to it.

Oh, and I got sunburned.

So early Sunday morning and back on the lifts. Got a late checkout, so can ride till the drags stop get a shower and go take a look at my new hone at 4pm. The sun is already blazing but I am plastered in SPF 20 and dressed lightly.

Last night was interesting. Got chatting and had a couple of beers with a Scottish climber hoping to do the Matterhorn in the next week or so. Quite a bit of snow on it right now. Funnily enough he turned out to have the same proffession as my better half.

Taking in the view












This is bloody difficult. You can't relax for a second on this thing, aside from the big changes I mentioned the 88deg edge with 1deg bevel is unforgiving if you do.

This is the second Prior MFR I bought, the other shorter with traditional camber. This one is for a more advanced rider, as it keeps pointing out rather rudely. Fabulous day up here and quieter than yesterday.

So, I got what I assume is mild snowblindness today. Interesting how that happened considering I was wearing sunglasses all day!! Can only guess that they were not full enough and I was getting glare from below. Started with an irritation in my right eye, then my left. Them I couldn't stop blinking and they were watery. This came close to packing in time so I headed back to the Kleine Matterhorn to begin the long drag back to town. Intermittent pain then a strange sensation of being able to focus immediately after blinking then losing focus. All a bit strange, still have the pain now.

However back for a bath, pack and change before going to view the appartment one last time before moving. Getting very excited now.

View from my soon to be terrace doors











8.20pm. Zermatt was heaving this weekend, as are the mainline trains I am on now. Stayed at the Hotel Sonne which is very nice indeed with great personal service (picked me up at the station at midnight on Friday), a wonderful pool area and lovely rooms with great little touches. A definate recommendation.

View from the Kleine Matterhorn












Not a lot else to say really. Have not decided a name for the board yet, maybe a beer on the Basel-Karlsruhe train will help.