Sunshine up the Hill/ what happened to the snow??

** I had to come back and edit this, to show you this nutter- absolute nutter- check him out! And his mad bastard courier mates**

Off to Hotham for the weekend, I ticked off an item on my dream list. I got to drive something real special, and it was worth every second. Chasing Nick Martin still, as he gets his Toureg all the time, but its along the same vane. I'm well stoked, so thanks to its owner if they read this!!

Anyway, the snow was rubbish really. Heavenly opened for the first time this weekend apparently, and it was choked by 10am, and mogul sago by midday. So we jammed that and went hiking. Forget lift tickets these days, Hotham is about the hike now... With the price of lift tickets, and the crowds, not to mention the same runs for near on 20 years...

Over at Heavenly, just next to the sign that says 'advanced only - rocks, grass, dirty old men and wombats exposed'. Lovely day, but for the sheet ice that turned to sago and moguls. Blown edge and a few core shots were the weekend total for our crew... $$$ :(

Hiking out to the stash, out in the 'near-country'- opposed to 'back-country'. The crazy deep snow was little concerning but with transponders and poles, we felt safe...

Choosing lines, hmm, over or over the rock. Righto, over it is. The following headplant by Aidan was priceless, not even the hands went out!!

This was the nicest snow we found on the hill, not too bad given that winter has finished! Check out the trees in town to see that spring is here!

Bombin down into the bowl from our hiking traverse, nice and early to get the 'freshies' Ha!! As if!

Pink and red - the new black! Isn't that a look to ask questions about a mans sexuality...!! Lucky Aidan is happily attached, to a girl. Who can't love him that much becuase she let him out in public with that...

Aidan, feeling the pain of a 9-5 desk job, on his 3rd trip back up the hill. It was getting real warm by then! But for all the effort, all you had to do was turn around and take in that view!!!

There are some more photos to replace these ones, when Woody gets his ass in gear!!
**Which he finally has- thanks mate**


And if this one or this one isn't the most amazing thing that you've seen on a motorbike since that dickhead with a tin plate in his head jumped a million miles and ate it!

**Second Photo Dump***

Woody's idea of a mid XC ski break...

Em posing in the late afternoon sunshine atop BigD, following a nasty bootpack hike out of the bowl.

Loving some fresh(ish) turns out in the near-country!

LG lockin on for some boardercross madness back down the hill, nearly splattering a small child as the red mist descended, and the race was afoot!

Em rockin a great scarecrow, and laying down some great tracks, just dreading the hike back out of the bowl!

Woody and I laughing it up as a welcome distraction to left foot-right foot...

Em rehydrating...
Woody rehydrating... Notice the difference...?

Are your macleans showing?- you never know when you need to have a blinding white smile, and as that tool once said "don't forget your toothbrush"

Part of the wander back out of the bowl. With a well kicked in boptpack, it was just like walking up stairs!

LG looking back up at the perfect turns that she laid down, then thinking about how long the hike back out is!

And thats what the run looks like- plenty of options to choose. Rock, tree or stump, you choose...

And finally, check out this bike girl- what a nutter!