Sam in Canada

When you meet people in other countries, every once in a while you will get to meet those same people in your own country.  That`s what happened this Christmas.  Mom and Dad have some neighbours in Italy from Belgium.  They have a son who is currently living in Hawaii.  Since he is not a citizen of the United States he periodically needs to get a new visa.  To do that he needs to leave the United States, get the visa, and then return.  He was looking for places to go when he found out that there is an American embassy in Calgary, and that we lived there.

Everything was arranged and Sam flew up to Calgary.  He didn`t know how long he would be here so he prepared to be here a few days.  His first day he went to get his visa and his saga at the embassy I dare not repeat for fear of being black listed from our southern neighbours.  He did get it sorted out though, and spent the rest of the day exploring Calgary.

The visa would take a few days so he stuck around.  He went shopping with Dad and Rick as they taught him how to get a free lunch at Costco, and no doubt he got wrangled into all sorts of other errands at the same time.

Mom and I were working, and by the time work was over, Sam had his visa.  Still, he was flying back on the 25th and he still had a few days.  Sam, Granddad, and most of the rest of the horde of us headed out to Bella Vista.

I could never remember the order of events perfectly, but there was the Bella Vista Christmas Party with fourtish guests.  Sam went skiing at Panorama one day, and then back at the house Ryan was trying out his new remote control airplane.  It turns out that it is actually very difficult to fly a remote control airplane, and even though Ryan had quite a bit of practice the landing was difficult... especially since we were not near a very good landing area...  Oh well... the pictures and movie tell the story...

Sam and Ryan Prepping

The Plane

Plane and Pilot

The Launch

In Flight

Landing feat. Tree

Post-Flight

Lata` Ryan had Sam and I trying the flight simulator on the computer... it really was hard...

Ryan got a new plane that had significantly more power, and having gotten it ready to go we took it outside.  We learned this time and went to a better landing zone...  This story cannot be explained... you have got to watch...

First Flight

First Flight... Do Over...

What the Plane Sees...

Crash Landed

Some Repairs Necessary

Radium Big Horns

The Big Horn (on the no go trip to the hot springs)

The other big event (not including our trip to the hot springs which wasn`t that effective given that the hot springs were closed) was Sam and I going skiing.  We managed to get a hold of two Founders passes and we headed up to the hill.  We had heard that one of the runs on the lower half was good, but other than that the front of Panorama was crap (and it was).  We had also heard that the Taynton Bowl was supposed to be amazing...  That is where we headed.  Typically I don`t go into the bowl on my first day skiing (for fear of extreme soreness) but Sam was only here for a short while, and given the Christmas rush this was likely going to be the best time, so up we went.  We took the three chairs and we hiked up over to the backside.  It was easy to see that the conditions were indeed spectacular...

Top of the World

Top of Panorama

Sam

Sam feat. Powdah!

Out of Taynton

After taking in the view (also spectacular) we headed into the bowl.  The power was soft, knee deep, and everywhere.  We dodged the trees, got splashed in the face with fresh snow, and took a tumble or two (or three) in what seemed like the clouds.  We were between trees, under trees, and in trees on occasion (well maybe mostly Sam on this one) and it was amazing.  We were not in a hurry, and I have got to say that our one run through Taynton was one of the most enjoyable days of skiing I have ever had.

Eventually we got to the bottom of the bowl where it is icy and tracked up.  We stuck to the last bits of powder and then dodged the creeks as we escaped the bowl onto the long long cat track back to the front side of Pano.  I think the cat track was rough on Sam given his snowboarderness, but we made it through without incident.

We headed up the mountain for one more run, managed to navigate over the ice (like I said, the rest of the hill was pretty crappy) and skiied almost right to the car.  We hopped in, turned on the heated seats, and relaxed as we drove back home.

That day (yesterday) was my parent`s anniversary and us kids made supper.  Chloe made spaetzle, Ryan and I made schnitzle, Christine made rissoto, and Sam made tiramisu...  We ate all we could, and then for a surprise we watched family movies that Christine had liberated from VHS.

Today was a relaxing day.  We ate, fired arrows off of the balcony, and then said our good-byes.  The rest of us will see each other tomorrow, but Sam heads out tomorrow morning.  Gotta say, I`ve only known him for a few days, but I am gonna miss that guy.

So, now I am caught up in blogging... but I hope not for long... there is always another adventure...

Anyways, Merry Christmas Eve Everyone, and Sam, enjoy your snowless Christmas back in Hawii!