Copper Mountain Ski Trip

by Cheryl Acres

The Copper Group had the honor of being the first DSC 2006-07 ski trip and what a memorable trip it was! Without any problems or delays, we flew on United directly from Dallas to Denver. Well, there was a minor glitch . . . Dick Gromel flew in on American and that flight’s luggage was late in getting to Baggage Claim, with a circling, empty carousel acting as a tease. Finally, Dick’s bag showed up. As Linda Howard and I escorted him to our awaiting shuttle bus to the mountain, I noted that something looking like rice was spewing from the bag’s corner. Dick thought it was sand from a recent Maui journey, but no, it turned out a package of oatmeal had burst ... so Dick literally sowed his oats all the way from Baggage Claim to the awaiting bus.

After hitting the grocery store and ye olde adult beverage shoppe for supplies, we were on our way ... Copper or Bust! Upon arrival, a few die hard skiers took to the slopes leaving the rest of us to settle into our spacious and nicely accommodated condos.

The trip leaders’ condo was the happening place! Every night we hosted a wine and cheese happy hour, and everyone compared notes, swapped stories (embellished or otherwise) and made plans for the evening.

Unfortunately, a few people were adversely affected by the altitude, with those effects lasting longer than they wanted. However, I’m happy to report that everyone recovered without much adieu, and I was not required to use my clinical skills. Yeah!

Copper offered a variety of restaurants, including sushi! Raelene Darlene, who had arrived a few days ahead of us to attend a ski clinic, was instantly appointed our Restaurant Scout. Thanks to Raelene’s efforts, on Saturday night we met at “CB Grille” restaurant where we were seated in a lovely private dining room with wood-burning fireplace and mantle ablaze with candles. The ambiance was perfect! We enjoyed a variety of entrees, including elk, lobster, and lamb. At the end of the evening, the CB staff presented Bill Bigley, who was celebrating his ???th birthday, with one blazing candle in a martini glass filled with chocolate mousse. We all serenaded Bill with a round of “Happy Birthday to You” and “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” Happy birthday, Bill and many more!

Friday, was our first full day of skiing. We were greeted with unbelievable crystal blue skies, sun so bright we had to wear shades, and air so clean and fresh it hurt. Initially, we had planned to meet at Solitude, a mid-mountain restaurant, for our group lunch and photo. However, after discovering the restaurant was only offering a limited menu, we decided to put the kibosh on that idea and instead met at Jack’s, at the base of the mountain, because they offered a wide variety of food. As I was waiting to spread the word about the location change, Vivien Benjamin (our DSC Ambassador) and Bill and Jeannie Bigley walked in with Jose Romero, who they’d just met while attending a mountain tour. Jose resides in Madrid, but was in the U.S. attending a convention in San Antonio, and had flown to Colorado to get in a few days of skiing. The DSC Group officially adopted Jose – he had no choice! – we presented him with a DSC bandana, an open invitation to attend our Copper gatherings, and officially join DSC and attend next year’s trips!!

Jose is an excellent skier, as well as a former ski instructor, and was very gracious in sharing great ski tips with several of us and gave some one-onone lessons. Muchas gracias, senor! Jose asked that I share with you his gratitude for making him feel so welcome, comparing it to being together with his “own group of friends.” He went on to say that we clearly demonstrated hospitality and friendship, and he hoped to one day have the opportunity to return that kindness to us. I applaud the spirit of this DSC group, keep up the good work! So, if you’re planning a trip to Spain anytime soon, please contact Jose at jmromero@infonegocio.com.

As Jeannie Bigley reports, the group was a special mix of people, adding to the enjoyment of the trip but “the bumps” were the best part ofthe trip. Another great feature on this trip was the Beeline pass, which provided its own “to the front of the line” entrance ... sort of like a DFW HOV lane. In general, the regular lines were short, but this special pass would be great on those days when everyone has the idea that skiing is a good thing!

Speaking of lift-lines, it was unfortunate, but George Kelly got to know one of the lifts a little too well and had an accident, which resulted in a visit to the mountain medical clinic, and then the local ER. With some chemical assistance (i.e. prescriptions) and assistance from his comrades, John Carroll and Martin Maris, George is doing well and should be back to skiing triple-diamond blacks in no time. George, we all wish you a very speedy recovery!

Our final night at Copper was bittersweet – the trip leaders cooked up a batch of world-renowned (not!) Taco Soup with our roomies continuing to assist, thank you so much Carol “The Bomb” Bonn and Samy Botton. The soup was easy to swallow but unfortunately, the Cowboys loss was not. Oh well, another day, another game, another great ski trip!

Linda and I thank you all for participating, and enjoying the shared moments and laughter. We can’t wait to see those photos! A big thank you also goes to Harley Mimura and Bill Bigley for being the paparazzi. And last, but certainly not least, I cannot begin to express my gratitude to Linda Howard for her extraordinary efforts in helping me in all aspects for this trip. Kudos to Linda!