« Actually, We Are Talking About The Game | Main | And They Gave Me The Double-Double-Double-Double »

April 24, 2006

Winter Getaway (Spring Edition)

It really shouldn't have taken me this long to get to Whistler

So I get it now.

Since moving out here to C@L, I've witnessed a fair number of conversations regarding the Whistler ski resort. Most went along the lines of, "DudeWhistleristotallysweetWhenarewegoingagainandcanIgetaride?" That is, people seemed pretty down with the Whistler thing. I wasn't sure if this was just generic "I like skiiing" hype (which is fair, but to a non-skier isn't necessarily completely compelling) or if there was something special about the Whistler mission that would differentiate it versus other ski trips.

I get it now: the reason everyone's always speaking so fondly of Whistler is that Whistler is really effing awesome. And, as stated, I'm not even really much of a skier.

The killer is that I was sort of on the fence about going. I had been on the road for work for the week previous, and was heading out on the road again the following week (meaning tomorrow). Honestly, the thought of packing another bag and driving five hours both ways (especially when I wouldn't be able to leave until after work on Friday) for the weekend didn't sound like something I was completely committed to doing. In retrospect, I am extremely pleased with myself for not being lazy.

Highlights from my weekend in Canadia:

There's a reason everyone at work told me to bring sunscreen: without being the sort of person who goes on and on about the weather (which is a dispiriting preoccupation of mine since moving to C@L), let me unequivocably state that the weather at Whistler was completely awesome and I can't possibly imagine a better scenario for the weekend. Not a cloud in the sky, ridiculous views, but the snow was (mostly) lovely -- it got a little slushy by the afternoon. I definitely dorked out with the digital camera, but, umm, well, it couldn't be helped. It isn't often that I stand atop mountains on clear days. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, I still ended up with a little radiation char on my nose. Sigh. At least I tried to try.

Beware 210-lb. dudes on tired legs: the mountain threw us something of a loop late on Saturday afternoon. The Seventh Heaven lift closed early on us (something about an avalanche, blah blah blah) so the assembled masses on the lift line had to head down the mountain en masse on this tiny/ crappy little winding trail. This completely didn't work. At all. Too many people, not enough space, and definitely not enough patience out there. Also, you had lots of different levels of ability sharing a small amount of space. Which meant dudes were whizzing through traffic as 12-year-old novice snowboarders were careening back and forth across the trail. It was like NASCAR out there, even down to the overwhleming whiteness and preponderance of logos! I'm pretty psyched that I managed to avoid killing some helpless child, though I almost skied off the mountain for my trouble. Yeah. I'm not that talented a skier.

[Whistler] isn't about [skiiing]; it's about music, and advertisement, and youth-oriented product positioning: In addition to the lovely skiing, Whistler Village also hosted the Telus festival this weekend. The Telus festival included things like a "Big Air" snowboard and ski jump competition, and a series of concerts throughout the weekend. All good stuff, and all things that certainly made the weekend even more fun. At the same time, wow! They did a helluva job selling sponsorships! And we're talking top-shelf: Coke, GM, Playstation, Apple Ipod. (Also, there was a booth inexplicably handing out Five Alive samples -- time to get excited about the return of everyone's favorite second-tier Sunny D knockoff!) I guess the young people need someone to tell them what to covet. And nothing's more authentic than evenr-driven marketing! It speaks to the young people in their chosen environment, in a language and context that's meaningful and...oh wait. That's what I do too. Yes. It was awesome.

Speaking of product positioning: McDonald's was handing out free samples Saturday afternoon. The last time I got something free from McDonald's was when a buddy worked the drive-thru. Anyhoo, they're apparently testing a line of deli sandwiches. I regret to inform you that they (at least the turkey club that I tasted) are actually pretty good. At least as good as the processed imitation foodstuffs they peddle at Subway. Consider yourself warned -- there's flavor on the horizon!

Looks like Sarasota, only with a 20-hour flight: so the bar at the lodge at the top of Whistler is called Seppo's. When I saw the sign, I immediately launched into one of my pat addresses about how Australians think they're so clever for calling Americans "Seppos" and how it's actually much, much, more embarassing for them than they realize, in a wait-you-actually-think-that's-clever way. (Here's how it goes: "Yank" rhymes with "tank," of which a "septic" is a possible variation, and "seppo" is a cute way of saying "septic." Yes. It's that lame. And yes. They think they're getting away with something when they slip it into conversations -- like eight-year-olds trying to get you to spell "I Cup.") But I stand semi-corrected on all that, at least according to the plaque in the bar (it was named after some dude named Seppo). Still, given the number of Aussies working in Whistler (and there were a ton), I'm not convinced that it was completely innocent. Anyhoo.

I know the border traffic sucks, but come on...: though this is usually a PG-rated space, I can't help but mention the couple in the SUV two cars behind me at the U.S. border on Sunday night. I mean, yeah, no one likes to sit in traffic for 45 minutes. We're all bored. But it was broad freakin daylight! I don't care if you were sitting up high in your SUV! If I caught it, I'm sure I wasn't the only one. Seriously. I'd like everyone's noggin to be in plain view at all times comma thank you very much.

Long story short: this won't be my last trip to Whistler.

Posted by thatkid at April 24, 2006 10:09 PM under C@L

Comments

Posted by: snikes at April 25, 2006 12:38 PM

Post a comment

About ThatKid

Copyright (c) 2004-2007 thatkidinthecorner