Lake Tahoe!

Yes, I'm a traitor, going to ski in the American mountains, but I can assure you, it's just for research. My heart still belongs to the Norwegian nature. This was just a trip for comparing - and for snowboarding;)

Lake Tahoe is about 3 hours outside Berkeley, and we were 13 people renting a beautiful cabin (it was a big house) together. 3 couples, 7 singles, 8 beds, 4 bedrooms - of course I was sharing a room with a couple.. Their romantic gettaway in a beautiful bed together - with me right next to them - I don't think it was exactly how they planned it..

But, bedroom hanging was a very small part of the trip. The first day we went to Alpine ski center. It was far away from the "cabin" (about 1,5 hours) but this was were I could borrow snowboard clothes - I had nothing, and I was not going to buy anything as I have too much at home. A good friend lent me everything from layers to snowpants, jacket and gloves. Wonderful<3

The snow was great, the temperature was perfect. And even better was getting home to the big hot tub in the backyard with a nice cold beer. Day two we went to Kirkwood - even better (especially for snowboarders, no stupid moguls) and even more sunny. The hills were fantastic, only thing to complain about were the insanely slow lifts which stopped everytime a kid got on (yes, I like the kid's piste ok?), and there were a lot of kids.. And they were good.. At least I looked cool in my rental clothes.

I might have disappointed as a Norwegian mountain troll, but at least I had a ton of fun. Mostly while getting stuck under the snow in the forest. Who doesn't love the neverending war against the snow on top of you..

I didn't know California could give both summer and winter within the same 3 hour-area. Very impressive. What I still can't understand though is why what they in the rest of the world call "afterski" Americans call "après-ski".. Hmm..