Skiing in Alta, Utah

Alta is an interesting ski resort - one of only 3 in the US that do not allow snowboarders (others are Deer Valley, UT and Mad River Glen,VT). See the picture next to the ski rack with no snowboards? Weird. They are actually not being discriminatory, it's because there are long traverses on the slopes that would be really awkward for snowboarders. Having said that, it was nice to have skiiers only on the chairlift (skiiers exit straight, but snowboarders exit at an angle, which causes frequent tangles). The snow is also really consistent with no snowboarders scraping big sections into icy patches.

Alta is amazingly uncrowded, and the skiiers here are pretty serious! Mike is on a 21 day ski program to learn powder skiing, so he can tackle the back country. For me, it's groomed runs only.

Ice Climbing in Alta, UT

The Great White Icicle is a four pitch climb (you have to set the belay lines four times) of about 650 ft. high. Ice axes in hand, crampons on the feet, Mike and Aron made it to the top!

Ski that powder in Alta, UT

Mike took some power
powder lessons from Aron at Alta

LEAN into that turn!!!

Beach time in Playa Guiones

Playa Guiones is west of Nosara, Costa Rica on the west coast. The surf is amazing - it has about 2 miles of flat beach to walk, and goes out for hundreds of yards with flat sand when the surf goes out. It's a surfing mecca.

We stayed at this great place called the Harmony Hotel, an eco-lodge with really great organic food. All their hot water is heated by solar energy, they recycle, and have a fresh juice bar and yoga classes! http://www.harmonynosara.com/

Pure Dolphin Joy!

Why do dolphins jump? Scientists disagree, but theories are: to travel faster than they can in the water, to get a birds eye view of where the food is, to get rid of parasites, or to play.

This dolphin had the boat oooing and ahhhing. He jumped up about 30 feet in the air. If you look closely, he's grinning.

Life expectancy and bananas

JPG Jack & Karen Haggerty (one of Mike's flying buddies) have a lovely home in Potrero, in NW Costa Rica. Seems like a great way to spend at least part of retirement! Life expectancy is good here, about 79 years - slightly better than in the US. The #1 place for life expectancy? Macau. And we won't be planning any trips to Angola, which came in #224 on the list.

In Jack & Karen's yard was a PERFECT banana tree. I've seen bananas growing upside down before, but I had never seen the flower pod, hanging at the bottom. It was very heavy, full of soon-to-be bananas.