so i rolled into town early thursday morning totally exhuasted...we had stayed down in LA for "skidazzle" the snow expo at the LA convention center in an effort to score some deals on gear....unfortunately i wasnt all that impressed with the selection and decided that it was a better idea to use my mountain discount instead....have just ordered a new ride jacket today for 100bucks....
other than that i have got back into the life of drinking too much, getting no sleep and not eating properly mammoth style....re-communing with all things mammoth and catching up with everyone from last season andmeeting the neewbies....
its all very exciting...now if it would only snow!

i have made it!....*finally*....as is becoming the norm, only after a bit of an itinerary change.....
I left the house in Grande Prairie at about 8am to make it to the airport for a 9am flight.... in morning rush hour with the retarded icy road conditions travelling at 10km the whole way i made it to the airport to find that my flight out was, surprise surprise, delayed by about 30 mins....but this was the least of my worries, for when i tried to check in for my US connection in edmonton... i was informed that the 4pm direct flight to LA i had booked myself on a few months earlier had now been changed to an 8.30am therefore leaving me with two *non-direct* choices: the first a 1pm through chicago and the second a 3pm through denver....unfortunately i had not been notified of the change as i should have been and given my delayed incoming flight they wouldnt put me on the 1pm.....so instead of two short flights i was instead lucky enough to have one short flight and two longer flights, all with nice layovers between....meaning i woke up in Grande Prairie, had breakfast in Edmonton, Lunch in Denver and supper in LA.....a 15hour day of travelling i would rather have avoided......on the bright side though all my layovers were long enough to ensure my baggage wasnt lost :)

with one more day to go in canada i have to say that it is going to be hard to say goodbye...i have been taken into peoples families in the time i have been here....and this might be the last time i see them EVER....though i know i will keep in touch its not the same as knowing one day youll be with them again...
but "tag your it".... five more years and its Ashleys turn again....
highlights of the last week include.....minus 23 weather *not actually as cold as you would think*, having deer wandering around your front yard, almost 3 feet of snow and NO snow plowing *freaking crazy icy footpaths/roads, though havent fallen on my arse...yet!...but pretty much skate to work* all part of an average canadian winter....they are insane to put up with this and it only gets worse as winter really kicks in......
now all i need is snow in california....come on, i know you've got it in you.....

last friday....i was treated to the wonderful experience of trying to attain my US visa...
the trip started out well...my plane to Calgary was delayed by about an hour, there was no coffee and the stewardess wwas strung-out on too much caffeine and no sleep....but i got there in the end....
after a not so good nights sleep i arose at the crack of dawn and walked about 5 blocks in -7 snow/sleet to the consulate...which i had trouble finding given there was NO marking on the building...i then lined up with all the other hopeful applicants before going through the insane-tighter-than-airport security.....at each step presenting my documentation and all important application fee.....at each stop informed that the bright pink paper i had printed my application on "wouldnt be acceptable"....but i was prepared to stick to my guns as there had been no stipulation in the application list that white paper was necessary....
however after being grilled on why my application was bright pink, why my employer petition was bright green, and why for that matter was i planning to work on a ski hill in LA...*he didnt know California well apparently*.....i was then grilled as to my intention, why i didnt want to stay in Canada and why i didnt look like the photo on my last visa...i was finally allowed to leave....
decision as to terrorist status pending.....
Calgary was in my experience dirty, boring and not very friendly...there were also a lot of homeless people on the street adding to the depressing feeling of the city centre...there were however quite a few funky second-hand stores and cd stores which i spent a few hours perusing....
summoned back that afternoon i again waited in the LONG line of visa hopefuls to have documentation handed out...pink application in hand i was bestowed my H2B.....
so successful trip all in all....but as always a kick in the pants at the end...
my flight home (again delayed)was in a "flying short bus" so dubbed by the band we were travelling with.... a flight in a small plan with a band always ends well doesnt it?....so of course my luggage was lost but at least we didnt crash....
so now the countdown is well under way and i will be leaving canada on the 14th as planned....i dont know how i managed to pick such a perfect date back in november but its all worked out...story of my life at the moment...touch wood and all that...