thom space

My Father has been visiting me here in Garmisch for the past week, and for the past 3 days we have been on a grand road trip though the alps. It took us from Garmisch to Liechtenstein where we saw Vaduz and Malbun, we then visited our friends the Bietenhader-Mathews in Chur Switzerland, they are one of the nicest families I know and their daughter Nadja has been living with my parents in Evergreen Colorado for the past year, so it was very nice for my father to see where she was from. The next day we drove to see Flims/Laax which is a ski area that I am interested perhaps working at next year, then we drove over San Bernadino Pass and down to Lake Lugano and Como, it was the most hair raiseing drive of my life, there was literally just enough room for two cars to pass, well a little more I guess, 2 inches on one side and 5 on the other, and there was a lot of trafic and a lot of speed! so much fun and could barley stand it. We at lunch sitting on the beach looking over at Belagio, it was nice. From there we drove on and up to St. Moritz back in Switzerland, the drive up the pass was so steep and so winding with so many switch backs I barley knew what to do with myself, it is a good thing that I was passed at the start by a local and then shown how to properly race up, there was plenty of screeching and smoking of tires, two thing I think I need to have a bit more experience with, SO MUCH FUN. We did however make it back safe, coincidently with huge smiles plastered accross our faces. Now it is time to go and eat out in Garmisch one last time before my dad heads home.

For the first time in 2007 there has been a significant snowfall in Garmisch, Germany! The lower mountain and valley have gotten nearly 30cm in the the past day, and the upper mountain has upwards of 80-90cm, which easily comes up to my waste when I am trying to ski though it. I like powder, however my father is coming to visit for a week, and I was really hoping that we could have nice weather to speed along the autobahn with, I guess I am going to have to teach him how to ski instead.

The past week in Chamonix was an excellent time,

the weather was perfect and the skiing was fantastic, here are the rest of the pictures.

I am going to be skiing in Chamonix for the next week, we plan on trying to ski le Couloir Rectiligne off of the top of the Grand Montets among many other things. Should be a good time.

It has been one year since the death of my friend Kai Puckett, he was killed as the result of an avalanche while skiing from the Schilthorn in the Bernese Oberland of Switzerland.  The following day he had been planning on joining me in Chamonix to ski the Valle Blanche, when we received the call from his partner informing us of the news we had expected the call to be about where we would meet for dinner that night to discuss our plans and the great skiing of the day, obviously that was was not the case.

 When we think of KAi we are reminded what it means to love life, you can’t just say that you do, you have to go out and get it. Kai went out and got it everyday, and to me he is still an inspiration.

Today my friend Brad and I road our bicycles from Garmisch to the Eng Vally and we dedicated it to Kai. 2 1/2 hours of fighting a head wind and riding in the dark just to see the sun set from a little bit different angle, it was magnificent.

When it comes to domestic politics I wonder what in the world we as Americans think when it comes time to elect an official to our highest office. Is it strength of character? Political experience? ideological zeal? what is it that we want or need in a leader that represents our interest at the highest level. When it comes to the debate between Clinton and Giuliani what will be the tipping point, or will it ever come to a debate between them, will Mcain and Obama be the ones in the finals?

I have yet to determine my vote, but I think that who ever does take control of the office remember that all actions have reactions and that nothing can ever be undone. I for one admire Clinton for not bowing to pressure from within her party calling for an apology for her vote in support of the Iraq war. I think that her response that she acted in good faith on the word of the President is enough to justify her position, the fact that the information in hindsight was patently false should not condemn her to recant her good actions, it should only serve to exemplify her moral conviction and strength of character.

I think that 2008 will be a good year.

I hope that you are all not incredibly sad to see my old web lay out go the way of the dodo but I felt that it was time for a bit of a mix up, so here it is the new Thom Space, behold.

I hope you enjoy.