Ski-weekend in Thunder Bay
We’ve arrived in Thunder Bay (myself, Lloyd & Emeraude and Mathew, a friend of Lloyd’s/the family) and we are finally in our room at the Best Western Nor’ Wester. The kids are all in bed and I was wandering to see if there are any events coinciding with our weekend in Thunder Bay. There is a cross-country ski event happening, the Sleeping Giant Loppet, for which registration took place here at the Nor’ Wester earlier today (or perhaps this evening, we didn’t arrive until around 10pm); unfortunately there were no brochures or flyers about the races left behind… The front desk clerk was kind enough to log me in to their courtesy comp and get me on the right site so I am now sifting through the information to determine if it is something I might cover for OntarioNewsNorth.com or the C.Journal Outdoors Guide (in addition to our “Family Ski Weekend in T.Bay” story) or just attend as a spectator with Emeraude.
Though my intent for a story from this trip continues to be focused on our ski experience, it is becoming apparent very quickly that the “resort” will most likely be left out of this (nothing good to say – say nothing?) , as so far I’ve not had a very pleasant experience.
I had to climb a snow bank to get in our room through the patio doors, Lloyd helped or I would’ve broke my neck, as it was he almost did and at 6 feet, he’s got a lot of leg to climb with so picture the climbing involved to challenge him. All this after being told that the room was ‘accessible’ from outside (and by accessible I do mean accessible, I explained when asking that I had an accessible (handicap) parking permit and somehow this translated into being able to scale glare ice snow banks/icy/rocky escarpment – what are ppl thinking sometimes???
I had asked for help with my bags but somehow needed to drag the luggage cart outside myself and then it was Lloyd who carted everything; party with the cart, partly w/ Matt’s help over the snow bank at the door.
The room is nice, I am dissapointed however, having upgraded with two goals in mind:
Goal 1 of the upgrade to a “family suite” including it in my family ski weekend story, it is the hotel generally recomended to those visiting to ski Loch Lomond so it seemed a necessary inclusion in any story about the weekend…
Goal 2 of the upgrade, giving the kids and myself a little more special weekend (it is my birthday today afterall lol)… The beds in the regular rooms here are doubles – smaller than those at home and so would not have done much in the way of having us feel pampered the way you hope a hotel experience does.
Oh well, hopefully tomorrow, speaking with a manager will clear things up and get them on the right track for our final night.
We are all very excited about skiing (down hill) tomorrow at Loch Lomond. Matt has before but Lloyd, Emeraude & I have not. It will no doubt be great fun. I hope that we will also find time to go tubing – this is also offered at Loch Lomond – in the evening.
Sunday I am trying to arrange a riding lesson for Emeraude at Dreamfileds. Just the idea of it has me thrilled, she will be absolutely extatic!
No luck with the x-country skiing; it is actually at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, too far from where we are staying, not enough time in the day as fun at Loch Lomond is our priority.
More tomorrow, perhaps I will manage to add some photos of our adventures!
