I’m writing this on May 8th in a state of mind that’s more optimistic and positive than it’s been in a while! Why you may ask? The main governing bodies for the French Mountains have united, and have released a rational and concrete plan, illustrating the next steps in the reopening of the French Alps. As of Monday, May 11th, they are permitting the “Gradual and reasonable resumption of physical activities”. We are finally allowed to go ski touring, split boarding, climbing…and I’m pretty sure mountain biking. I’m yet to find the words to convey the excitement…let’s just leave it with good ole’ stoked for now.
You may think this is selfish of me, and yes it is in some ways, but the sports and lifestyle I pursue are part of who I am. These sports provide me with work, support my physical and mental health, and quite simply bring happiness to my life through sharing these experiences with my friends and family.
And that’s what it’s all about…right? This isn’t about me, or snowboarding…it’s about our values. We’ve all lost a sense of freedom, our connections with family & friends, and our relationship and respect to nature, all that we value in life which we may or may not have taken for granted. Will this result in a global paradigm shift? In some ways, I hope so, but we’ll see. What I do know is that there’s no better time to keep the stoke alive. I can’t wait to return to the ride running adventure trips with Ticket to Ride, and I value the adventures we deliver, and the experiences I share with my colleagues and everyone involved.
So what’s on the horizon?
I’m eagerly awaiting for Meribel Tourism to announce their summer opening dates, but that may be false hope. There may be a faint glimmer of hope that we can open the Meribel Mountain Lodge but we’ll see what develops in the coming months. The Tour de France has been rescheduled for to arrive in Meribel for the first time in history on 16/09, so that’s a positive date to look forward to.
As for next winter, we have just relisted all of our Meribel Ski and Snowboard Courses, and we’re all open for chalet bookings. I’m hoping to share some summer Meribel vibes before thinking about winter again, but with how quickly the time has gone…winter will be here in no time again. Whatever you’re looking forward to, enjoy it, embrace it, and hopefully see you for some good times in the not so near future. Here’s one of my favorite shots of the winter, with @mrjackaustin sending it large.
