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universalinfo · 1 year

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The Science of Staying Frost-Free: Understanding Anti-Frost Spray

Ever woken up on a chilly morning to find your car windshield encased in a sheet of ice? You scratch, you scrape, but the frost simply won’t budge. Enter anti-frost spray, our winter hero. In this article, we’ll be unveiling the magical world behind this life-saving concoction. Let’s begin, shall we?

What on Earth is Anti-Frost Spray?

The anti-frost spray is more than just a random liquid in a can; it’s a thoughtfully engineered product that makes winter living just a bit more bearable. It’s composed of various ingredients, primarily alcohol or glycol, that come together to fight frost.

But the true magic lies in its simplicity. You don’t need special tools or training; a simple spray bottle can transform your frosty mornings. How often do you find your windshields, windows, or other surfaces stubbornly coated with ice? Imagine replacing all the scraping and heating with a simple spritz and wipe.

The ease of use is what makes anti-frost spray such a delightful solution. More than a practical utility, it’s a small wonder of modern living that saves time, and effort, and even protects the surfaces from potential scratching or damage from scraping.

Science Behind the Magic: How Does It Work?

The fascinating world of anti-frost sprays draws from the principles of chemistry and physics. Let’s geek out for a moment, shall we?

When water freezes, it forms a crystalline structure that we recognize as ice. The chemicals in anti-frost sprays, such as alcohols or glycols, disrupt this crystal formation by getting in between the water molecules.

Here’s how it works:

Lowering the freezing point. Most liquids have a particular freezing point, the temperature at which they solidify. Anti-frost spray lowers the freezing point of the water on the surface it’s applied to.

Creating a barrier. The spray forms a thin, invisible layer that acts as a barrier between the surface and any moisture in the air. Think of it as a superhero shield against frosty villains.

Enhancing surface tension. Some anti-frost sprays contain surfactants, substances that reduce the surface tension of the liquid. This allows the spray to spread more evenly and adhere better to the surface, ensuring a frost-free experience.

It’s like alchemy but with a scientific twist. This intricate dance of molecules comes together to keep our world free from the icy grip of frost.

The Multitude of Uses: Beyond Car Windshields

When we talk about the anti-frost spray, the mind instantly jumps to car windshields. But the uses are vast and varied. Let’s take a look at some of them:

Home windows and doors. How wonderful it would be to wake up to a clear, frost-free window, gazing at the snowy landscape without obstruction. And never again struggle with a frozen-shut door.

Greenhouses and plants. Gardening enthusiasts can use an anti-frost spray to protect sensitive plants in greenhouses. A frosty night doesn’t have to spell disaster for your precious green friends.

Outdoor equipment and tools. Ever tried to use a frozen hose or a snow-covered shovel? Anti-frost spray can help ensure that your outdoor tools are ready for action, no matter how cold it gets.

Recreational uses. Skiers, snowboarders, and other winter sports enthusiasts can apply an anti-frost spray to their equipment to ensure optimal performance.

Marine applications. Boats and other marine equipment can also benefit. A spray on the exposed parts can prevent the buildup of ice, especially in frigid waters.

As you can see, the possibilities are as limitless as your imagination. From practical household uses to specialized applications, anti-frost spray shows its versatility and proves to be an invaluable companion in our daily lives.

Safety and Environmental Considerations

Now, let’s talk about responsibility. As magical as an anti-frost spray is, it also comes with its share of safety and environmental considerations. Here are some to keep in mind:

Choosing the right product. Not all anti-frost sprays are created equal. Look for products with eco-friendly labels and biodegradable ingredients. Some might contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are harmful to the environment.

Storage and disposal. Proper storage in a cool, dry place is essential, and always follow the disposal instructions on the packaging. Recycling the container when empty is a good environmental practice.

Children and Pets. Always keep anti-frost spray out of reach of little hands and paws. The colorful packaging can be attractive, but it’s definitely not a toy.

Skin and Eye Protection. Some individuals might find the chemicals irritating to the skin or eyes, so following the instructions and taking precautions is wise.

Community Regulations. Some areas might have specific rules and regulations regarding the use of certain chemicals. Checking with local authorities ensures you are compliant with community standards.

Being mindful of these aspects ensures that the use of anti-frost spray is not only effective but also safe and considerate of our planet.

Tips and Tricks for Best Results

You’ve got your anti-frost spray, and you’re ready to take on winter. But wait, there’s more. Here are some tips and tricks to turn you into a frost-fighting wizard:

Cleaning is key. A dirty surface will hinder the effectiveness of the spray. Always start with a clean slate.

Temperature matters. Applying the spray at the right temperature helps. If it’s too cold, the spray might freeze on contact, so follow the instructions on the packaging.

The right tools. A squeegee or a soft cloth can be handy for spreading the spray evenly and removing any excess.

Timing is everything. If you know frost is coming, don’t wait until the last minute. Preemptively treating surfaces can save time and stress.

Reapplication. Depending on the weather conditions and the surface, reapplication might be necessary. Keep an eye on the treated areas and reapply as needed.

Using it with other products. If you’re using other deicing or cleaning products, make sure they are compatible with your anti-frost spray.

With these extra tips, you’ll be wielding your anti-frost spray like a pro, ensuring clear windshields, frost-free windows, and smooth winter mornings.

Conclusion

And there we have it: an expedition into the multifaceted world of anti-frost spray. We hope this frosty journey has inspired you, not just to conquer the winter chill, but to appreciate the everyday marvels that simplify our lives. In fact, the anti-frost spray stands as a reminder that even the frostiest challenges can be met with creativity, care, and a dash of science.

Website : https://hydromer.com/

#anti-frost spray

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smnthuml · 1 year

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Remembering the Tunnel Creek Avalanche: Lessons from a Tragic Day

Remembering the Tunnel Creek Avalanche: Lessons from a Tragic Day.

The excitement of being outside, the allure of virgin snow, and the camaraderie of backcountry skiing may be thrilling. The unpredictability of nature's forces is nevertheless a reminder hidden behind the flawless beauty of these places. A group of seasoned skiers encountered a terrifying situation on February 19, 2012, in the Stevens Pass ski resort in Washington state. The terrible and somber Tunnel Creek avalanche serves as a potent reminder of the value of readiness, awareness, and respect for nature.

Upon reading and watching some videos about this tragedy, I was saddened by the fact of many people blamed the skiers and also by the fact that many people died. No one deserves to die and the families were left to deal with the aftermath. Backcountry boarding on fresh snow is like strolling through heaven. Danger and all it’s one of the greatest joys in life. This is sad but rarely happens. I don’t want to say if mistakes were made or not, I wasn’t there. Rest in peace to all who lost their life

A group of skilled skiers who went into the backcountry on a day with a significant avalanche threat caused the avalanche. The fast-shifting circumstances and the slope's susceptibility to a potential slide caught the skiers off surprise, including experts and seasoned skiers. The group's inability to avoid the avalanche's route in spite of their abilities highlights the unpredictability and speed of such natural disasters.

This tragedy brought back how crucial avalanche awareness, preparation, and training are while taking part in backcountry activities. It served as a despairing reminder that even those with a lot of education and expertise can be devastated by natural disasters. The Tunnel Creek avalanche sparked debates on risk management, making choices in high-risk situations, and the importance of following set safety procedures in the outdoor community.

Following the incident, avalanche education received more focus, avalanche predictions were better communicated, and a greater emphasis was placed on evaluating the environment and conditions before setting out on backcountry adventures. The Tunnel Creek avalanche serves as an icy reminder of the risks involved in backcountry travel and the necessity of respecting nature's might.

Lesson learned: After the Tunnel Creek avalanche, the outdoor community gathered to discuss what happened and draw useful conclusions. Discussions turned to avalanche education, forecast analysis, and decision-making techniques. The episode served as a reminder that traveling into the unknown requires careful planning, a thorough awareness of the terrain and the weather, and the capacity to change course when necessary.

Let's keep in mind the families who were affected for all time when we think back on the Tunnel Creek avalanche. Let their legacy be one of knowledge and readiness, a never-ending reminder that the attractiveness of untouched landscapes should always be balanced with care for the environment's potential dangers. We can make sure that their sacrifice acts as a sign of caution and direction for upcoming generations of adventurers by paying tribute to their memory and sharing the lessons learned from their experience. May the Tunnel Creek tragedy serve as a catalyst for a culture of responsible exploration, encouraging an unyielding commitment to safety and an unbreakable link with the magnificent yet formidable environment that requests us to explore.

Written by: Samantha Umali

August 14,2023

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lastfrontierheli74 · 2 years

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Northern Escape Heli-skiing Jobs In British Columbia

Own in 1974 with a day-ski heli operation on the edge of town from which he could drive house at night time. Purcell Heliskiing has since become an iconic family enterprise, with son Jeff—who first heli-skied at age three—as lead guide. Let Powder Guides take you and a heli-ski journey that's all about the skiing! Ripley Creek has unbelievable alpine terrain and exquisite, steep treed runs. All while seeing a novel a part of Northern British Columbia by basing your self in the eccentric town of Stewart, BC. Ripley Creek Inn is a funky lodge in the coronary heart of downtown Stewart.

Heli-skiing is a high-stakes, safety-sensitive business, which implies that lower rates aren’t all the time within the customer’s best interest. For operators attempting to do issues right, heli-skiing can be a tough balancing act between the calls for of safety, and those of the market. A pioneer of the heli-skiing in BC, Mike Wiegele established his business in 1970 out of the tiny city of Blue River in central BC. Nowadays he can access over a million hectares of unique terrain in the coronary heart of the Monashee and Cariboo mountain ranges. Most heli-ski operators are members of the British Columbia Heli-ski and Snowcat Operators Association, and as such are required to conform to sure industry requirements and practices. In order to satisfy or exceed these requirements they are topic to periodic inspections by the association to ensure that they continue to take action.

A long-life, maintenance-free bank of batteries is stored securely inside a sealed and insulated enclosure. These batteries are designed for low-temperature operation and supply a high-capacity energy storage block that exceeds other systems. Our high-capacity planning permits the digicam station to reliably function by way of occasions where photo voltaic manufacturing is low. Hakai’s remote digital british columbia heli skiing camera methods have changed the way in which heli-skiing operators do enterprise. Located in Nelson, BC is the world’s foremost small group luxurious heliskiing operation. There have been no weather issues in the area, RCMP say, and all of the skiers were trained to use guide beacons before heading out on their ski adventure.

Enjoy meals created by culinary professionals that incorporate fresh, native elements. Winter flying takes expert pilots and special gear… we have each. For additional info on our journey choices please go to ourInformationandReservationspages. Avenue Calgary is a city life-style magazine that brings readers one of the best of town. True autonomy was realized by economizing energy with the integration of intelligent management units. Our past industry experience with renewable vitality and telemetry system design is exhibited within the stability of the ultimate product.

“A heli information assisted by other skiers in the group using beacons, recovered one male buried who received non-life threatening injuries. A second male was partially buried was rescued,” Staff Sgt. Marko Shehovac stated british columbia heli skiing in a news launch. We at the second are offering unique on-mountain lodging and skiing packages from our lodge.

The 204 is a throwback to the early days of heli-ski operations, although Coldstream’s has been outfitted with a BLR Aerospace Fast Fin and Tailboom Strakes to enhance its efficiency at larger altitudes. According to firm president Rob Gallagher, this aircraft can additionally be a nod to the small-group trend. There are plenty of heli-ski operators to choose from – that means guests can choose from a tailored menu that best suits british columbia heli skiing their capability and expectations. You can choose between single day operations and multiple day packages, including stays at remote mountain lodges. Its little marvel it’s so well-liked, there’s over 1,000,000 hectares of heli-ski-accessed terrain in the central interior of British Columbia alone spread across five mountain ranges west of the Rockies. And as a lot as 20 meters of good, dry, powder snow falls every ski season.

She hopes the lodge’s distant cameras set up on the parking space will assist track down the perpetrators. Glasheen says considered one of her customers had their vehicle vandalized, and the lodge loaned them one of their vehicles to get back to Nakusp so they may make preparations to get house to Calgary. Police say 4 or 5 autos have been damaged – including having holes drilled in gas tanks – and more than one distant parking spot was focused. Sign as much as obtain the most effective of Scout delivered to your inbox every Thursday. ▪ A ardour for customer service excellence and offering a high-end visitor expertise. ▪ Able to communicate in an effective and timely method, and brazenly obtain and act on feedback.

Closed Captioning and Described Video is on the market for so much of CBC reveals provided on CBC Gem. Some other provinces and other jurisdictions all over the world offer free speedy exams for anyone who desires them as a means to assist restrict the unfold of infections. "People are anxious. With COVID there's all the time a risk," he said. "The minute you have an issue you have to have a plan in place. It's notably challenging when you've overnight journeys because you are responsible for those people till they go home." According to HeliCat Canada, about ninety per cent of heli-ski customers are non-Canadian.

#heli skiing #heliskii #heliskiing

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canadianvesselregistry · 2 years

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5 Reasons To Get Fined While Sailing and How To Avoid It

While you are out on the waters, peacefully sailing on your vessel, you notice that another boat is heading in your direction. As you stare into the flashing lights, you quickly come to the conclusion that you are being pulled over by the police. The police are a common sight on the roads, but it is much less common to be pulled over while you are on your boat. Not adhering to safety standards and not having the necessary permits and vessel registration is a quick way to start accumulating fines with the corresponding government agencies. So what are the most common reasons that boaters get fined? And most importantly, what steps can you take to avoid being issued a ticket?

Having the Right Gear

Life jackets and other personal flotation devices (PFDs) are the first things that law enforcement officers look for in any situation involving boats and water. Although standard, non-inflatable PFDs make up the majority of the market, depending on your needs, an inflatable PFD may be the best option for you. Every person who is on board is required to have a PDF, which needs to be in good condition and not show any signs of wear or be missing any of the fasteners. If the user isn’t wearing their own, they have to be easy to get to, and if it’s an inflatable life jacket, the user has to be at least 16 years old and wear it at all times.

Valid Pleasure Craft Operator’s Card (PCOC)

According to the Canada Shipping Act, the operator of the boat is required to have a valid PCOC with them at all times while operating the vessel, and the fine for not having the card onboard is approximately $300 (even if you have one at home). It is highly recommended that you also bring another form of identification with you. Because the PCOC card does not contain a photo, you will probably need to submit another form of identification in order to prove that you are indeed the person named on the card.

Open Alcohol Beverages Or Cannabis On Board

It is okay for you to transport these items, but you have to make sure they are covered, stowed, and out of sight the entire time. On board a boat, you are not permitted to have any open alcohol containers or cannabis containers. (The only times when you are allowed to “consume” on your boat are when you are moored or anchored and you have permanent washroom facilities, cooking facilities, and sleeping accommodations onboard.) Also keep in mind that individuals who are paddling canoes, kayaks, paddle boards, or any other type of watercraft are subject to this regulation too. The operator could be fined $215, and each passenger could be charged an additional fine for their participation in the infraction.

Using Your Vessel For “Towed Sports” Like Water Skiing

If you’re planning to use your boat for waterskiing and other similar activities, you are required to have a qualified spotter. It should come as no surprise that you cannot operate the boat safely while also keeping an eye on the skier. A further requirement of this regulation is that there must always be an empty seat in the boat for each individual who is being towed, in the event that it becomes necessary to bring them on board. If you want to pull someone behind you in personal watercraft, you’ll need one that has three seats, and you’ll only be able to pull one person at a time. You need a minimum of three seats because you have a driver, a spotter, and one rider.

Having a Pleasure Craft License

A Pleasure Craft License is required for all powered vessels, and the number of the applicable Transport Canada vessel license must also be prominently displayed on the bow of the vessel at all times. You are also required to have the registration with you on board, as well as ownership of the vessel (or copies of ownership documents). In the event that you do not possess the license registration, you will be subject to a varying number of penalties depending on the circumstances.

Getting Your Permits The Quick and Easy Way

In light of the above information, you can now make a more informed decision when choosing the right course of action in order to have all the necessary and proper vessel registration and avoid any sort of fines. After making that decision on what license you need, you can send your application to the right government department by printing the necessary PDFs from the Transport Canada website, filling them out by hand, and mailing them in. Or you can avoid wasting effort and time by teaming up with us at the Canadian Vessel Registry. For all of your Transport Canada documentation needs, we provide a variety of straightforward online forms. Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page or shoot us an email if you need clarification.

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remmushound · 4 years

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Could you write a crossover oneshot, about the 2018 crew (April included) showing off their crazy OP skillz? (Mikey yeeting boats around, Donnie's tech, Leo's portals, etc.)

@assanmaharielsreblogs @itscryptifssil

Rise April = April

2012 April = O’Neil

“Hey guys!”

Leo hated being so exposed, just standing in the open for all to see. Leonardo had reassured him that it was chill here, that they’d never been spotted and weird stuff happened so often that no one would question it if they were. Still, standing there on the docks, open as he was, Leo couldn’t help but glance over his shoulder every few minutes to check for any signs of life disturbing the darkness.

“Watch this!”

Michelangelo resembled the Mikey that Leo knew in so many ways, and it seemed they even shared the same mad skills that all Mikey’s seemed to have in common. The turtle had been loud in his cry, drawing the attention of all below as he leapt from the rooftops and swung out hiskusari-fundo. Like the most beautiful fire work show, the blade and chain ignited in a feiry blaze that caught all of the other box turtles below by surprise, though Michelangelo’s brothers hardly acknowledged the act past a short applause or curious, watching eye.

“Holy—“ Leo sputtered.

“It’s so beautiful!” Mikey’s eyes Reflected the flames like something out of a movie, observing their beauty and hardly breathing.

“HOLY CHALUPAS!” Ejected Donnie, “How did he...?”

“Thats... concerning.” Raph said softly, trying to hide his astonishment behind a chilled facade.

The kusari-fundo shot out over the water, the chain stretching far longer than Leo could remember it actually being. Like an ever growing snake, flying and flying over the orange-reflectinh bay until the blade and a good deal of the chain latched impossibly around the hull of a boat down in the water. Before Michelangelo could come crashing down onto the hard docks, the chain tightened and pulled him into the water at incredible speeds, like a water skier without skis.

“COWABUNGA!”

When he was just about to hit the bough of the ship, the chain gave a sudden, upward jerk and pulled him onto the safety of the deck just in the nick of time. The fire went out, and for a heart wrenching moment none of the turtles could even see the youngest among them, until the teen’s silhouette appeared over the railing and waved to them.

“Uh... how did he—“ Leo began before his taller counterpart cut him off.

“Relax; I’ll go get him.”

Before Leo could even begin to ask how Leonardo would achieve such a feat, Leonardo had drawn his katana and traced a large, arching shape in the air. It was like the blade was slicing through the very fabric of reality, leaving a baby blue glow wherever the tip of the metal touched. When the sword reunited with where it had started, the entire middle erupted into that same mystic glow.

“Woaaaah.” Was all the box turtles could say— even Donnie finding himself speechless at the pure display of power.

Leonardo tucked his katana back in its sheath as he stretched and stepped into the portal, backward so he could click his tongue and give finger guns as he disappeared through the rippling blue. Across the bay came that same ghostly blue glow aboard the ship, and they could see Leonardo step out and wrap his arm around Michelangelo before waving back to the turtles on land.

“Did you build that?” Donnie gasped out, addressing Donatello.

Donatello scoffed. “That? That’s nothing. Raph, show em.” He waved and gave the show off to Raphael, who seemed confused for a second before catching on with a belching bellow.

“Alright, guys!” Raphael slammed his fists together and gave an excited jig, swaying his body back and forth as a determined grin found itself on his face. Eyes narrowed, teeth pulled into a smirk, body moving with untapped potential. “I call this boss mode!”

“Boss mode?” Raph said slowly, trying to hide his growing anticipation and fear. “Looks like a dance to me.”

“Just gotta get warmed up!” He sucked in and huffed out deep breaths, grabbing his Tonfa as he shook out his wrists and started to dig his feet deeper into the ground with each increasingly-violent stomp. His tail lashed. Red sparks started to twist their way around his weapons and wrists, slowly spreading up until the electric aura surrounded him completely. The sparks turned into a fire once the all of him was in their power. His eyes flushed white. The red aura around him grew— and grew, and grew until he was almost as tall as the buildings surrounding him. Despite the awe-inspiring scene, the smaller Raphael within the heart of the beast seemed to be straining under the expended power. The bigger he was, the harder Boss Raph was to control. His teeth were clenched, muscles and veins bulging as life flooded back into tear-filled eyes.

“CONTROLLING JU POWER JITSU... LIKE A BOSS!”

Once the final three words escaped his mouth, he seemed in full control of the situation. When his leg moved, Boss moved in sync. Raphael forced his larger form to wade into the water, his red glow disappearing under the surface as he walked effortlessly over to his brothers on the ship. He held out a hand to them, and both seemed more than happy to hop onboard. Raphael spun around, the movement of his superior self slow and lumbering like most large creatures.

He held the two safely to his chest and carried them to shore, carefully letting them down beside Donatello. Raphael made sure his brothers were on sound footing before finally letting his form pixelate away into nothing and lower him to the ground in a gentle grasp. Leonardo and Donatello were there to support their older brother as he collapsed into them, his legs feeling little more than flexible foam under his great weight. Just from the maybe-minute long quest, Raphael was soaked in sweat and his plastron heaved with begging, thankful gasps of cool air.

“Sorry.” Raphael gasped to the other team, laughing and forcing his heavy arm up to wave. “Kinda tiring, yknow.”

“INCREDIBLE!” Donnie gasped, hurrying over to investigate Raphael though all traces of mystic power was gone from his body. “How often can you do that?!”

“Uh. Never done it more than once in a day.” Raphael rubbed the back of his neck, “it’s pretty draining.”

“I bet!” Donnie squealed, “maybe it’s like that because your metabolism speeds up dramatically— or, or your body adjusts for how long it SHOULD have taken you to do that normally, or—“

“It’s his chakra.” Donatello answered simply.

“Chakra?” Donnie deflated as he asked.

“Seven power points through the body, centers of magic? Ring a bell?”

Leo hummed. “Master Splinter taught me a technique called Reiki thats supposed to heal chakras...”

“So like, what’s your super magic power thing?” Mikey was practically pressing his nose to Donatello’s as he spoke

Donatello’s nose scrunched up at the invasion of personal space, but he quickly brushed it off when Leo grabbed his brother and pulled him away.

“I, little man, have the greatest ‘magic’ of all! SCIENCE!”

“Here we go,” Raph rolled his eyes.

“BEHOLD!” Donatello pulled his bō staff free of its holster and held it to the sky in a pose not unlike the Statue of Liberty. “MY TITANIUM REINFORCED TECH BO!”

Raph gave a slow clap. “Wow. Wonderful. So cool.”

Leo shoved Raph pointedly. “Thats... wonderful, Donnie.”

“Oh. OH HO HO!” Donatello laughed, motioning to his precious staff, “you think this is everything? Au contraire, my fellow shelled companions! This is the top of the line, most up to date technology in my arsenal. Complete with a glider...”

Two wings shot out from either end of the staff, much to the surprise of the turtles gathered.

“Chainsaw! Laser gun! Tranquilizer! Buzz saw! Dual sided rocket propellers! And of course a selfie stick!”

As Donatello listed off his tech-bo’s enhancement, the once simple-looking staff shifted between each feature, ending with a selfie stick that extended far beyond the reach of a normal one and took a snap after the few seconds it took Donatello to pose with two fingers extended and his tongue sticking out.

Leo blinked to try and bring himself out of the blindness induced by the sudden flash. Donnie recovered from it quickly, though his eyes were just as bright the light of the camera had been. He ran over to Donatello practically fit to burst as the softshell gave a smug smirk.

“THAT WAS SO COOL! HOW’D YOU EVER GET THE MONEY TO MAKE ALL OF THAT?!”

Donatello booped his older counterparts snout. “By no legal means.”

April decided to insert herself into the conversation before it could get much farther. “Wanna see what my power can do?”

Eight sets of eyes turned on her.

“You have a power too?” Mikey beaned.

April laughed and gave the mutant a pet on the head. “Sure do! Watch this!”

She lifted her baseball bat from her back, tapping it a few times on the ground as a green glow Overcame the wood. Donatello reached into his shell armor and produced a baseball, tossing it high into the air and out of sight.

“APRILLLLLLLL~”

She dug her feet into the earth as her eyes ignited in the same lime as her bat. She swung the bat a few times, super sight locking onto the small ball as it came hurdling downward.

“O’NEIL!”

With impossibly perfect timing, she spun around once more and brought her bat slamming down on the falling target, sending the ball flying once more in a blaze of neon green glory over the city’s horizon.

“HOME RUN!!”

#tmnt #teenage mutant ninja turtles #rottmnt #tmnt au #donatello #donnie #Raphael #Raph #michelangelo #Mikey #Leonardo #leo #April

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im-fairly-whitty · 4 years

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The Witcher Wolf: In Plain Sight

Two years have passed since Geralt was cursed with the ability to turn into a wolf whenever his medallion is removed, a curse that's turned into a blessing now that he and Jaskier are partners in everything they do.

It's no exception when they discover a Nilfgaardian army bearing down on Cintra, headed straight toward a certain child surprise. With Jaskier's help and Geralt's enchanted medallion they must find a way to get into the palace, make sure Princess Cirilla is safe, and get out with her in tow if needed, regardless of Queen Calanthe's orders.

[Chapter 1: Into the Fire] [Chapter 2: Old Friend] [Chapter 3: Bad Luck] [Chapter 4: So Much for Being Smart] [Chapter 5: Secrets]

Chapter 6: The Beginning of the End

Jaskier was no stranger to all the elements of a prison cell. The loose dirty straw on the floor, the hard mattress if one was lucky, the unmentionable bucket in the corner, and the poor excuse for food that might occasionally be slipped under the door whose quality depended both on the town and how badly you’d managed to annoy the guards.

The familiarity was well earned too, one did not travel with a witcher without spending a fair amount of nights paying the price for a bit of rough adventure or a tragic misunderstanding in a damp cell. Doubly so if during your younger years you happened to have cultivated a reputation for sleeping with the spouses of married people who held grudges.

But while Jaskier had spent time jailed for slights both real and imagined, he’d never been in a cell quite as nice as the one Wilhelm had put him in, and despite that he had also never hated being trapped more than he had the last several days.

The low bed had sheets on it, there was a plain writing desk with parchment and quills against one wall. The room even smelled of candle wax and clean straw instead of filth since Jaskier had the astounding luxury of being escorted to a real privy whenever he asked the guards.

Wilhelm clearly hadn’t been lying when he’d told Jaskier he still liked him despite their currently being at odds with each other, but not even three warm meals a day could erase the fact that Jaskier was trapped in a dungeon, that he had no idea where Geralt was, and that he hadn’t seen Wilhelm in three days.

And of course there was also the charming way that even the dungeon guards were visibly disturbed at the whispered news that Cintra was at that moment being stormed by an entire army of Nilfgaardian fanatics. Exactly the kind of thing to make a bard unable to stomach any food at all for the last twenty-four hours and sit tensely on his mattress while he picked at the sleeve of his chemise.

Jaskier’s knees were tucked up to his chest as he wondered for the umpteenth time where Geralt was, wondering how Geralt was, wondering how much time he had left before Nilfgaardian soldiers flooded into the dungeon where Jaskier would be utterly defenseless and trapped in his cell. Where was the wolf medallion Wilhelm had taken? Was Cirilla already smuggled out of the city, leaving them behind? What was being done to-

Jaskier jolted as the lock on his cell door rattled, smacking the back of his head against the wall behind him in his hurry to stand.

He wasn’t sure whether to relax or not when he saw it was only Wilhelm carting a small chair. Jaskier would have much preferred it to be Geralt coming to his rescue, but it was certainly better than an armed soldier of the Eternal Flame.

“You’re a bit late, I was expecting you two days ago.” Jaskier said, his dried out sense of humor struggling to surface at the unexpected relief of seeing a familiar face. “Or is it three days now? Hard to tell without a window you know.”

“Two and a half days.” Wilhelm said, setting down the small wooden chair he’d brought in with him and sitting down heavily on it with an exhausted sigh. “Though you could tell me it's been a decade and I’d believe you. My apologies for abandoning you without warning, I trust things haven’t been too rough for you?”

“Without a doubt the best prison cell I’ve ever been held in, full marks to this establishment.” Jaskier said with a dry chuckle. “Dreadfully dull though since you took the lockpicks out of the lining of my doublet before tossing me in here, I have no idea how you found them.”

“I found them because I’m the one who taught you that trick seven years ago.” Wilhelm said, raising an eyebrow. “Remember when we got so drunk that we woke up locked in a root cellar with a-“

“Alright, alright, I remember, I remember.” Jaskier said hastily. “You certainly don’t have to bring that story up again, I’d actually managed to forget it.”

“Truth be told I’d much rather be back in that root cellar.” Wilhelm said, any trace of amusement slipping from his face. “The Nilfgaardians have invaded Cintra and her majesty has taken her armies out to meet them in the battlefield. Within the coming hours we’ll be receiving messengers carrying news of our fate.”

“And you don’t think Calanthe will succeed.” Jaskier said quietly, dread seeping back into him.

“If we already had the additional Skellige forces her majesty is so fond of counting on in the field I believe we would, but we don’t.” Wilhelm said, his expression one of grim acceptance.

“What of Cirilla? Is she safe? What is being done to protect her?” Jaskier asked, folding his arms tightly where he stood.

“There are several possibilities in play, but the queen does not wish for Princess Cirilla to be removed from the city until she has given her permission. And she has likewise made it clear that she will only give that permission when there is absolutely no other choice.” Wilhelm said.

“So you’re waiting until things are so bad that Calanthe is dead?” Jaskier said incredulously, heat getting into his voice. “Who’s to say Ciri will even still be alive at that point? Or any of us? How on earth are you going to get a princess to safety when you’ve waiting that long, it might be impossible!”

“I am bound to her majesty’s commands, Jaskier,” Wilhelm said calmly, not at all rising to the bait. “It’s my job to make impossible things happen, though I’ll admit this will be one of the hardest miracles I’ve ever been asked to perform. Which is why I need to know where Geralt of Rivia is.”

“I already told you I don’t know.” Jaskier said, his fingertips digging into his arms. “Even if I did know I wouldn’t put him in danger by telling you, you’ve made it quite clear what will happen if you find him.”

“Being a spymaster means that I make a living of collecting information.” Wilhelm said, spreading his hands. “I gather a bit here and a bit there, using some but tucking away the rest. I must follow my queen’s wishes, but I am also capable of balancing several needs.”

“Which means?” Jaskier asked impatiently.

“If I were to find Geralt of Rivia while her majesty still wishes him to be forbidden from the city I am bound to punish him accordingly.” Wilhelm said carefully. “But if I were to know where he is and simply make no effort to find him until it was safe I would have no duty to harm him and when the right moment comes no time will be wasted getting you and the princess to him and all of you out of the city safely.”

Jaskier blinked. “You mean you’d let us take her?”

“When you need the impossible done you hire a Witcher. Every peasant farmer knows that.” Wilhelm said simply. “Had I been allowed to act earlier I would have preferred Princess Cirilla to be sent somewhere more secure with a military entourage. But when our city crumbles into flame and ruin tonight her best chance at survival will be to disappear into the mountains with a Witcher who will—I hope—protect her with his life.”

“You sound so sure of Cintra’s fall.” Jaskier said, voice not at all shaking.

“It is morning now and the Royal army has left the city.” Wilhelm said. “By my estimations we will hear of their defeat before late afternoon, at which point those of us left will be besieged in the castle until the bitter end, which will surely come before the sun has the chance to rise since the enemy will be drunk on their success in the battlefield. Nilfgaard takes no prisoners, we will all be dead before tomorrow.”

Jaskier tried to say something, some witty or satirical comment to deflect the dark fear that settled in the air. But nothing came, the half formed words sticking in his dry throat.

“Which is why,” Wilhelm said, making a hand sign that Jaskier recognized as a Cintrian oath. “If you tell me where Geralt is I swear not to make an effort to find him until either Calanthe is dead or has given me permission to give him his child surprise. Knowing in advance where to find him could save us precious hours that could save the princess’ life.”

If Wilhelm was making an oath Jaskier knew for a fact he’d honor his word. He’d never met a man who stuck to a promise as well as Wilhelm, but that was precisely why he had to be careful.

“If I did tell you...but you did find him before the time was right? Without trying I mean, if you accidentally found him, what would happen?” Jaskier asked carefully.

Wilhelm looked at him, squinting a bit, clearly processing what Jaskier’s words meant. He is closer than you think, somewhere you would see him if you realized where to look and therefore still in danger.

“If I found him before it was safe I would be honor bound to dispose of him according to the queen’s wishes.” Wilhelm said slowly.

“Then I cannot say anything.” Jaskier said, swallowing a bit and folding his arms a bit tighter. “As I said before, I have no idea where he is.”

For a long silent minute Wilhelm met his gaze with the calculating kind of look one might expect from a hawk or a leopard, and then the spymaster scratched his beard with a nod. “Well at least that means he is close after all, I only pray he’s within the castle walls by the time the siege begins or not even destiny herself will be able to save the princess.”

Jaskier kept a carefully expressionless face, giving away nothing. He knew that if Geralt would do whatever it took to stay by Ciri’s side once he found her, he could only hope nothing had happened to him in the meantime. Wilhelm would have mentioned if he’d been discovered, but he wouldn’t have mentioned a wolf being killed on the palace grounds.

“How is the princess?” Jaskier asked, desperate for any shred of information that might tell him about Geralt.

“She is understandably anxious but well guarded.” Wilhelm said. “The druid Mousesack stays by her side as a personal protector as well as a young knight. Ideally they both would accompany Ciri in the event of her fleeing with you and the Witcher.”

“Does she...” Jaskier hesitated, rephrasing what he really wanted to say over and over again in his head. Does she still have a wolf with her? Does she have a companion with her in this trying time? Does she...have any distractions to keep her busy?

“Does she know this? The plans to keep her safe?” Jaskier asked lamely, knowing that ultimately there was nothing he could ask about Geralt that wouldn’t draw suspicion. Wilhelm would realize what he was after, he would connect the dots if Jaskier put too many of them on the playing board.

“She knows that we are working to keep her safe.” Wilhelm said, clearly noting Jaskier’s hesitation but choosing not to address it. “Nothing more than that. She may be next in line for the throne, but she is still a child.”

“I don’t suppose you’ll let me out to speak with her?” Jaskier asked, already knowing the answer but having to at least try.

“Not yet my friend, but should you require anything ask and your guards will do their best to get it to you.” Wilhelm stood from his chair, cracking his back with a grimace before sighing and shaking his head. “And now I must return to the nightmare upstairs, I’ve already used up the minutes I was able to steal for you. Be on the ready Jaskier, tonight will be horrible for all of us. I hope you make it out alive, I’ll do everything I can to ensure it. The moment I can I’ll be back to free you and get you out of the city with your Witcher and the princess, may we be so fortunate.”

Jaskier bit his lip. “You’ll be coming with us won’t you?” He asked. Yes Wilhelm had made everything more complicated and yes Jaskier would give anything to be out of this cell and back with Geralt, but he certainly didn’t want to see an old friend dead.

Wilhelm hesitated with his hand on the door, his wooden chair tucked under one arm.

“Well, if destiny sees fit to send me with you I certainly wouldn’t argue.” He said with a smile. “But I have plenty of work left to do before then.”

“You still have the Witcher medallion?” Jaskier asked in a rush. “You haven’t lost it or given it away?”

“No I haven’t, it’s locked in my office with the rest of your things.” Wilhelm said. “I know how valuable a Witcher medallion is Jaskier, I’m not going to pawn it off.”

“Alright. Good. It’s...very important.” Jaskier said earnestly. “I cannot tell you just how vital it is that you keep it safe. Especially if you plan on Geralt helping you tonight.”

Wilhelm nodded slowly. “Alright...I’ll be especially sure to keep it safe. Rest assured.”

“Good.” Jaskier said, rubbing his arms as he sat on the mattress, feeling the barest shred of relief at the news and having nothing left he could safely say.

“Well, get some rest and get something to eat Jaskier.” Wilhelm said with a nod. “Force it down if you have to. Either it’ll be the last meal you ever get or it will be the energy you need to make your escape when the moment arrives, neither of which will be worth missing out on.”

Jaskier made a noise that was something between laughing and slightly choking as Wilhelm left the room.

***

Spymaster Wilhelm de Drobiazg of Cintra had never asked to be a royal spymaster, in the same way that a river never asks to run downhill.

Ever since he was a child he’d always had a knack for finding the invisible strings attached to people, and with practice had become expert in winding them around his fingers so that he could shift events to his own purposes.

A nudge here to eliminate an assassin before they ever got close to the royal family. A well placed comment to a visiting ambassador there to cut off an unwanted betrothal offer for the princess before it was ever written up. A sleeper agent installed in a backwoods town years before the queen’s forces invaded, giving them the kind of invaluable intel that led to military victory again and again. Wilhelm was always watching and whispering from the shadows, ready to serve his queen in any way she needed before she even knew of the need herself.

And in his twenty-one years as Spymaster he had seen a bit of everything from cursed knights to secret romances to countless military campaigns. But Wilhelm had never experienced the crushing anxious grief that filled the late afternoon air as he stood in the castle’s front courtyard, looking down at the body lying on the stretcher before him.

All around him soldiers straggled in through the gates, cradling wounds and supporting injured comrades as dirt and blood streaked generals hoarsely bellowed directions. The city was well and truly locked down after the defeat, gathering in the few who had survived the tragedy in the fields that had been the royal campaign.

Only one body had been carried all the way back to the castle by the survivors, the effort too great for anyone less important than the Prince Consort himself. Wilhelm doubted even Eist’s body would have been brought back had the injured queen not been—barely—coherent enough to order it done.

Wilhelm bit his lip hard enough to draw blood as he crouched down and gripped Eist’s cold hand, allowing himself a moment to wish the man a pleasant afterlife.

And then he stood, nodding at the bearers to carry the body away. Eist had been a good man, one of the best, but on a day that none would survive it was little use to mourn those lucky enough to fall first. Those whose bodies would have the luxury of being carried to a resting place by their still living comrades.

Wilhelm knew he would not be one of them.

“General Danek.” He called, moving to fall in step with the chief general of Cintra hurrying past. “Anything I need to know that I don’t already?”

“I doubt it, your scouts are always the first in and the last out wherever we go.” Danek said, his voice rough with grim anxiety as he pulled off his helmet and all but threw it to an attendant so he could wipe the heavy sweat from his brow. “You probably knew how the battle was going to end before I even did.”

“I’d settled on this outcome as a ninety six percent change yesterday morning when we hadn’t received news of the Skellige reinforcements.” Wilhelm said quietly. “Which is why it was my recommendation to remove the princess before we were put in a place of near impossibility.”

“Well then you should have pushed harder, could have convinced her majesty of your damn estimations before she wound up being dragged back to the castle with a stomach wound and grieving a dead consort.” Danek growled.

“You don’t have to be a spymaster to know that changing her majesty’s mind once it’s made up is a fool’s errand.” Wilhelm said, placidly shaking his head as they entered the palace. Their footsteps echoed down the stone hallway to the queen’s chambers, the quiet around them a false peace from the manic bustle shut outside. “And pushing her to admit defeat of any kind is a zero chance at all.”

Danek said nothing in reply, only giving a tired kind of snarl as they reached the queen’s rooms, pushing the doors open to reveal a bustle of healers gathered around where Calanthe lay on a low couch.

“Danek, have they reached the city gates?” the queen demanded, catching sight of them and ignoring the young woman gingerly cleaning blood from a cut on her face.

“They will within the hour your majesty.” Danek said, bowing his head in quick respect as they stood beside her couch. “We have no forces to speak of, little more than a skeleton crew now and badly injured at that. I can have the druid shield the castle gates. It’s a bandage on a head wound but it will buy us a bit of time.”

“A bit of time to what?” Wilhelm interjected calmly, hands behind his back as he looked at the general. “There are hardly more than a hundred people in this castle, the city is lost to us already. There is no chance of saving ourselves now, the only thing to be decided is how quickly we will choose to die and whether we will get Princess Cirilla to safety before or after it is too late.”

“You’re suggesting we simply roll over now for the Nilfgaardian blade?” Danek growled.

“I am not sending my granddaughter into the wilderness alone Wilhelm.” Clanthe snapped, flinching as a healer began stitching a wound at her side. “As long as this city stands we have a chance.”

They did not, and Wilhelm knew it, but as he looked out the window to see the beginnings of evening start to sharpen the smoky sky he also knew how useless it would be to press the issue. Not when she’d just lost her husband and her city and soon everything else with it.

“I understand your majesty.” Wilhelm said. “But now that things have reached a point of especial seriousness I would like to explain to you the plan for the princess’ extraction that has the best possible chance of success. Should you approve of it.”

“What is it?” Calanthe asked tiredly.

“I have good reason to believe that Geralt of Rivia is nearby, and that he has come to the city with the intent of claiming his child surprise and taking her to safety.”

The queen spluttered a choking gasp and even Danek stiffened.

“The witcher will never lay a finger on my granddaughter!” Clanthe demanded, trying to rise from her couch only the collapse back halfway with a pained noise.

Wilhelm gave a quiet sad sigh, moving to kneel down beside his queen so that she was at least a bit above him. “My queen, I know this is the last thing you want, but please for a moment consider the tactical advantages.” he said quietly. “There is no better guard than a witcher, especially not for a young princess who will need to be hidden among common folk in a way that a soldier could not manage. There are hardly any men to spare and even if there was Cirilla’s company would have to be as small as possible to keep from attracting attention. A single witcher is worth twenty men, and as his child surprise the workings of destiny will be on his side.”

“I should have you hanged for treason, how long have you known the witcher was in my city?” Calanthe said, but Wilhelm could hear the exhaustion in her voice.

“I have only a well-founded suspicion, your majesty.” Wilhelm said. “But it’s a suspicion that may be the difference between life and death for Cirilla. Were we to entrust the girl to his care she would have a fighting chance. If we do not she has next to none. If you give your approval I can seek him out and begin preparations to get the next ruler of Cintra to safety before it is truly too late.”

Calanthe said nothing, instead staring at the far wall, as if attempting to reduce it to dust with her furious gaze. Wilhelm could see the grief and fury inside her battling, and that the fury was quickly losing.

“I want to see my granddaughter.” Calanthe said, her voice hoarse. “Wilhelm you are dismissed unless you have anything else to report before I discuss what to do next with Danek.”

“No, your majesty.” Wilhelm said, getting to his feet with a grim nod and bowing before he left the room.

Anyone else might suppose he had failed, but he had served his queen too long to be so badly mistaken. She had deliberately not said no, meaning she knew he was right but would deny it until the last possible second when her wounded pride finally gave in.

It would be the last possible second, likely when even the castle gates had already fallen, but Wilhelm already knew that Calanthe would order Cirilla given to the witcher before the night was out. She hadn’t yet, but she would.

Meaning Wilhelm had very little time to find him.

[Read Chapter 7: Out of Time]

-------------

Thanks so much for your patience between this update, I just got a brand new full time job which has been a huge blessing but had taken some adjustment and getting used to. Happy to be back writing again!

Secondly I thought this was going to be the last chapter, but as I wrote it it split itself into two and then three chapters. More content for you guys, so no complaint there. But yeah as a heads up there will be one or two (probably two) chapters after this one.

I've given Jaskier my "can't even think about eating when stressed even a little" habit. I feel like he only manages to choke down like the equivalent of a medieval granola bar after Wilhelm leaves him, but boy is he going to need it.

#geralt #the witcher #jaskier #geraskier #ciri #the witcher wolf #wit writes

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recreation-law · 1 year

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McCaw v. Ariz. Snowbowl Resort, 84 Arizona Cases Digest 9, 521 P.3d 381 (Ariz. App. 2022)

McCaw v. Ariz. Snowbowl Resort, 84 Arizona Cases Digest 9, 521 P.3d 381 (Ariz. App. 2022) 84 Arizona Cases Digest 9 521 P.3d 381 Vincent MCCAW; Carly McCaw; Andrew McCaw, Plaintiffs/Appellants, v. ARIZONA SNOWBOWL RESORT, Defendant/Appellee. No. 1 CA-CV 21-0585 Court of Appeals of Arizona, Division 1. Filed November 22, 2022 Fuller Law Group PC, San Diego, CA, By Craig D. Fuller, Counsel…

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#Arizona #Arizona Snowbowl #Business Invitee #Chair Lift #duty #Duty Owed #rider #Skier #Skier Safety Act #Snowbowl

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annamariamule · 3 years

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Ski Safety-How to Avoid Mistakes Now

Ski Safety-How to Avoid Mistakes: I call myself an “Intermittent Intermediate”. Why is that? Having spent my early years in the US Southeast, I saw little snow growing up. After graduating from law school, I I decided to really learn to ski I needed to take lessons. A school friend and I headed to Killington, Vermont for a week. As luck would have it, when we arrived, we saw only green grass! Since New England winters are cold, the resort had man-made snow until the weather changed. The fun began with my first ski lesson. The rest of the group was lined up in a row facing across the slope. In making my first attempt at a parallel turn, I was able to stop. Unfortunately, I landed on top of the skis of all my classmates! We all fell in a pile like bowling pins. While my “ability” improved over time, skiing only once a year I have not progressed beyond the Intermediate level. I have lots of lessons learned as a result of my attempts to just stay even. The good news is that I have managed to ski in control and never had a real injury. Here are some of my personal insights of how to avoid mistakes.

Ski Safety-How to Avoid Mistakes:

Clothes do matter: Beyond following the latest ski fashions, it is key to have the right gear. Unlike the usual outfits sold in shops for women, there are actually lots of pockets including those that zip in ski jackets and pants. Velco, snaps and hooks make it possible to carry a trail map, keys and even a phone and still be hands free. The tragic accident in Vail shows the danger of loose fitting clothing in downhill skiing. This differs from cross-country skiing where long scarves and layers are common and no problem. The main problem skiing downhill with layers flapping in the breeze is the risk of getting caught in a lift or suddenly not being able to see what is ahead. The first time I skied I quickly found this out. While still in school, I visited with friends on the New York border of Canada. They persuaded me to give it a try. On an Arctic day (22 degrees below zero Fahrenheit), I wore a long, dangling scarf. When I took the rope tow to the top of a small slope, my scarf twisted round and round as the tow turned choking me with each step. Luckily for me, the staffer in the guard house at the top hit the emergency stop button. As a result, the only damage was to my ego.

Solution: Avoid layers that can act like a balloon at the first gust of wind.

Find a buddy: In many sports, a buddy system is common if not required. A top example is seen in scuba diving. This is key in case of an injury or other emergency. Things can go bad fast. On a recent trip to the slopes, my ski buddy ran afoul of the well-known adage to watch out for the “last run of the day”. In fact, it started even earlier. When he made the first run of the day, he had a severe fall and ended up with a broken rib and collar bone. I dashed down the slope to find the ski patrol and then off to the local hospital. In case of a head injury or life threatening event, a lone skier may not be conscious and may not be quickly found by passersby. So although I am a huge advocate of “solo” adventures, skiing alone requires taking extra care.

Solution: If you must go solo, find a small group ski class or ski group to join for the day. Learn which slopes are at your own skill level.

Hold the ice! You may long for more ice when sipping a smooth tropical drink on a Caribbean vacation. However, be careful what you wish for when you think of ice and are about to hit the slopes. Based in Washington, DC, I am accustomed to the fast vacillating weather patterns between two climate zones in the Mid-Atlantic region. We have less cold weather than the Northeast but more than the Southeast. As a result, the ski season is very short and typically requires at least a one-two hour drive to get to the slopes. For skiers, that can mean really having to search for snow, natural or man-made, to be able to ski each year and in warm years to miss skiing at all. The danger in skiing at such low elevations in warm weather (or on sunny days at higher elevations) is that ice forms fast under such changing temperatures. Although it can be glorious to bask in the sunshine as you make your way down the top trails, the quick melt and re-freeze means ice will greet you, especially in the early morning. One of my past ski instructors always said: “The real problem is that whatever mistakes you are making will just be even worse when you hit the ice”. For me as an “Intermittent Intermediate” with no sign of improving any time soon, the minute I start to lose my balance I make the mistake of shifting my weight uphill just in time to catch an edge and then must try not to fall.

Solution: Go slow enough so that you can avoid ice and bare patches. Watch out if your goggles fog over, and you can’t see clearly what is in your path ahead. If you are not an expert, stick to the slopes that were groomed overnight.

One “last run” could be the first run of the day if you don’t take care! Being tired can turn a good skier into a mediocre one. Be aware of jet lag when you have taken a long overseas flight.

Solution: Plan your trip with a break at the beginning and end. Hit the spa for a massage or to relax in the hot tub. Less experienced skiers should be realistic about how many hours to spend on the slopes each day.

Ski Safety-How to Avoid Mistakes:

Watch out for the lift. It looks easy enough. However, there are only two risks on the lift (other than good maintenance by the resort): What you do and what someone else does to you causing an accident. On lower slopes where chair lifts are common, novice skiers can make getting off the lift a hazard. If they trip you with their poles, you can end up rolling around in the snow as others exit the lift. The other challenge? Making certain that you pay attention getting on and off the lift and not being distracted.

Solution: Watch what you are doing even if you are an experienced skier. In getting on, sit and balance your weight depending on the number of skiers in your chair. Use the bar. When you prepare to exit, first watch for the sign to lift the bar. Then “slide (forward), stand and then ski”.

Binding settings do matter, especially for other than expert skiers. It is key to have them tight enough that your skis stay on but loose enough to come off if you fall. I overlooked this simple safety precaution when I went skiing solo in Kranjska Gora in Slovenia. I ended up in ice (of course) and fell. One ski stayed on while the other would not come off. As a result, I suffered the humiliation of sheepishly being rescued by the ski patrol. The problem? They only took me as far as the chair lift! They sent me down the slope with my skis and poles in my lap. Since I didn’t speak or understand a word of Slovenian, I thought I could wait patiently for the lift to come to a full stop at the bottom. Amid lots of shouted (incomprehensible) advice, I quickly found out the lift was, in fact, not stopping! However, it did slow down enough for me to leap off juggling my skis.

Solution: Before you ski, check yyour bindings to be sure they are set for the then current conditions and your ability. My mistake at Kranjska Gora? When I had had my bindings set at the ski shop on the slope, I had them adjusted in keeping with a local skier of my height and weight. I failed to factor in my more limited ability and infrequent nature of my trips to the slopes. That was a major mistake since skiers living in the Julian Alps would have plenty of chances to ski and be at a much more advanced level than I would be, thereby needing less conservative settings.

Double diamond, blue or green?? I was surprised to learn that these fabled categories from Beginner to Intermediate and Expert are not universal or uniform. They only relate to the classifications of each mountain. As a result, I found I could ski select red trails at Lake Tahoe but struggled with even blue runs at Big Sky. In the US, I was very surprised to see that both Idaho (Sun Valley) and Montana (Big Sky) were much tougher skiing.

Solution: Before you hit the slopes, check a trail map. Don’t go “off-piste” where avalanches are a possibility. Problems are more likely to occur, and help may be far away.

Skiing solo abroad can result in (mis) adventures. Consider two issues. First, is there a language barrier? In case of trouble, do you know how to reach the ski patrol or other help? What if your cell phone can’t get a signal? In addition, many resorts abroad either may have less signage to show the difficulty of the trails or have a system less familiar for the first time visitor.

Solution: If your budget doesn’t allow for a group lesson or private instructor, study the trail map and talk to the ski school and ski patrol. Find out ahead how trails are marked and what hazards, like ice or bare spots, should be expected. Set your phone to the ski patrol or other emergency number.

Each day find out what the local conditions are for the slopes you plan to attack. Why? Many resorts groom select runs over night. While groomed slopes work best for novices, they can be hard packed and therefore faster. As one expert offered, “If it is groomed, It’s not for experts!”

Solution: If there is no online update or other system daily, talk to the staff. Before hitting the slopes, novices should find out if conditions have changed and if so, switch to an easier slope.

Pay attention to “merging lanes”. Where runs intersect, there can be traffic jams. Another risk is that skiers at various levels of ability and experience may converge.

Solution: Think of this like driving a car. Look uphill to be sure that you are not on a collision course!

Watch your skis, or face taking the lift down! Pickpockets on the slopes are rare. However, I discovered your skis can still get away from you or more specifically leave you “flatfooted” in your ski boots. In Quebec, I took a day trip from the Chateau Frontenac. Having learned the hard way that I would do better with my own skis, at the slope I traveled with my Dynastar’s. When I went to reclaim them from the van that took us to the mountain, I was in for a surprise! Another passenger in the our van reached for my skis, too. At that point, we discovered that we both had virtually identical 150 blue Dynastar’s. In a freezing, howling wind, we went back and forth comparing bindings, settings and the bottom of the skis. We never could figure out which skis were the ones we had brought. With no other option, we each took a pair and hoped for the best. In Norway, it was even more challenging. I stopped at the top of the mountain to have lunch with one of my ski class members propping my skis against the side of the restaurant. When I came out, I discovered my skis were gone! My choices appeared to be walking down the slope or traipsing over to the chairlift which hopefully would stop to let me off without skis! As fate would have it, another solution magically appeared. As I looked across the snow, I saw a pair of unattended skis waiting for me. Apparently the person who took my skis by mistake (probably a mix-up) had left their skis nearby. I stepped into them and was off. (Not a great idea without checking the bindings!) Hopefully, that did not leave a third person left on the mountain looking for their skis!

Solution: When you buy skis, photograph them for insurance, and add an identifying mark. Invest in a universal, international lock for the new skis or to keep rentals from getting lost in the crowd.

Ski Safety-How to Avoid Mistakes: In a Nutshell:

If you are planning a ski trip, especially solo:

Check out the conditions and ratings/skill level for your proposed destination.

Take the right clothes to keep you warm but not distracted or blocking your vision. (Be sure they won’t get caught on the lift.)

Check, update equipment whether you buy or rent. Always include a helmet. For savings, compare the price of bringing your own equipment and renting at the resort. (Most ski rentals are not priced a la carte but as a package so bringing, for example, skis only won’t save much, if any.) if you are a senior, be sure to ask if they have discounts on rental equipment and/or lift tickets.

For more on solo skiing, see “Great Destinations for Intermediate Skiing“, “How to Pack for Skiing” and “Adventure Travel Insurance-From Crocodiles to Cholera“.

Follow this update on how to ski safer during the coronavirus pandemic. Issues to consider:

Drive or take a train. (See Winter Park, CO, for example.)

Have lunch outdoors overlooking the slopes. This has been my choice when I didn’t want to struggle in and out of ski boots and gear to stop and go indoors.

Skip the apres-ski since social distancing is likely impossible.

Ride lifts alone or with your travel mate(s).

The post Ski Safety-How to Avoid Mistakes Now appeared first on Solo Trekker.

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metalgearkong · 6 years

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Beneath A Scarlet Sky - Review

9/11/18

Written by Mark Sullivan (2017)

World War II is endlessly fascinating, and while I’m not one to be constantly immersing myself in its history, it’s a grand world-wide battle of good versus evil, something fiction has been hugely inspired by. Beneath A Scarlet Sky is the story of Pino Lella, a young Italian boy who inadvertently becomes the personal driver of one of Adolf Hitler’s number one men, General Liars. I agree with the author that Italy is one of the more forgotten fronts. With incredible stories of Normandy, Great Britain, Germany, the Pacific Theater, and the Holocaust, the only thing I ever knew about Italy during WWII is that Mussolini was an Axis dictator, but didn’t know anything about the people of Italy during this time. Beneath A Scarlet Sky is based Mark Sullivan's lengthy and in-depth interviews, not only with Lella in Italy, but General Liars’ surviving family, and other travel Sullivan did to ensure the book’s authenticity. Beneath A Scarlet Sky is now one of my favorite books I’ve ever read, and certainly the best bio-piece about WWII since Night (Elie Wiesel).

Milan, where Pino is from, and where much of the novel takes place

Pino was a popular and spry boy growing up in Milan, Italy. He is fascinated by cars and girls. He eventually meets a beautiful girl named Ana on the brink of WWII, dodging bombings of his city on a daily basis, living in absolute fear. Pino’s friends, family, and Ana would take train trips to the countryside simply to avoid the danger and horror of the war. Eventually, Pino is tasked by his church with helping refugees across the Northern border into Switzerland through a snowy mountain pass in the Alps. Here, at Casa Alpina, the church and resistance’s “secret base,” Pino gains skills as a mountain climber and skier, and eventually helps many people to safety. The story, suspense, and danger truly pick up when one day in Milan, he assists someone with their car on the side of the road. That person turned out to be the personal driver of General Liars, Hitler’s highest ranking Nazi in Italy. Liars fires his old driver, and conscripts Pino.

Sullivan with the actual Pino Lella

Most of the rest of the novel is Pino balancing an alliance with Liars, earning his trust, yet reporting what he hears and sees back to his family and friends. Pino experiences trauma after trauma, challenging his faith in God at all turns, with only brief respites of happiness, pleasure, and joy. I love the nuances between Liars and Pino the most. Pino feels shameful when the General praises him, usually for his driving skills and obedience. The shame completely comes from feeling genuinely good about the General’s approval and occasional complements. But, their relationship never breaches beyond professional, and Pino thoroughly understands that the General is an agent of war and genocide. The novel also snagged my attention when Pino would see glimpses of the “grey men” and “slaves” that the Nazis were using to build things so quickly. I keep forgetting that the whole concept of the Holocaust was not quantified and titled until long after the war, as information about what was happening was so vague at the time.

Casa Alpina, the modern day hotel built where the cathedral acted as the resistance’s “base” near the border to Switzerland, and where Pino guided many people to safety.

My heart constantly wept for Pino and his emotional roller coaster of joy and utter sorrow. The way his family members, Ana, and priests kept instilling the idea of optimism and never giving up is sometimes the only thing that keeps Pino from absolutely collapsing and giving up. Most people wouldn’t have the will to make it through a fraction of what Pino goes through, and it gives me courage in my own life. The fact that this is such an epic story, and so unknown, means there are countless other unsung heroes of WWII that I’m sure very little, or no people know about. It continues to add to the deep intricacies of that time period, but also shows that sometimes things aren’t always as black and white as they seem. And most heart wrenching of all, just because you are a good person, doesn’t mean things will go your way in the end. The novel truly peaked at the very end when I was reminded that most of the characters, especially the principal and most major characters, were actual true people, and I got to find out what happened to all those people in the rest of their lives long after the war. Truth is stranger than fiction, and while the novel itself may take some liberties, it’s an amazing experience none the less that fans of WWII stories or people interested in this time period should enjoy an experience.

#pinolella #marksullivan #beneathascarletsky #novelreview #bookreview #bookreport #wwii #milan #italy #biography #historicalfiction #casaalpina

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zoevimagemaking · 3 years

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rationale

Idea

I chose to do a winter/snow festival because skiing is one of my favourite activities to do during that season. everybody on the slope are always so friendly and welcoming which is why I thought of having a festival on the slopes as it is always such a great environment to be in/on.

Audience

I have targeted my audience to a very broad range which includes anybody of skiers and snowboarders of any beginner, intermediate and experienced level.

Aesthetic

The aesthetic of my festival is heavily vector based illustrations all done in adobe illustrator. All of the illustrations were taken from my OWN images and then turned into those vectors. I researched a lot into ski festivals and a lot of the aesthetics which I saw was either heavily vector illustration based OR heavily photography based, but I fell in love with the vector illustrations.

Poster

I chose to do a poster series because it is more eye catching to audiences to see a different range of ‘motifs’ towards a specific event/ occasion (in my case a festival). The 3 posters allow for a different view/ perspective of what the festival will be like and shows also the type of audience and how it welcomes both skiers and snowboards to the specific festival.

Brochure

The brochure was heavily inspired by a brochure you'd pick up when you're doing touristy things/ tourist attractions. the brochure which I've produced will be a plastic paper brochure exactly like what you'd see if you were visiting tourist attractions. This allows the brochure to have a barrier to protect itself from water/ rain, being squashed/ ripped in bags, taken to the snow, being used at the festival ect. The sole purpose for it to be a plastic paper brochure is to be able to still be used and functional while at the festival surrounded by snow to still have access to the festival map.

Signage

The signage is a way finding information stand. These will be scattered all around the festival grounds. It welcomes guests and provides the set list, avalanche precautions, and the festival map. By providing the set list, it allows for skiers/ snowboards at the top of the slope the times of each act incase they have forgotten, they have access on the way finding information stand. Providing avalanche safety precautions is an important message to have at each information stand to inform and educate the audience on what to do incase of an emergency. It is really important to have this information spread on the wayfinding information stand.

Festival pass/ Snow card

For one of two collateral which we got to choose ourselves, I chose to do a festival pass/ snow card because it is a very relevant item to have when you are on the slopes. This card is a sensor which allows you into the festival site. The name and card number lettering is embossed onto the card which makes the lettering on reverse back side of the card the be backwards. This card allows you in and out of the festival site and up the chairlifts. it is basically your festival pass (ticket) but in a snow card form.

Website

The website homepage was another collateral which I chose to produce myself. A website is relevant to my festival ‘RHYTHM SLOPE’ because as it will have all of the details about the event and everything you need to know. after a glimpse drive by of the poster, people will be intrigued and want to know more information and head to the website link shown on the poster. Once opened the website, you'll find a top menu bar/ panel. The mountain vector illustration of the slope is the main focus you see once upon arrive to the site. The shape of the slope leads down to the bottom of the screen which you then find an arrow symbolising you to scroll down and follow the rest of the slope to see more or the website.

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cassbuttttt · 7 years

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Do The Pizza.

Pairing: Ski Instructor!Dean x Reader

Summary: Y/N sucks at skiing, so her friends get her a ski-instructor, who just so happens to be a really hot dude who goes by the name of Jensen.

Warnings: Fluff ( AKA-- IT’S NOT A BLOODY WARNING-- ENJOY THIS)

Word Count: 1587

A/N: First ever fan fiction, so be kind! Also, if this looks similar, it’s because it's from my private account, @highlyfuncti0nings0ci0path :D

“Guys, you really don’t have to do that,” Y/N says, eyeing her friends surrounding her.

“Y/N, you need lessons,” Y/N’s friends said honestly. Y/N looked down, embarrassed. “And even we don’t have the capability.” They smirked.

Y/N could accept that. She also didn’t want to hold them back from doing what they loved to do.

“At least let me pay for it,” She said, trying to argue the one bit that she could, but her group of friends just shook their heads.

“We offered,” one said.

“Well, I guess, let’s go,” Y/N sighed heavily.

“Hi,” a tall man stepped out behind Y/N’s group of friends. “I’m Dean.” He held out his hand.

Y/N took his hand and gave it a firm shake.

“I take it you’re Y/N,” he said, while Y/N nodded. He gestured to the group of girls behind them, “And they are the reason you’re doing this.”

Y/N sighed heavily. “Yes. They decided that I was beyond their capabilities.”

“A challenge?” Dean said with a smirk.

Y/N arched an eyebrow and then relented. “I guess…”

“Good.” His smirk grew, then turned to address Y/N’s friends. “I’ll take it from here. Thank you, ladies, for bringing the young woman here.”

She pouted, then gave a very obvious salutation. “Bye!”

On the chairlift, Dean was clearly trying to get an understanding of Y/N’s skills-- or lack thereof. Y/N had a hard time telling him that it was her first time, EVER, on a chairlift. He noticed.

“Is it just me, or have you never been on a chairlift before?” He said, glancing at Y/N’s hands which were clearly wrapped as tightly as possible around the bar keeping them from falling out of the seats.

Y/N shrugged, trying and failing to act casual.

“Okay,” Dean said, quite bravely if Y/N was honest. “We’ll just go over how to get off of the lift.”

“Sure,” Y/N stated, the amount of apprehension in her voice conveying her nerves.

“So what you’ll do is lean forward onto the edge of the seat. When we reach the edge of the ramp, you’ll just lean forward and slide down, just like sliding around in your socks.” Dean looked over to Y/N, who, if at all possible, looked even more nervous. “You can hold onto my arm if that would make you feel more comfortable.”

“That would be amazing,” She said, feeling self-conscious. “Thank you!”

“It’s my job, don’t worry about it,” Dean said reassuringly.

After what had seemed like an eternity, the chairlift had reached the last stretch of the mountain. Dean lifted up the safety bar and offered his arm out to Y/N.

“Don’t forget to breathe,” he said, smiling.

“Oops,” Y/N laughed.

Dean scooched both of them to the end of the lift, and when his skis touch the ramp beneath them, he stood and pulled Y/N with him, and started to glide easily down the slick snow. She just followed, just dead weight.

After they had successfully gotten out of the way of the lift’s exit, Y/N raised her hands in celebration and screamed into the frigid air.

“That’s right!” She screeched, while Dean bent over because he was laughing too hard to stand. “In your face, professional engineers or whoever makes ski lifts too DAMN hard to get off!”

Once she was finished, Dean straightened up, still laughing. “I take it you didn’t like that experience.

Y/N blushed.

Wiping a tear of laughter from his face, Dean pulled his ski goggles over his face. “Come on Y/N. Let’s do this, to show those professional engineers or whoever that you can ski.” He laughed again and grabbed her hand.

Pulling her down to the place where skiers (Beginners, keep in mind) started the perilous journey down the mountain.

“Pizza,” he chanted, going back down the slow decline of the mountain, backward. “Say it with me,” he said to Y/N. “Pizza. Pizza. Pizza. Pizza. Pi--”

She interrupted him. “Why exactly are we saying pizza, Dean?” He slowed, before stopping.

“Omigod,” Dean said, facepalming. “I forgot to tell you.” He looked up and made eye contact with Y/N. “Pizza is the shape your skis should take while you're going down the mountain-- or at least until you have the skill down. It makes you less aerodynamic, so it slows you down, making your speed controllable.”

They started again, this time both Dean and Y/N chanting. “Pizza. Pizza. Pizza. Pizza.”

Once Y/N had almost gotten that skill down, Dean decided he would let her lead.

“Y/N,” Dean said, hesitantly. “I was thinking that because you now have pizza down, you should try to lead us down the mountain.”

“No!” Y/N yelled surprised that Dean had suggested that. “What if I start to go too fast, or what if-”

Dean cut her off. “Y/N,” he said gently. “We could spend all day wondering what might happen, but I know almost anything that could happen, I can handle it.”

She gave him a doubtful look.

“If you start going to fast,” he said, before skiing down quickly, smoothly, and efficiently, to a tree, “I can catch up-- clearly. But, if you don’t feel comfortable with that, it’s fine.” He shrugged while keeping a sharp eye on Y/N as she pizza’d over to him. “We can just keep chanting pizza. Pizza. Pi-”

Y/n cut him off. “It’s fine. I’ll try to lead.”

And Y/N did well. By the time they had reached the bottom of the mountain-- which was about 600 feet away from them when they had the pizza talk- Y/N had only crashed or collapsed about five times. Dean congratulated her on that. She blushed.

“It’s almost twelve,” Dean said, pulling out his phone. “Do you want to grab some food?”

Y/N nodded her consent.

“Soo,” Dean said, “Where do you want to eat? We have so many options.” He said, twirling around, his ski boots clunking on the cobblestone.

“A burger place, maybe?”

Dean grinned. “Oh- a girl who likes burgers. I like you even more!”

Y/N laughed. “It’s the fries that do it for me.”

He gasped, holding his hands to his chest like he had been shot. “How dare?”

She smirked, before relenting. “I actually do like burgers, I was joking.”

“Well then,” Dean said, grabbing her hand and dragged her through the crowded path, a place clearly in mind, “Do I have the place for you!”

Grinning, Y/N allowed herself to be pulled through the crowds.

“Moe’s Original Barbecue?” She said, looking at Dean with a questioning smile. (Yes, it’s a real place. Yes, it has awesome burgers. Yes, I’ve been there.)

“The best burgers in town,” he said, and moved closer, whispering into her ear. “And pulled pork, but if you order that, you’ll break my heart.” He pulled back.

“We can’t have that,” Y/N said, shaking her head.

They walked inside of the restaurant, and settled down in a booth, before pulling off all of their gear. Their jackets went first, then their goggles and helmets. It wasn’t too cold outside, so Y/N had seen no point layer. Apparently, neither had Dean. She looked up to see him in just a t-shirt, and from the helmet. She gasped. He laughed.

“Didn’t see what I really looked like under all that crap,” Dean said, smirking.

“Shut up,” Y/N mumbled. “You just look a lot like an actor I know, Jensen Ackles, I think.”

He laughs. “I get that a lot.”

Just as Y/N was about to say something to embarrass herself, a waitress came over and asked them what their orders were.

“Umm, I’ll have a classic burger please?” Y/N said, mumbling.

“And, I will also enjoy the wonders of the classic burger,” Dean said, winking at the waitress. Y/N kicked him. He winced. Y/N smirked in his direction

Y/N thanked the waitress as she walked away. “Dude, what the hell was that?”

“I was just trying to get her number, for Sammy.”

“And I’m the waitress you were just flirting with.” Y/N smiled at the look on his face. “Who’s Sammy?”

“My brother,” Dean said, still pouting.

After talking about the most random and obscure things, their meal finally came. After the waitress had left, Y/N grabbed her burger, muttered something along the lines of “Finally” and stuffed her face. Dean smirked.

He also grabbed his burger, and together it took them only ten minutes to finish their meals. After they had split the check (a point of contention), they had walked out of the restaurant, only to have to say goodbye.

“What is your number,” Y/N said, feeling brave.

He gave it to her, and they smiled.

“Thanks for helping me “master” my skiing skills,” Y/N said, trying to slow the inevitable.

“Anytime,” Dean said, and it was clear he meant it.

“I guess I should go,” Y/N said, looking at her phone as it lit up with messages.

“Yeah,” Dean said, a bitter smile present on his face.

“Bye!” Y/N said. “I’ll text you! If I’m honest, It’ll probably be something like ‘Is Your refrigerator running?’”

He laughed and smiled.

She turned, looking over her shoulder, waving.

Dean watched until she had disappeared from her sight. Frowning, he looked down onto the ground, until his phone buzzed.

Is your refrigerator running? :P

He laughed.

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everlark-your-own-adventure · 7 years

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Powder Keg - Ch 2

Happy Monday, everlarkers! Last week introduced us to ski!instructors Katniss and Peeta, and all of the gang at Mt. Mockingjay Lodge. When we last looked in, our cinnamon bun was offering Katniss some of the cash he earned when he stole away her private lesson. You voted to have her refuse the offer (understandably so, I think!) So what’s in store for our gang this week? Let’s see, shall we? This week’s installment of Powder Keg was written by @xerxia31.

As always, you have 48 hours to vote, until noon, Wednesday, November the 15th. Remember, vote in the comments or reblogs, not in the tags! And as always, share with your friends, more voices = more fun! Ready? Here we go...

The wad of cash in Peeta’s hand is so tempting. I have no doubt that Glimmer is a good tipper, probably even more so with Peeta than she would have been with me. And I really need that money.

As if he can sense my indecision, a hint of a smile lifts the corners of his lips, lights his eyes. For the briefest of moments, it’s as if I’m looking back through time, to that golden-haired boy with the bluest eyes I’d ever seen. The one who stole my heart.

The one who tore it to shreds.

Anger wells up inside me, stamping out the flicker of pain and humiliation that remembering that day has allowed to surface. Obscenities sit on the tip of my tongue, begging to be unleashed at him. “No,” I say instead, adding a tight “thank you,” when I catch Wiress frowning at me from her fry station. Peeta’s expression hardens.

“Take the damn money, Everdeen,” he hisses. “You earned it. I’m trying to do the right thing here.”

“Yeah, well you always were the superior one, weren’t you?” Peeta recoils, as if I’ve actually shoved him instead of just envisioning it.

A group of rowdy thirteen- and fourteen-year-olds bursts through the cafeteria door, all laughter and good-natured hijinks. Morning ski school must be over. A perfect distraction from the hurt on Peeta’s face. I head back behind the counter, ready to start dishing out meals to the skiers, and when I finally look up, Peeta is gone.

❅❆❅❅❆❅❅❆❅❅❆❅❅❆❅❅❆❅❅❆❅❅❆❅❅❆❅

The sun is still a solid forty minutes away from cresting the mountain when I pull my Jeep into the parking lot. Most of the instructors at Mt. Mockingjay stay in the staff dormitories, but I'm a local, having lived all of my life in Panem, just ten minutes down the mountain. No point in paying for lodging here when my childhood home is so close, though I've heard there are some crazy parties in the dorms after hours.

Stepping into my bindings in the blue-grey predawn is like coming home. My father had me on skis when I was barely old enough to walk. His seasonal job at this very resort opened the world of carving and shredding to our family, who otherwise could never have afforded it. My skis and boots were always bought at the end of the season, former rentals too dinged up to appeal to the tourists anymore, my lift passes purchased at the employee rate. But on the runs, I was never that poor kid from the Seam. My dad used to say Mt. Mockingjay was the great equalizer. This was his favourite place in the world, and it’s mine too.

Just enough snow fell overnight to frost the hills in a perfect layer of powder and I’m anxious to get up there and be the first to slice through it. I slide my key into the chairlift controls and fire up the engine. This is the smallest of the resort’s five chairlifts. I’d rather use the main lift, the one that services the two double diamond runs, but it’s a stupid idea to ride that behemoth alone. Instead, I make the four minute and thirty-seven second ascent to stand at the top of the single diamond Arena run.

My breath catches in my throat; from up here the mountain is a smooth blue-white canvas, faintly glittering in the slope lights, begging to be brushed by my skis. Though my first instinct is to race down as fast as I can, kicking up a spray of diamond-bright sparkles as I plow through the fresh snow, I instead carve through the powder, executing one flawless turn after another, concentrating on my technique, my father’s voice in my ears directing each perfect arc.

And when I reach the bottom, exhilaration and adrenaline spiking in my veins, I turn back to check out the pattern I’ve sculpted into the hill. Disappointment floods my veins as I realize that someone else is up there already, disrupting my curves. But as I watch, it quickly becomes apparent that the other skier is taking pains to mirror my line, almost exactly. Their turns are not as precise, but there’s a casual elegance in the careful line they’ve chosen. As they descend, a double helix emerges from the tracks in a way that has to be intentional, even artistic. I’m just reaching into my jacket for my phone, to take a picture of how cool it looks, when I notice that the other skier is wearing an orange helmet.

“Fuck,” I mutter, the word hanging in a silver cloud before slowly dissipating. There’s only one person in this place who’d be caught dead in safety-cone-orange headgear. I can’t escape that asshole for even one stupid morning.

Peeta Mellark has done everything in his power to make my first week here miserable. When he’s not actively stealing my clients right off the hill, he’s sabotaging my schedule. Just yesterday, he cheated me out of what would have been a high-tipping private lesson. I’m certain it was my name written beside Seneca Crane on the big board, but he swapped his own name in and took off with the older guy in his Armani snowsuit before I even noticed, leaving me instead with some punk kid named Marvel who was much more interested in his helmet cam than in learning.

And when I pointed that out to Jo, she just shrugged and said that the base rate was the same whether the lesson was with Mister Snowsuit-worth-more-than-my-car, or the disinterested brat. Which it is, but while Marvel’s dad only tipped twenty bucks, I’m certain Peeta got more than that from the guy he snatched away from me.

The entire week has been him dicking me around, then acting huffy when I call him on it. A whole week of us trading barbs. I swear I’m going to snap soon.

I scowl, watching Peeta traverse the rest of the run. He’s on skis today, I’d almost forgotten that he used to ski, before he switched to boarding with all of the other cool kids in his clique. I know the moment he catches sight of me watching him, because he stiffens and nearly loses an edge, flailing just a bit. But he recovers quickly, barrelling towards me, spraying me in snow as he stops just feet away. Jerk.

He pulls off his helmet just as the thin winter sun finally crests the mountain top, crowning him in golden light, like he’s in some kind of damned shampoo commercial, then he flashes that arrogant smirk at me, the one that gets him all of the prime lesson slots while the rest of us peck at the dregs. “Good morning, Katniss,” he says, insincerity practically dripping from the words.

“What are you doing here?” I grumble. He gestures at his skis and raises an eyebrow.

“Same as you, it appears,” he laughs. I roll my eyes. “You want to share a chair back up?”

“No thanks, I’m done here,” I say, and ski away. I really wanted to get in a few fast, carefree runs before the day’s duties begin, but I’m not sharing a chair with him. And if I got on before or after, I have no doubt he’d stop the lift and leave me stranded, just for the pleasure of screwing me over yet again.

I can hear him calling after me, but I don’t turn back. “Dammit Katniss, wait,” he puffs as I shove the tip of my pole into my bindings with more force than is really necessary to release them. He’s chased after me, for some reason. I stack my skis in the rack beside the lodge entrance and yank the door open roughly. “The hill is big enough for both of us.”

“Forget it,” I bark, noticing too late that we’re no longer alone. A few early bird guests are already sitting by the big stone fireplace.

“Katniss!” He’s still following me, clattering awkwardly through the lodge even as he greets the guests sitting there by name. I roll my eyes. Suck up. I weave down the corridor that connects the main guest lounge with the staff area, Peeta huffing behind me.

He manages to catch up when I struggle for a moment to punch in the door code. “Why are you so stubborn?” he practically bellows as I finally push open the door. Several heads whip around to gawk at us, other instructors and staff members getting ready for their days. My ears burn, but I still don’t acknowledge him, stomping instead over to the huge whiteboard that outlines the day’s lessons.

Every square next to my name has been wiped clean. “What the hell, Peeta?” I whip around to face him, hands on my hips and fire in my eyes. “This the reason you got here early? Just to screw me out of a day’s pay?” My voice cracks pathetically on the last word. I really need a full roster of lessons if I’m going to earn enough for Prim to have a Christmas this year, not to mention keeping the lights on at my mother’s house.

“I had nothing to do with this,” he snaps, almost distractedly, as he walks over to the board. It’s only then that I realize the normally overflowing boxes next to his name are also blank. “What the--?”

“Oh good, you’re both here and still alive.” It’s far too early for Johanna’s acerbic tone. Peeta and I turn in tandem to glare at her, talking over each other in an attempt to accuse each other in the latest round of schedule manipulation. “Can it, both of you,” she barks.

“Jo, I can’t afford to spend another day in the snack bar,” I hiss, not wanting Peeta to hear how desperate I am for the higher pay that comes with teaching.

“You’re not in the snack bar today,” she says. “We have a school trip coming in. You’re leading it.” I feel a little better, there are no tips for teaching school groups, but I’ll at least get the full instructor wage for my time, instead of minimum. But then Jo looks over my shoulder. “Both of you.”

“No,” Peeta says before I can even spit the word out myself. “No, Jo, not today. I had five private lessons lined up today!”

“And now you don’t,” she smirks. “I gave them to Bristel.” A fiery flush sweeps up Peeta’s neck and his jaw clenches. It’s kind of fascinating. “You two are going to take the field trip kids, and you’re going to get over whatever this crap is between you.” I’m two seconds away from stomping off. I definitely didn’t sign up for this. As if she can hear my thoughts, Jo glares at me. “I have fielded seven complaints about the two of you already.” She waves her finger between us. “Seven! It’s only been a week!”

“None of that is my fault!” I try to defend myself, but Johanna cuts me off.

“Brainless, I’ve cut you a ton of slack because you’re by far the best skier here. But you’re at the end of the rope. You need to figure this out.” My heart sinks; I’ve never been fired from a job before, not once. And to be let go from Mt. Mockingjay… well I’d never be able to ski here again, never be able to look any of these people in the eye again. Suitably chastened, I stare down at my ski boots.

“And you,” Jo says, turning her attention to Peeta. “You think you’re safe just because the snow bunnies cream themselves when you unzip your parka?” I sneak a peek at Peeta, whose entire face is bright red now. “They’re not the ones managing this place. I am. And I haven’t forgotten that you still haven’t passed your level two certification.” My head snaps up at that, just as Peeta’s face falls. He isn’t even level two certified? He shouldn’t be teaching private lessons at all!

“Jo, I can’t work with him,” I plead. It’s true, we’ll kill each other. She tips her head back and lets out a mighty groan.

“You know what, Brainless, fine. Hawthorne’s scheduled to be off today. Call him in if you have to. You choose. Gale or Peeta.” She levels me with a glare. “Twenty-two fourth graders. Bus will be here at eight sharp. Make sure they’re all kitted and on the bunny hill by nine,” Jo says as she walks away. “The rest of you, get to work,” she calls to the group of other instructors, who scramble to appear as if they hadn’t been watching our entire dress-down.

I let out a deep breath as beside me Peeta does the same. I glance up at him. He doesn’t look pissed anymore. He almost looks… sad. Resigned. He turns his gaze to mine, expectantly, waiting to be dismissed. To lose an entire day’s pay.

What do I do? Bring Gale in on his morning off to teach with me, even though he’s likely to be pissed about it. Or see if Peeta and I can call a truce, if only just for the day?

#EYOA #powder keg #what's it gonna be?#Gale or Peeta?#Peeta or Gale?

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