The first run down the Swiss DH course started okay but as soon as we left the upper rocky sections and entered the steep muddy ones there were incidents galore! Luckily the sun made a showing and the course (and the shorter course on the other side of Les Crosets) dried fast during the day. We also tried a few other lines with entertaining consequences. I had brought the video gear too and as soon as I switched it on Simon got "camera shite" and threw himself off in front of me ;) We finished up a very long day by taking the "Derbyshire" route back towards Les Linderets, picking up the bottom part of the new DH course into there (very steep, very muddy and full of breaking bumps) before Rob finally led us back down the roots and switchbacks to Morzine. An epic and brilliant day out which we finished as is traditional in Bar Robinson.

Next day was designated as Jamie's stag and we all donned full hawaiian gear for the days riding. Les Gets was the venue and we had fun on the Chavannes course and the bike park in the morning before lunch in the town. Gaz's skirt seemed very popular with the locals! :) After lunch we split up with some folk heading over to Morzine for the Pleney, some heading back to the digs for a rest and some of us checking out Mont Chery. First run down what used to be the bottom half of the DH course was fun with the final steep sections being very slippery. Second run Baz decided we should check out the "Gorillas in the mist" trail (called Golem by most people I believe?). Wet, stupid steeep and rooty. What could possibly go wrong? Steve, Andy and myself decided against and did the normal black run again. I had an entertaining crash doing this so we weren't too fast getting down. As we crossed the road near the bottom my phone was ringing. It was my wife ringing from the UK to say that she had had a phone call from Simon who was somewhere on the mountain, alone with a broken ankle! :(

To cut a long story short: Simon had broken his ankle while walking a steep section, ambulances were organised and we found Simon and helped the parmedics carry him off the hill. It was a bit of an epic and we were all gutted for him. Once he was safely in hospital we retired to Bar Bush ("It was what he would have wanted!") and phoned the lads to bring his paperwork and a van. We'd only had a couple of pints when he was back with us in plaster! A bit better than your typical UK A&E!!

Next day we headed to Chatel via the Pre la Joux bike park. The weather now was pretty good but there was still no point in removing the mud tyres if you had fitted them! The course we used to love at Chatel was nothing like it used to be. Part of it has gone completely due to a new piste and the rest has been neglected. We were dissappointed and after one run and some lunch we crammed ourselves back in the bus back to Pre la Joux. We spent the rest of the day sessioning the lower runs in the bike park before heading home via the "Star Wars" (Sherpa) bar in Morzine. That night we all headed into town for a nice meal in a restaurant to finish the stag that had been prematurely ended the day before by Simon's accident.

The last day riding was Friday. We had a fairly chilled day at Les Linderets mostly riding the fun blue course. To finish Toder and I had a quick couple of goes on the air bag which was free. It was a good laugh and if I'd had more energy I'd have had some more goes. I reckon you'd soon start improving but we just plopped off the ramp while some young lad pulled back flips etc to show us up! ;)

Despite the weather it was still a cracking holiday and good to be back in the Portes du Soleil - though I reckon we could have them over that name!

Photos are now here. Video to come when I have time.