Bunny Tracks in the Snow!

As Mother Nature continues to dump snow on the North East, ski conditions remain prime! Skiers and snowboarders can take advantage of an extended ski season this year as well as some great spring deals. This is a great time to take advantage of the long Easter Weekend and get some last runs in before it’s all gone! Add a little challenge to your annual Easter egg hunt by adding a pair of skis to the mix. And don’t think you will miss your Easter Sunday services; many of the resorts offer a sunrise service at the top of the mountain. If you have never been, that is a site to behold! There are still great lodging deals at resorts such as Killington VT, Mt. Snow VT & Loon New Hampshire. Although it’s a holiday weekend the crowds will not overtake the resort leaving you with fresh powder and plenty of room to play! So don’t pack up the winter gear just yet and head for the hills, the Easter Bunny will be waiting for you!

Guest Blogger: Tips from John Egan, from Sugarbush Resort

In the morning I like to awaken my awareness of balance, and I do this by skiing with my boots unbuckled. Without the advantage of leverage, you can really feel the reaction from the ski when you pressure it. This way, you get a great feel for what the ski can do and how balance, not leverage, will work for you. Most days my boots stay unbuckled all day!

- Tips from John Egan, Sugarbush Resort

Tours de Sport Survey Winner for January!

As anyone who has traveled with us know, our clients receive a survey from us via email shortly after their trip with us asking how was the ski vacation, from booking the trip to the trip itself. The purpose of the survey is to help give us insight as to how we are doing as a company and to help improve upon future trips. For a few minutes of your time you get entered in our monthly drawing to win a $100 Travel Certificate that can be used on any ski vacation booked through Tours de Sport over the next 12 months to any of our many ski destinations. We will announce the winners at the beginning of each month here at our blog.

We would like to congratulate Anna D. for being chosen as the winner of our survey drawing for the month of January!

So be sure to fill out our survey when you receive it for a chance to win! Also, don't forget you can send us your pictures from your ski vacation and we will also put them up on our website as well! Even if you have traveled with us a long time ago, you can still send us your pictures for review!

Tours de Sport's New Website Design!

We have officially launched our new website design on ToursdeSport.com and have added site search! Please take it for a test drive and be sure to let us now what you think about it in the comments below.

We've given the site a fresh new look for 2008 while also adding site search, which will help you navigate the site that much easier - you can find the new search box at the top of every page at ToursdeSport.com. We have also made it easier for you to join our email list to receive out Hot Deals directly to your inbox (we typically send our hot deals out once or twice a month so don't worry about getting bombarded with unwanted email - we also do NOT sell our lists - we respect your privacy!).

We certainly hope we have made your visit to Tours de Sport a more pleasant experience with our new menu and new pages, but as always, we welcome any feedback. Thanks for visiting and enjoy your stay!

Guest Blogger: Tips from John Egan, from Sugarbush Resort

Pre-season conditioning tip – move your road run to the trails!

As many already know, running is a great way to get in shape for the ski season. It not only improves your cardio, but it also wakes up those skier thighs!

However, no matter how hard you train on pavement, it never seems to be enough. Day 2 soreness seems inevitable. It’s true – there is no better prep for skiing and riding than skiing and riding.

Whether you like bumps, trees, or groomers, snow sports require both an agile mind and body. You are required to constantly react to variable pitches, surfaces, and conditions. Your typical road run on the same route at the same time of day, cannot fully simulate and prepare you for the variable and dynamic nature of skiing and riding.

The good news… you can enhance the effectiveness of your pre-season runs simply by moving them to the trails. The uneven surfaces, hills and elevation better address the mind body dynamics of skiing than a road run. Here are some things to keep in mind to make your trial run fun, effective and safe:

• Look for uneven surfaces and terrain (hiking trails are great, even the side of the road right off the pavement can be good)
• Start out on trails with lesser elevation gain and gradually build up
• When running, place your feet on the bigger, stable surfaces and avoid plants and wobbly things – this really works your eye/foot coordination
• Watch your feet and each step, but also don’t forget to frequently look ahead to see what’s next
• Run with a friend and follow all safety and environmental rules as any hike or run

- Tips from John Egan, Sugarbush Resort

Boyne USA has Big Plans for their Maine Resorts

Both Sugarloaf and Sunday River have had an interesting year with the sale of the resorts from the American Skiing Company to Boyne USA and so far both resorts have been embracing this sale and encouraging skiers everywhere because they are now able to invest in some top notch improvements that will raise the bar for skiing in Maine.

Many skiers are anxious to see just what Boyne USA will do for these resorts. Both resorts already have very competitive snowmaking capabilities within the market and significant investments are being made which will result in more and better quality snow at a more energy efficient price as well at higher temperatures than before. Already improvements have been made in the areas of snowmaking and grooming equipment for the upcoming season.

Sugarloaf intends to provide a fresh updated look and feel to the base village, remove the gondola midstation and repave the arrival entrance - many small improvements are being made weekly that will make a difference. They will soon be outlining the almost $3.8 m investment and almost 1.5m will be on mountain improvements such as snowmaking and grooming.

Sunday River has already made a number of improvements that will be noticed by returning guests - and besides having investments in snowmaking and grooming equipment will also be spending some time looking at the lodging at the resort. Upgrades and improvements will be suggested to condo associations and will be worked on throughout the ski season.

Early Season Ideas to Keep Your Feet Happy and Have a Fun First Day on the Slopes.

Just a few simple early season suggestions to ease back into your ski boots makes a world of difference for any level skier.

• First remove the ski boot liners to check for any old boot warmers or signs of a mouse nest that may have developed during the fall.
• Put on only one pair of thin ski socks. Wearing two pairs of socks does not help at all and may even cause your feet to become colder from lack of circulation.
• Be sure to wear your boots around the house a few times before you actually go skiing.
• Make sure that you boots fit properly. They should not be too big or feel loose.
• Shin problems are a major issue for an uncomfortable feeling. This could be from your long underwear ending midway in the boot causing shin pressure. Make sure that you have no wrinkles in the boot from socks or under garments.
• A good boot fitter can easily suggest ways to help with your boot problems once you have skied a few times. You may want to try a foot bed to help naturalize your foot balance.
• Next, make sure that you have your ski bindings checked by a certified technician. This is very important for your safety and may help prevent serious injury.
• Have your skis waxed and tuned, especially if rust has developed.

You should be ready to head to the slopes and make a few turns. Have fun and enjoy the ski season.

Before you hit the slopes be sure to give Tours de Sport a call.

By: Goody Dwyer