Your Excellency, Honorable Officers, and Distinguished Members,
I am most pleased to report the Results of another successful Expedition by the brave and stalwart Members of the mighty Harford Ski Club. A full Complement of 28 Adventurers embarked upon our Quest to conquer the Heights of the Steamboat Springs Resort, deep in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. Lord Ernst & Lady Lisa, Lord Joseph & Lady Diane, Lord Duane & Lady Maria, Lord Robert & Lady Jane, Lord Michael & Lady Johanna, Lord David & Lady Alena, Lord Hanns & Lady Patricia, were attended by Mistress Kelly, Mistress Kim, Sir William, Sir Richard, Sir John, Mistress Jordan, Sir Robert, Sir Evan, Sir Drew, Sir Joseph, Sir Dennis, Mistress Anne, and Sir Michael.
Happily, almost two hundred Members from across the Eastern Pennsylvania Ski Council joined us on the Adventure, which they stylized as a Winter Carnival.
We embarked upon our Journey on Saturday, the 25th of January, Year of Our Lord 2025, boarding a mighty United Airship at the Port of Baltimore-Washington. Our Passage included a Layover at the Port of Houston in the Great State of Texas. Unfortunately, a Miscommunication resulted in one of our Company missing his Connection and returning to Maryland. Happily he joined us later in the Week. The Remainder of the Complement arrived safely at the Port of Hayden in fine fiddle.
Two Land-ships transported us to our Lodgings where further Complications arose due to the Proprietor switching our Reservations around. Extensive Communications between the Tour Operator, the Proprietor, the displaced Parties, and your humble Servant resolved the difficulties and all settled into comfortable Apartments for the Duration of our Visit. Avoiding split Lodgings whenever possible serves as a Lesson-to-be-Learnt from this Episode.
Sunday dawned clear and cold, and we commenced our Assault on the Heights of Steamboat Resort, ascending to the wind-swept Peaks and charging down the snow-packed Slopes with Grace and Style.
On Sunday Evening, our Hosts arranged a Welcome Party at the very top of the Mountain, and all who attended experienced a good and lively Time.
The following Day, we continued our successful Charges on the Heights, which included a Practice Run on the fearsome Carnival Race Course. After demonstrating our racing Prowess on the Mountain, we registered two Teams for the Race later that Evening: the Harford Hellcats (Sir John, Sir Joseph, Mistress Jordan, and myself) and the Harford Hurricanes (Lord Robert, Mistress Kim, Mistress Anne, Lord Joseph, and Sir William). On Tuesday, the two mighty Teams raced against much more experienced Competition, while the remainder of our Company continued to explore the Peaks and Valleys of the Range. Following the Race, the two Teams joined the Pursuit.
The Assault on the Mountain continued with yet another Bluebird Day on Wednesday, though many in our Company took a Day of Rest and Respite. That Evening, the entire Entourage attended a Snow Glow themed Gala Celebration at the Top of the Mountain. The mighty Harford Ski Club dominated the Event, with Lady Patricia and Lord Michael winning the Best Costume/Dance-Off Competition in the Female and Male categories, respectively. Additionally, the Organizers announced that the Harford Hellcats, mere Novices in the racing Community, captured Third Place in the Race Competition. The Winners and Losers partied late into the Night.
Undaunted by the lateness of the previous Evening (nor the excess consumption of fine Spirits), our Party resumed its Assault on the Mountains on Thursday. Unfortunately, a dastardly Snow Snake committed a cowardly Attack on Mistress Kim, resulting in some Injury from which we expect her to a fully Recover. To facilitate her Rehabilitation, and indeed, to speed our own Restoration from our Exertions, a Number of our Company visited the renowned Strawberry Hot Springs located not far from our Lodgings, and partook of the restorative Powers of those famous Baths.
Another Bluebird Day awaited us on Friday, and we recommenced our Offensive on the Peaks and Valleys of the Resort, fairly exhausting ourselves in the pursuit of the perfect Run.
On Saturday, February 1st, we bid our Hosts a fond Farewell and embarked upon our Return to the fair County of Harford, departing on a great United Airship from the Port of Hayden. After laying over once again at the Port of Houston, we arrived in fine Shape at the Port of Baltimore-Washington, none the worse for our spectacular Journey.
Your most humble Servant,
Steve Landry
Trip Leader
