We're on for next month.  Flights in the bag.  The excitement mounts.  Planning to have Tom give me a lesson in the half-pipe.  Only question at this time is whether it will snow!?

Stay tuned...

8:20 start on Parsenn riding the Palmer.  Snow conditions were good, particularly compared to Jakobshorn.

Typical last day on the hill.  I stayed on the runs around the Jock and was joined by Patrick and H for a rip around at about 10:00.  We charged down to the Hutta and ran through the Boarder-X.  However, it was mainly a gentle morning for me, soaking-up the atmosphere and just enjoying being on board.

Patrick and H departed and I met DS for one final charge down the front face to the village.  We started at the Jock at 12:30 and were down in less than 10 minutes.  The final section was in the best condition I can remember - no moguls, no punters, just softening spring snow.  Just DS and me and a need for speed!  A great last run of the trip.

Express packing then a final brewski with DS at the station.

Trip home was uneventful.

Thanks DS for hosting yet another super trip.  Already looking forward to the next...

Businesslike 10:00 start on Jakobshorn, riding the Palmer, accompanied by Patrick and H.

The mountain was less busy than yesterday, but still puntered to death.  Pretty much straight to the pipe, which was still in fantastic condition and hardly being used.

All three of us hit our stride and made the most of the conditions.  The vibe built until I was riding as confidently as I ever have in the pipe.  However, that crutial out-of-the-pipe air remain out of reach - too nervous to really let go and ride out.

Mountain kebab lunch; nice!  Few more runs then Patrick and H started filming before going their own way.  I stayed in the pipe until the close.  Conditions were too good to waste and I cannot really return tomorrow.  Patrick reappered and the vibe built again.  Then, after a few progressively smooth runs I made air.  Healside wall, third turn, now doubt about it, I was out of the pipe.  What's more, I didn't stack the rest of the run.

Carried on a while longer but was too tired to really push myself.  Still a real win.  Trick is to capture the technique so that I can pick-up where I leave off this time.  Stay tuned.

16:15 finish.  Swift cafe Bailey at Chalet Gougle with Patrick before zooming off Jakobshorn for the last time this trip.

Top day.

Relaxed 11:00 start on Jakobshorn riding the Palmer.  Conditions as before, albeit slightly warmer.  I took no chances and wore extra layers.  Toasty all day.

Hill was covered in punters.  Longest queues I've seen in Davos.  Mountain needs snow.  However, the half pipe was in amazing condition, and generally unused.  It was safer in the pipe than on the hill in general.

Built up quickly to some of my best ever runs.  Finally starting to push off the wall and ride the base without skidding off speed; result smoother, more consistent runs and more speed up the wall.

I was wondering how to push myself harder when Patrick rocked up.  After a couple of runs we were well into it.  I finally started to ride to the very top of the wall on every turn, seeing out of the pipe for the first time this season, which means there's some propper air to be had.

We carried on until they started to shut the parc.  Top day.  Just the one I'd been hoping for.  Celebrated with a cafe Baliey's at the top of the Hill before making a final charge to the village.

Top day!

10:00 start on Jakobshorn riding the Palmer.  Would have been earlier if I'd cought the right bus.  The one I took haired-off in the wrong direction and left me with a fair walk back!

Sun was shining, but it was considerably colder than yesterday, which caught me out - I was underdressed and consequently cold all day.

The mountain desparately needs snow.  It was also covered in idiot punters, hurtling out of control in all directions.  They closed the half pipe at midday.  I was pathetic anyway so maybe they did me a favour!

Left Jakobshorn around 15:30 and headed over to Parsenn, in a desparate attempt to salvage something from the day.  Caught the last train to the top of the Jock.  Conditions were slightly better.  Other than the two key bottlenecks on the key run to the village this was the best run of the day.

Despite all this, it beats being at work!

9:50 start on Jakobshorn riding the Allian.  Yet another bluebird day and warmer, too.

Started the day riding with Patrick and H.  Warm-up blast around the hill then into the parc.  Nice and smooth over the kicker but rubbish in the pipe.

Patrick and H had to leave for work, which left me riding the parc on my own.  There were two kids being trained in the pipe, using markers at strategic places over the wall.  Took me ages to find any rhythm but lining-up on the training markers certainly helped me concentrate.  By the end of the day I was starting to ride much better.  Think I could do even better on the Palmer (something for tomorrow, perhaps).

Meanwhile, the tips and hints I passed on to H the other day set me thinking about my own riding, which I tidied-up today (more pressure on the nose from the leading leg).

Kept going until the last parc lift at 16:30.  Tells you something about how much fun I was having.

Final blast back to the village.  All in all, a good day.

Lazy start, 10:20 on Jakobshorn riding the Allian with tunes.  Solo today - everyone else was too battered!  Bluebird day, more like late March.  Reggee today.

Made my first visit to the snow parc this season.  Conditions were among the best I can remember.  Made good air over the top kicker all day and warmed-up in the half-pipe.  Sessioned the whole hill, riding switch, hitting lips and jibbing 180s of all forms between parc runs.

The pipe was superb.  After a few runs I started to find a little form.  I've certainly ridden better, but several elements of the later runs were encouraging.

Late ride out at 16:15, making it a fairly full-on day.  Lucky 13th.

9:30 start on Jakobshorn for the first time this season.  Bluebird day - just for a change.  Completely cloudless but not warm.  Pistes were slick.

Hooked-up with Patrick, H and Christina.  Spent the early morning ripping around on the Allian.  Then spent a couple of hours instructing H, who made great progress and bought me lunch for my trouble.  As H was taking it slowly, I took the opportunity to jib the hits and ride switch between handing out tips.  I didn't make it to the parc, but still had a decent day of it.  One of the side effects of passing-on tips to another rider is that it makes you reconsider your own style and technique.  So today was a bit of a school day.

After a late lunch, I returned to tearing around until after 4 o-clock.  Another full day of it, albeit slightly less full-on than the previous two.  Treated myself to a new slimline mid-layer ('Burton AK' for kit wonks).

Quiet evening in prospect.

9:15 lift.  Bluebird sky.  Took to Parsenn with DS, Colin and Doug.

General rip around.  Lunch at the Hutte with Sholto and Louis.  Riding high spots were two runs off the back of the Gipfel and the final charge down the Jock at 16:00.

Another very full day.  Managed to keep going despite everything hurting.  Took a couple of snow-baths!  One while cutting the corner on the way to the Alto Schwendi, the other off piste on the way down the Schwarzseealp.  Felt more like day three than two.  Need to take it easy tomorrow.

Apres reebs at the Parsenn.  Toast!

08:00 queue for lift tickets.  First train up the hill.  Clear skys, corduroy under board.  Not a punter in sight.  Welcome to Davos and have a nice day!  It's good to be back.

Quick to test as many old favs as possible.  Nose press on the track round the Jock, 180s on the run to the Haute, boarder-X and kicker, ollies off anything that looks like a lump, light-speed off the Jock in all directions.  All good.  Pretty solid start for first ride of the season.  SurfyMDO's a happy little camper.

Hooked-up with Colin and Doug for a general charge around the Hutte and down to Klosters.

Final charge down to Dorf.  Full eight hours on the hill.  Board off, Seehof beers on.

What a bunch of ar5e!

So the bag was left in London.  Okay, it reached Zurich around 19:30 last night.  Great.  They're gonna send it on.  Perfect.  Why didn't they do it there and then!?  The trains run up to Davos until late in the evening.  No, why not keep it in Zurich until the morning, then wait to call me after the first train has gone and the next one carrying baggage isn't until 14:00.  'Most people are reunited with their luggage within 24 hrs, Sir.'  Bolox.  I landed Nearly 30 hours ago and still no bag...

So far, BA has cost me a day and a half of precious snowboarding time.  Thanks a lot.  Better have your wallet ready 'cos my hand's goin' in, British Ar5eways, this has gone on too long.

Stay tuned!

IT'S HERE!  Pathetic display of joy and relief on seeing the bag through the window of the baggage-car.  Good news is it has arrived in one piece, all items accounted for.

BA has cost me a whole day for sure.  Claim coming.

On the up, I found a pair of abandoned Prada sunnies.  I did wave them around to see if anyone wanted to claim them.  No one did.  Haven't found anything like that since I recovered a pair of original Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunnies in a bar on the Hollywood Road.  These are not really guy-sunnies.  However, sure I can find a good home for them...

With a bit of luck, I should be able to type about snowboarding tomorow!  Stay with it...

Well I'm here.  Shame about all my kit.

Thanks BA. "Ba***rd Airways"!?

Real shame, too, as it is a bluebird day with good lookin' sno.

Hope the bag will appear tomorrow, but there are no guarantees.  Best case is they just left the bag at Gatwick and it makes the afternoon flight.  Not so good case, they've sent it to Austrailia - could take a while to come back from there.  Worst cast, it's lost altogether!

So, sittin' here, twidling keyboard.  Nice!

NEWS:

They claim to have found the bag and are sending it on.  Not expected to arive before at least midday Saturday though!  Fingers crossed.