christmas in west virginia

Kurt's parents own a ski condo at Snowshoe in West Virginia, so we traveled down there for Christmas before heading on to Alabama to see my family. It was great to spend time with Kurt's parents as well as his brother, Erik, and his girlfriend, Silvia.

West Virginia is tough to get to from New York, so we decided the train was our best mode of transportation. After taking a nap, reading, watching a few TV shows, and gazing out the window, the 10 hour ride went really quickly. I would choose a train trip over a driving any day. So much more relaxing!

Sadly, I don't ski (yet) but Kurt, his brother, and his mom hit the slopes a couple days.

One day we went riding in these off-road go-carts. Muddy thrill riding isn't exactly my thing but it was still pretty fun.

A couple days were really cold. It was my first experience with single digits temperatures. The frigid air hurt my delicate Southern skin but made for beautiful scenery. The way the snow clung to the trees made them look fake.

There isn't a ton to do at the resort but one afternoon we visited the pool and hot tub. I was appalled to learn they were outside! We had icicles on our hair and eyelashes! 

Another day, while Kurt was skiing, I visited the spa at the resort for a massage. It was outrageously expensive but a nice way to relax over the holidays. 

We spent some time playing fetch with the dogs in the snow.

We always play this game called Joker with Kurt's family. In the past, our board could only fit four players so all six of us could never play together. As a Christmas present, Kurt's parents made us a flexible board that could expand and fit a larger group. It was a hit and we played several rounds together!

And it wouldn't be a travel post without some food pictures! We ate most meals at the condo but made it to the village once for shrimp and grits.

Next up, our trip to Alabama!