New! OSTC December Member Highlight!
David Miller
Each month we'll highlight another member so we can all get to know one another better! Member highlights are nominated and voted on by the OSTC board, then highlighted in that month's newsletter. That member will get the same set of Q&A! Read on for Mr. Miller's answers:
How did you get exposed to travel and adventuring, what brought you to our club?
My first introduction to skiing was in 1961 in Alaska where I was in the Air Force. I took lessons on base and skied Mt. Alyeska for the winters of ’61 and ’62. It was small back then - one 2 chair lift to mid-mountain, there were no groomed runs, you picked your way down between trees and big rocks and all on 195 cc skis with leather lace up boots. There was a strap on the boots to attach to the ski for not if you fell, but when you fell. Anyway I lived thru it… Upon discharge from the USAF I came to Florida where of course there are no mountains let alone snow. I thought my ski days were gone forever, but I got lucky, I was assisting a Dive Shop teaching students how to Scuba Dive and I met a lady. We clicked if you know what I mean, and with her being secretary on the board of the Orlando Ski Club it appeared I'd be able to ski again! After we married I took my first trip with the OSC and we went on a honeymoon trip to Copper Mountain, CO Club Med. I became involved in the club myself and a few years later found my self to be President of the OSC. Even though we eventually divorced, I stayed with the club and even became an officer in the Florida Ski Council (made up of all the FL clubs)
What is your favorite OSTC memory?
I've been skiing every year since then. I've skied all over the country, eastern and western Canada. Traveled with the club and Council to many destinations in Europe including Italy, Switzerland, France, Austria and even in Spain. Having made many friends in the club and skiing at so many places, I've created a lot of memories so I have to mention one that I relish often, I even have a picture of it on my refrigerator: And that is when I was on a trip to Chamonix France.
They have an adventure ski mountain there called Mt. Blanc, I believe it is the tallest Mt. in Europe at over 3300 meters. It is a Glacier ski run, requiring a guide for every 8 persons. The run has lots of powder at the top, steep and deep before you even get to the Glacier itself, and then comes the fun part, and the reason for the guide: Each day the Glacier moves and creates crevasses in the ice and the guides are advised daily of where these new breaks occurred and how to keep from falling into one. So money well spent!
Where is your favorite place to travel to and if you could create your own trip, what would it be?
Of all the places I've skied from Vail, Snowmass, Jackson Hole, Badgastein, Austria, Sierra Nevada, Spain - to name a few - I do have a favorite: it's Crested Butte, CO. Kinda small, hard-to-get-to resort that on a ski trip (with the FSC) somewhere around 1991 was very memorable. The OSC won its first ever FSC Cup ski race and the theme for the FSC party function? “Leather and Lace”. Wow. Quite a party to say the least. But honestly if I were to lead another ski trip for the OSTC - which I am not - it would not be to Crested Butte. I'm thinking Taos, New Mexico…
Hobbies, talents and interests outside of traveling:
I do have other things that interest me other than skiing, like hiking, whitewater rafting, bicycling, and kayaking. I used to scuba dive a lot but a lil too old for that now. And last but not least, is riding my Harley all over Florida and other state’s back roads.
Fun fact no one knows about you:
I really have never been on a Cruise Ship venture!
