heh. Pere you look like yer catchin flies in that pic
Lothar:
1) I like snow! It's awesome to VISIT! Then I come back home. I probably learned this mindset living in Silicon Valley where multiple times per year we would stage holy weekend pilgrimmages to Heavenly Valley or Squaw Valley for skiing.
2) Hurricanes, snow & ice, earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, everywhere you live there's gonna be SOMETHING. I, for instance, prefer Hurricanes to Snow, Tornadoes, Ice & Snow, and Earthquakes.
I do have to admit, that despite my smug attitude, I really miss being able to drive to the slopes in only 5-6 hours. These days it would be a fairly major undertaking.