Keep it between the ditches

Last week I spoke with American ski racer Julia Mancuso, who told me that she travels around the European World Cup ski circuit in a rented RV driven by her sister, April.

I sure wish we could borrow Mancuso’s RV. We’re never sure whether our bus drivers will get us to where we want to go.

The bus drivers here are hit-or-miss. Some are friendly and outgoing. Others are surly and unpleasant. Some are diligent. Others skip bus stops. Some go out of their way to help us. Others prefer to sleep in their buses while we’re waiting out in the cold.

Thankfully, though, all the drivers seem to be safe and conservative behind the wheel.

Coming back from the ski slopes at Sestriere Saturday night, we drove down a narrow, twisting mountain road. One side was a sheer rock wall; the other side was a steep nasty cliff.

Fortunately, the bus driver proceeded cautiously down the mountain. Unfortunately, several cars, trucks and smaller shuttle buses weren’t so cautious, preferring to zip around our bus at every opportunity, including several blind curves.

Someone told me that the roads in the Alps didn’t have guardrails. This one did, but it hardly mattered. I was on one of those tall tourist buses. It would have toppled over the guardrail faster than my baby daughter, Erika, topples over her building blocks.

We made it down safely, and I gained a newfound appreciation for our bus drivers’ professionalism. Until we got to Cesana Torinese and he wouldn’t stop until I spoke up.

Where was the Mancuso RV when I needed it?