Courtyard Houses: From Bronze Compasses to Global Reach

Chapter 181 Heading to the Ski Track, Hidden Clues

After a satisfying meal, the group left the restaurant, and the convoy took them to a large, seemingly professional ski equipment store in South Lake Tahoe. Upon entering, they were greeted by a scent of leather, wood, and a faint aroma of wax. The walls and shelves were filled with a dazzling array of equipment, instantly immersing them in the unique atmosphere of skiing.

The snowboards in the shop are mainly laminated boards with a wood core and metal edges, which was indeed the pinnacle of technology at the time. The glossy surfaces are printed with the logos of brands such as Kästle, Head, and Rossignol, and look quite sophisticated under the lights. Occasionally, you can see a few pure wood snowboards, which do look somewhat outdated in comparison.

Lin Yan was quite picky about materials. He picked up a Head snowboard, tapped it with his fingers to feel its toughness and weight, and carefully inspected the workmanship of the metal edges. Li Wenbin, on the other hand, valued appearance more, pointing excitedly at a Kästle snowboard with bright red stripes. Zheng Jiaming and Tang Liuqian were more practical, choosing the appropriate length and stiffness based on their height and weight, as suggested by the shop assistant. Yang Xi'en also enthusiastically selected a lighter women's snowboard.

Next came the snow boots. Almost all of them were high-top brown or black leather boots, with densely packed eyelets, making them quite difficult to put on and take off. Li Wenbin tried on a pair, took a couple of awkward steps, and complained, "Wow, so hard! Like a tin can!"

What made Lin Yan frown even more was the accompanying "bear trap" style binding. This metal binding looked very sturdy, but the salesperson frankly informed him, "Gentlemen, please note that this binding usually doesn't release automatically upon a fall; it needs to be manually released. Therefore, please be sure to carefully control your speed and avoid violent impacts." Lin Yan knew that this was the culprit behind the high risk of lower leg fractures among skiers today. He silently noted this down.

The clothing section was filled with thick parkas and wool trousers, mostly in solid colors like dark blue, dark green, and red. Thick wool sweaters and hand-knitted hats were standard accessories. Li Wenbin picked up a heavy parka, weighed it in his hand, and exclaimed, "Can you even move in that?"

Looking at this "primitive" equipment by modern standards, Lin Yan recalled the adage "cotton is the devil." While these wool and cotton garments were warm, they easily caused heat loss once soaked with sweat during exercise, and they were also very heavy and lacked breathability. But there was nothing he could do; this was a limitation of the era.

The goggles section displayed some simply designed goggles and ski sunglasses with tinted lenses, but their anti-fog technology and field of vision were far inferior to those of later generations. Lin Yan selected a few pairs with relatively better visibility.

In addition, they purchased snow wax according to the list to adjust the speed of their skis according to the snow conditions, a simple first aid kit containing mainly bandages and simple splints, which are especially necessary given the danger of bindings, as well as essential items such as ski poles.

As he checked out, looking at the huge pile of gear bearing the marks of the era, Lin Yan felt a sense of helplessness. By today's standards, this equipment was quite questionable in terms of both performance and safety. But that was the reality of this time. He glanced at the still excited Li Wenbin beside him and Zheng Jiaming and Tang Liuqian, who were carefully checking their gear, and thought to himself, "Looks like I'll have to put in a lot more effort this skiing trip to ensure their safety."

After the driver helped carry the heavy ski equipment back to their rooms, Lin Yan gathered everyone in the living room of his suite. He spread out a ski map of the Lake Tahoe area and presented two options:

"We now have two main options. One is Paradise Ski Resort, right here in South Lake Tahoe. You can take the gondola up the mountain; the slopes are well-developed, the scenery is stunning, and it's the choice for most tourists." He moved his finger across the map, pointing to a location a little further away. "The second option is to drive about two hours to Squaw Valley, which is a competition venue specifically built for next year's Winter Olympics. The facilities are newer, and the slopes are more challenging."

Without almost any hesitation, Li Wenbin was the first to shout, "No way! Two hours of driving is too much of a hassle! Let's go skiing in Paradise! What an auspicious name!" Zheng Jiaming and Tang Liuqian also nodded in agreement; they wanted a relaxing vacation and didn't want to waste time on the road. Yang Xi'en naturally followed everyone's opinion.

"Okay, let's go to Paradise Ski Resort then." Lin Yan readily agreed.

With the decision made, everyone went back to their rooms to change. Thick wool sweaters, heavy parkas, tight leather snow boots… it took quite a bit of effort to put them on. Li Wenbin was sweating profusely in his room before he finally managed to get the outfit sorted out.

Lin Yan's approach was much simpler. With a thought, his cloud-patterned robe, impervious to water and fire, and unaffected by heat or cold, quietly appeared, covering his everyday clothes. Following his will, it transformed into a blue ski jacket and trousers that looked no different from the current trendy styles, yet its texture appeared far lighter and more structured than a regular parka. He casually picked up his helmet and put it on, stuffed the simple goggles into his pocket, and slung his newly bought Head skis over his shoulder. The only discomfort was the stiff ski boots.

In the corridor, the others were still adjusting their somewhat bulky outfits. Seeing Lin Yan dressed "lightly," even though the style was similar, Li Wenbin's composure and neatness made him mutter enviously, "Yan, how did you get dressed so quickly? And you look so relaxed?"

Lin Yan simply smiled and didn't explain further: "I'm used to it. Are you all set? Let's go."

The group boarded the car again and soon arrived at the ski resort's cable car station. Although it wasn't the weekend, there were still quite a few skiers, and the queue for the cable car stretched out in a long line. Most of them were Caucasian, making Lin Yan and his group, a group with Asian features, stand out.

As they waited in line, several mocking and disdainful glances were cast their way again. It was the same five white youths they'd met at the restaurant at lunchtime; they too were fully equipped and standing in another line not far away. Seeing Lin Yan and his group, especially their "standard" and even slightly cumbersome beginner gear, the group exchanged knowing looks, their lips curling into a sneer as they muttered under their breath:

"Look, those Eastern lads are riding the cable car too."

"Hey, watch out, don't fall off the cable car."

"See you on the ski slopes later, don't block the way."

Their voices weren't loud, but in the noisy environment, their malicious whispers still carried clearly. Li Wenbin and Zheng Jiaming also vaguely heard them this time, and their faces immediately darkened. Tang Liuqian frowned and pulled Yang Xi'en closer to him.

Lin Gang and Lin Yi's eyes instantly sharpened, like blades about to be drawn from their sheaths.

Lin Yan seemed to ignore him, only looking up at the slowly moving cable car and the snow-covered slopes gleaming in the sunlight in the distance.

He gently patted the shoulders of Li Wenbin and Zheng Jiaming, who were somewhat indignant beside him, his tone calm and even:

"Let's go, get in the car. The real show... is yet to come."