Ski-wampus

I'd made a goal last year, that I carried into this year as well, to try something new every month - a new adventure, a new look, a new friend, a new hobby, etc.  This month, I got to know someone who helped me keep my goal - BRING ON LIFE!!!

I went skiing for the first time EVER!!  CK offered to take and teach me so we set a time and did it.  

The night before, I spent most of the evening pestering Little One and Mackie: asking them if my gear would be warm enough, how to stop, what I could expect, tips and hints, how to get up when I fall, and just the general "I'm nervous, help me feel better" kind of stuff.  I don't know what I was more nervous about - not being able to ski or not being able to stop.  To check gear warmth, I bundled up and stood outside.  (Needless to say, I got a couple odd looks from passersby because it's been pretty warm outside lately.)  To check form, I role-played.  To check nervousness, I....suffered.

Ski day!!  CK picked me up early in the morning and we got breakfast before hitting the road.  The whole drive up, I went through the following cycle: excitement - nervousness - dread - anxiousness - second guessing - excitement - nervousness.  All of that shut down as soon as we pulled up to the resort and I was left with total EXCITEMENT!!  

After bundling up and renting gear, we rode a gondola up to the top.  That's when I started getting nervous again.  What was I getting myself into.  I'm up on a HUGE mountain covered in slick death,  I'm planning to slide down it on only two skinny planks, strapped to my feet, and the only thing between me and hurting myself (or my pride) is air and snow.    

Embarrassment 1 of thousands - Falling flat on my face getting off the ski-lift.  I hadn't made it more than 5min and I already had a face of snow and red cheeks from embarrassment.  CK was very good about making sure I was ok and then off we went.  The first run was pretty bad!  I fell about every 15 feet and couldn't turn left to save my life.  Right-hand turns were my best friends.  It took a while, but I figured out that "Pizza" was a good thing....not that I needed more convincing of that.  If things got crazy, I was to "sit and fall".  Sometimes I really enjoyed that option because speed was NOT something I was enjoying.  CK is a VERY patient teacher and would walk me through things until I felt better...then I'd talk myself out of it....then he'd talk me back into it and we'd go.  After about an hour, we still hadn't made it to the bottom even once, but I started getting the hang of it.  With a lot of affirmation, cheers, and encouragement I finally got a hang of turning left and right, left and right.  Each turn, I'd slow myself to a stop, turn around, and then go the other way and stop.  This cycle repeated itself LOADS, interspersed with plenty of "ground time," until we reached the bottom.  (see video)

CK suggested we unstrap and sit down.  We talked for a long time before he asked if I was ready to go again.  Though a little nervous, I agreed.  This time, I made it off the ski-lift just fine and I was REALLY proud of myself.  We skied a different route this time and I got really nervous again...which caused me to chicken out and fall.  As soon as this would happen, CK knew exactly how to talk me back into realizing that I was doing just fine.  He'd help me up, talk me through it, then push me off to try again.  Once I learned to trust myself and go for it, I would ski like a beginner-pro.  That's when I felt like I owned the world.  All it took was trusting myself.  Every so often, CK would shout some affirmation or praise and then ski ahead of me.  We were having loads of fun trying new routes and laughing at each other when we'd both hit the ground.

After 4 or 5 more runs, we decided to take break and get Belgian Waffles from a little stand on the mountain.  Waffles crusted in sugar, topped with fruit and whipped cream...DEFINITELY hit the spot, for both of us.  Once we were finished, CK offered me a challenge.  (Anyone who knows me KNOWS how I love challenges/competitions).  He challenged me to a race.  At the end of the day, as we left, we'd race to the bottom.  If he got there first, he'd take me out to dinner.  If I got there first, he'd take me out to pizza to celebrate mastering "the Pizza."  I would ride the gondola down and he'd ski the slope right below it; whoever got there first got bragging rights.  GAME ON!!! 

Notice at which perspective this picture is taken....!!  

My gondola rode right above him so I got to watch the master at work.  Somewhere along the slope it hadn't been roped off to prepare the slalom section so he had to backtrack a little.  I won and got to watch him ski down to the finish.  While I waited, I ran into some skiers from "Canada" we'd met on the way up.  They'd chastised CK for taking me up the mountain to learn instead of taking advantage of the flat surfaces, but they'd seen us on the slopes and were really impressed with both his teaching and my learning.  They wanted to congratulate him and apologize for doubting.  Before getting the chance to talk with him once he came down, they left.  Funny people!  He came off the snow with a big smile and mild frustration at not winning...who wouldn't like to win.  The whole day, CK praised me for being such a quick learner and such a good skier after only my first time, but really it takes a good teacher to help the learner learn.  He'd compliment me....I'd compliment right back...BUT, I'll take the praise, anyways.

The next few days were physically miserable as my body decided to go on strike.  I waddled like a grandma, struggled up and down stairs, and basically wallowed in misery.  Good thing it was the weekend when I have every excuse and reason to do so.  By Tuesday, I was back in commission and ready for another adventure.

Overall -- FANTASTIC experience that I definitely want to do again...and again and again.  BRING ON LIFE!