Skiing!!!
This past weekend was our annual Omnilux Ski Trip to Mammoth Mountain that Carter so kindly organizes. Three full days of skiing - Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We actually had a huge group this year - 12 people!!! It made for a fun time, but it definitely felt different, since Chris and Patty didn't show up due to prior plans.
This is my 3rd year of skiing (and enjoying it), and I really feel like I'm starting to come into my own with it. I took a short 1 hour class on Saturday morning. It helped, if only to confirm where I believe my skill level is. I need to break out of what my dad calls "stem-christies", and start really carving. The instructor (who also by chance was named "Heidi"), basically took me through all the same steps that I read about in "Breakthrough on the New Skis". It's good to know that the book gives standard instructions. I just need to actually follow what it says.
Anyway, we did our standard set of blues and blacks, but we also tried a few new blacks. I got a chance to try Upper Dry Creek, both smooth and moguled all to heck, and we also gimped down Dave's Run. Actually, we took the slightly easier "Roma's Run", named after Dave's wife, but it still scared the hell out of us. Looking back on it, I know I've done runs at least as bad as that one, but I guess the fear of the unknown, as well as the small trees scattered in the path scared me. My goal is to do that run again next year, and keep on doing it until I get comfortable with it, just like we did with the Santiago Bowl on the backside of the mountain.
One thing that I discovered this weekend - I think with a little more practice, I'm going to REALLY like skiing moguls. I'm not so great at this point, but when I do them and really get into the flow, it feels very meditative. There's something about having to concentrate on picking your path through the mogul field, having to plan out where you take your turns, that's very soothing. It's weird to describe it this way, but it feels "logical". Like when you're doing a hard math problem, and you're thinking really hard about how to unwind it, and then it unfolds itself in such a natural manner that you have a glimpse at the perfection that is the universe. It just feels...right.
Anyway, we're hoping to get one more ski trip in this season. We're starting to plan a trip out to Colorado to Copper Mountain for our anniversary. And in a similar fashion to our honeymoon, we're hoping some of our friends and family will join. If any of you out there are interesting in doing some skiing with us at the end of February, let me know!
This is my 3rd year of skiing (and enjoying it), and I really feel like I'm starting to come into my own with it. I took a short 1 hour class on Saturday morning. It helped, if only to confirm where I believe my skill level is. I need to break out of what my dad calls "stem-christies", and start really carving. The instructor (who also by chance was named "Heidi"), basically took me through all the same steps that I read about in "Breakthrough on the New Skis". It's good to know that the book gives standard instructions. I just need to actually follow what it says.
Anyway, we did our standard set of blues and blacks, but we also tried a few new blacks. I got a chance to try Upper Dry Creek, both smooth and moguled all to heck, and we also gimped down Dave's Run. Actually, we took the slightly easier "Roma's Run", named after Dave's wife, but it still scared the hell out of us. Looking back on it, I know I've done runs at least as bad as that one, but I guess the fear of the unknown, as well as the small trees scattered in the path scared me. My goal is to do that run again next year, and keep on doing it until I get comfortable with it, just like we did with the Santiago Bowl on the backside of the mountain.
One thing that I discovered this weekend - I think with a little more practice, I'm going to REALLY like skiing moguls. I'm not so great at this point, but when I do them and really get into the flow, it feels very meditative. There's something about having to concentrate on picking your path through the mogul field, having to plan out where you take your turns, that's very soothing. It's weird to describe it this way, but it feels "logical". Like when you're doing a hard math problem, and you're thinking really hard about how to unwind it, and then it unfolds itself in such a natural manner that you have a glimpse at the perfection that is the universe. It just feels...right.
Anyway, we're hoping to get one more ski trip in this season. We're starting to plan a trip out to Colorado to Copper Mountain for our anniversary. And in a similar fashion to our honeymoon, we're hoping some of our friends and family will join. If any of you out there are interesting in doing some skiing with us at the end of February, let me know!