I Can Ski!
Comments: 3
…sort of.
Had a great weekend skiing. The snow was lousy but what do I care; I didn’t know any better. Saturday morning when I stood there in skis for the first time I literally couldn’t move. After a few pointers I was able to do that riciculous-looking beginner thing where you point the ends of the skis in towards each other to get a modicum of control. I practiced that for a while and then decided that there was nothing else to do but Surrender To Gravity (which became a sort of mantra over the two days we were away). Took the lift to the top of the least threatening slope and let physics and pure, unhoned reaction take over. The results were surprising.
After lunch something strange happened: I could ski. Not the big inward pointy thing I’d been doing all morning, but a fast, occasionally carving parallel skiing. There was still the question of style, of course, but that’s something I plan to address next season. All that mattered was that I could ski! I could go (roughly) where I wanted to go, I didn’t hit anyone (at least not anyone I didn’t know) and I could go wickedly fast without falling over (too much).
I just couldn’t stop.
Stopping, I soon realised, is basically essential to skiing and it’s something I really should have paid more attention to. The thrill of speed overpowered the more sensible desire to control that speed, so by the time I reached the bottom of the slope I literally had to go into a controlled fall to stop. I was like a 747 with failed landing gear; long runway required and everybody stay the hell out of the way.
I took a bunch of excellent falls during the weekend, naturally, at one point ploughing into the ground in such a way that snow was forced up my nose until I felt like David Crosby at a Pablo Escobar open-house.
By far the most embarrassing thing, though, was the fact that my seven-year-old daughter was a way more confident and fearless skier than me. We’d get off the lift and she’d be gone. Wouldn’t wait, she’d just be gone. I spot her way off down the hill in front of me and struggle to catch up.
Great fun, all told. I can see why people get hooked. Can’t wait to try it again and get that stopping under control. Then I’ll really feel like a pro.
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Posted to The Good • 2002.03.04 (Mon) • 23:07
Comments
Posted by Doug 2003.01.02, 10:10
Skiing is super fun. Get hooked. Check out http://powdertour2k2.ransom.dyndns.ws/
Posted by jeffrey 2003.12.15, 12:44
I never skied before a few years ago. I took two beginning lessons the first year that set me on the right track, including stopping. Without being able to stop, you are a terror to the rest of us! Knowing that you can stop on command will help with that fearlessness you will need on those steep slopes. Watch out, this can really become a serious addiction. Soon you may find yourself religiously watching the 7 and 10 day weather forecasts and preparing your “Ski Go Bag” for those perfect condition days (if you live close enough to drive to a mountain).
Posted by ryan weese 2006.02.15, 02:50
Skiing kicks ass. I live in Whistler and ski all the time. You should take a lesson - it’ll improve your skiing really fast. That way you can beat your 7 year old down the hill.
If you’re ever in Whistler come check out the shop where I work or check it out online: www.GlacierShop.com
Keep skiing!
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