I'm now addicted to white lines
Sadly, I don't have any photos to accompany this post. I'm sad about that, but I think it's for the best.
Snarky, Xtina and I headed for the mountain last week for an adventure. Waking up as the bars were just winding down was not ideal, but we did get to see drunk make out sessions at Union Square, and lots of people just trying to remember that it's one foot in front of the other. Pure comedy.
Three lost souls at this place. This was an absolute first for me and Xtina. Skiing was never a family destination for me anyways. FOB my parents didn't know. Hell, the only mountain we touched was during the summer for picnics...and three summers ago was our first family outing to a beach since I was 3 going to Coney Island!
Still, it's about time I learn. I needed to learn how to snowboard.
At first, I got that same feeling I do when I ride roller coasters. Fear. For some reason I don't just fear falling, but I fear falling and my head bouncing off the floor causing my untimely death. I know, but I get it from my dad who, on a plane back from Barbados 4 years ago, told me how when he gets on a plane, he thinks about what if the plane catches fire; that he's afraid of burning alive because that HAS to be the worst way to die. Thanks for the genes dad. I guess they finally fit.
Overcoming the fear and realizing that it just felt natural, I got the basic movement. It was stopping before reaching the slush and mud that encompassed us on this 60 degree day that was the problem. Several slams to my left butt cheek later, I found that it was easier to make turns and stop heel side. I got low to the ground and dug my heels into the ice and I stopped. Holy victory! I wanted to get faster. Screw trying to carve, I wanted to fly! But, this was my first day and the bunny slope was more a newborn with the lack of snow. My biggest problem the whole day was just starting. With a rainfall that drove us in for an early lunch, the ice was slicker, and it was a lot harder to slam my foot to lock the bindings. I just kept sliding. It was amazingly frustrating. We all felt defeated. We were at different levels struggling with different problems. Snarky couldn't stop without falling, Xtina's starting form looked more like Kelly Slater, and I couldn't even get into my bindings.
Then, our instructor helped give us a nice kick to our collective ass. He made me try turning and stopping toeside, made Xtina freeze in a squat down the hill and tried to make snarky overcome her fear getting lower to stop. After numerous falls on my poor knees (and no, I don't spend enough time on them as is...smart asses) I did get it twice. I was getting better and better after every frustrating run, and then I realized that I didn't want to stop. I wanted to keep going. This was new for me. I had ADD towards activities I don't get off the bat. Guitar playing, bowling, you name it. But this was different. I was constantly improving and having so much fun. We decided to all end strong and go in for a quick pint before getting on that bus.
It's a crazy expensive activity to do enough to really get good at. I know it's not like I can just get up and decide to go do it, but I would love to go do it more next season. Hopefully it's like riding a bike and I won't forget everything by next October!
Snarky, Xtina and I headed for the mountain last week for an adventure. Waking up as the bars were just winding down was not ideal, but we did get to see drunk make out sessions at Union Square, and lots of people just trying to remember that it's one foot in front of the other. Pure comedy.
Three lost souls at this place. This was an absolute first for me and Xtina. Skiing was never a family destination for me anyways. FOB my parents didn't know. Hell, the only mountain we touched was during the summer for picnics...and three summers ago was our first family outing to a beach since I was 3 going to Coney Island!
Still, it's about time I learn. I needed to learn how to snowboard.
At first, I got that same feeling I do when I ride roller coasters. Fear. For some reason I don't just fear falling, but I fear falling and my head bouncing off the floor causing my untimely death. I know, but I get it from my dad who, on a plane back from Barbados 4 years ago, told me how when he gets on a plane, he thinks about what if the plane catches fire; that he's afraid of burning alive because that HAS to be the worst way to die. Thanks for the genes dad. I guess they finally fit.
Overcoming the fear and realizing that it just felt natural, I got the basic movement. It was stopping before reaching the slush and mud that encompassed us on this 60 degree day that was the problem. Several slams to my left butt cheek later, I found that it was easier to make turns and stop heel side. I got low to the ground and dug my heels into the ice and I stopped. Holy victory! I wanted to get faster. Screw trying to carve, I wanted to fly! But, this was my first day and the bunny slope was more a newborn with the lack of snow. My biggest problem the whole day was just starting. With a rainfall that drove us in for an early lunch, the ice was slicker, and it was a lot harder to slam my foot to lock the bindings. I just kept sliding. It was amazingly frustrating. We all felt defeated. We were at different levels struggling with different problems. Snarky couldn't stop without falling, Xtina's starting form looked more like Kelly Slater, and I couldn't even get into my bindings.
Then, our instructor helped give us a nice kick to our collective ass. He made me try turning and stopping toeside, made Xtina freeze in a squat down the hill and tried to make snarky overcome her fear getting lower to stop. After numerous falls on my poor knees (and no, I don't spend enough time on them as is...smart asses) I did get it twice. I was getting better and better after every frustrating run, and then I realized that I didn't want to stop. I wanted to keep going. This was new for me. I had ADD towards activities I don't get off the bat. Guitar playing, bowling, you name it. But this was different. I was constantly improving and having so much fun. We decided to all end strong and go in for a quick pint before getting on that bus.
It's a crazy expensive activity to do enough to really get good at. I know it's not like I can just get up and decide to go do it, but I would love to go do it more next season. Hopefully it's like riding a bike and I won't forget everything by next October!
posted by lunacorvus at
9:31 AM
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