Third-Year Boarding

We're winding up our third year of skiing (Otto and the boys) and snowboarding (me). If we hadn't moved up here, I'm 98% sure I never would have tried this sport. When we lived in Victoria, TX, many of our friends would go on an annual ski trip. Otto always wanted to go, and I always resisted. Vehemently. Feelings of "NO WAY!!" stemming from a bad ski experience in high school, where a group of us took a half day lesson, in jeans. I wiped out pretty good that day, skis and poles stuck in the snow so steadfastly that I couldn't free myself and required the help of others. A wipe-out that, I believe, contributed to me needing knee surgery a few months later.

(Photo creds: Otto and his iPhone.)


Fast forward twenty years. We move to Red Deer, a mere two hours from the Canadian Rockies, and some of the world's most AWESOME skiing. Otto still desperately wants to ski, and informs me that I can stay home if I want, but he's going to learn. Well, I didn't want to sit around the house while he was out having fun!

Still VERY leery of skis, I decided snowboarding may be the thing to try. My knees would be locked in one direction. Not as much stress, so went my logic, as if they were free to go opposite ways with me desperately trying to convince them to stay together.

If you had told me 10 years ago that I'd be barreling down a snow-covered mountain on a snowboard at some point in the future (in an upright position, no less), I'd have laughed. There have been countless falls, a bruised if not cracked tail bone - multiple times, and frustration. I'm pretty sure it has taken me longer to get to this point than it would have taken most people. But now I can attack a blue run, even with packed conditions. (Not icy conditions, but packed. And no black runs yet; we'll save that for next year.) I'm proud of myself. And I'm proud of Otto and Andy and Sam. They love skiing.


It was ridiculously cold again this weekend in Red Deer, and had we stayed in town, we would have been inside the whole weekend. Curiously, it was warmer at the ski hill in the mountains. We enjoyed fresh air and exercised our bodies for three days straight, versus getting agitated with one another from being cooped-up.

At some point, as I was resting on the side of the slope and taking in the view, I realized it was Sunday. Not a bad way to appreciate the beauty of the Earth and to give thanks.


I guess I'll file this under nothing ventured, nothing gained. And hopefully we'll get a few more runs in before the snow melts.