IT'S NOT EASY BEING A SOUTHERN BELLE-EVEN AFTER YEARS OF PRACTICE!













Saturday, January 26, 2008

I'M NO SNOW BUNNY!



As you know from my blog name, the one thing in my life that I might change if I had the opportunity is to be a “Real Athlete”. I aspire and I desire to be able to do great athletic feats, but alas, I do not have the talent. I have always been just a middle of the road athlete and in my old age, that will just have to do. I tend to be lazy in my training and I like to find my comfort zone and stay there. The phrase, “No Pain-No Gain”- is correct when it comes to sports.

I have enjoyed reading Camille’s blog this week about all of the snow they have had in Erie. It has definitely pushed the button in Erie and she has had MANY and long comments about the weather and all that goes along with it. I suppose it is much like that here in the South in the summer, only we are commenting about the heat and humidity while they are enjoying relative (to us) cool weather there.

All of the snow talk started me to thinking about my experiences learning to snow ski (as opposed to water skiing here in the South which I find easy). My first trip to Colorado was chaperoning a church trip during Spring Break. Camille was in the 6th grade, so I must have been about 48 and Bobby would have been 53, NOT EXACTLY SPRING CHICKENS.

After the 20+ hour bus ride to Purgatory( I fondly call it “The Bus Ride From Hell”), my tail was dragging, but then the SNOW. WOW! I had never seen snow that deep before and was I impressed! The snow would be deeper than the fence posts as you rode along the road. The mountains –OH THE MOUNTAINS! Who could not believe in God that has seen the mountains! This web footed, slow drawling Louisianaian was in awe!

The first morning everyone was required to take the group lesson. We went to the “Bunny Hill” which was as high, if not higher, than any hill we had in North Louisiana. The short lift there went incredibly slow and would even stop to get you on, if necessary. I WANTED TO SKI-Oh how I wanted to ski! I listened to the instructions by the still wet behind the ear instructor. I tried to do just what he said, but when the morning was over, I still could not ski. Now I could glide across the snow and I learned to sit on my rear to stop, but that is NOT SKIING!

That afternoon we were on our own. Most of the teens in the group, even the new skiers, were off and up the mountain as soon as they were turned loose. I still could not ski the “Bunny Hill”, so I stayed and worked on learning. One thing I can say about my athletic feats, I WILL TRY & I AM WILLING TO WORK HARD AT TIMES. I rode up that lift and tried to come down that hill all afternoon. I finally learned that those orange plastic fences, they had up to keep you from skiing out of bounds, made great stops. When unable to stop and going too fast, I would just ski into the fence-taking the whole thing down-but effectively stopping me. What a disaster! When we stopped for the day, I was pretty defeated, but I resolved to go back the next day and try again.

The next cold morning, proved to be more of the same. One time as I was flying down the hill-skiing across the grade to try and slow down, Bobby saw me. He yelled, “Great Job”. As I flew by him my response was, “I’M OUT OF CONTROLLLLLLLLLLL!” At lunch that day, totaled dejected and ready to quit, Bobby insisted that Camille & I take a private lesson that afternoon. He found the answer! With one on one instruction that afternoon, Camille was ready to head to the black trails and I, at last, was ready to go up the mountain.

The next day, the entire group is ready to go up the mountain. When I get in the lift line, I look up and my heart jumped in my throat. This lift is a 4 person high speed lift, not the 2 person slow bunny lift. OH NO! As the lift makes the turn, you and the other 3 must maneuver into place and have your ski poles in one hand and the other hand ready to grab the lift as you scoot your rear into the seat. NOT EASY TO DO! And that was the easy part! At the top of the lift, you must have your poles in your hand and ready to ski off the lift. The lift DOES NOT SLOW DOWN-and you feel like you are thrown into the air and are flying down the little sloop at the end of the lift. MY HEART RATE was probably twice as high as normal and it felt like it was going to jump out of my chest!

OK-you are at the top of the mountain and guess what-YOU CAN NOT TAKE THE LIFT BACK DOWN. There is only one way down-skiing! Somehow-someway I finally got down that mountain. I was REALLY good at wedging, which is what slows and stops you, by the time I got to the bottom. I am happy to report, I endured, I survived and I grew to love skiing. In case you have not caught on yet, I AM A CONTROL FREAK! Skiing is way out of my comfort zone and I am not always in control, especially on ice, but I grew to love the thrill.

We have many happy memories of being on the slopes since that first year. What a thrill and the beauty of the mountains was beyond my ability to describe. We even went back after Bobby had a freak accident and broke his shoulder getting off the lift (Another good story). I am so glad we were able to experience this wonder. This web footed, slow talking, Southern girl loved the snow and skiing, but about once a year is plenty. I am still a better water skier, but what else would your expect since I have these web feet not rabbit feet?

2 comments:

the Jennings secede from the South said...

You were good at that pie wedge!!!

Obsessive Foodie or Food Addict....You Decide said...

I used to ski at Peek N Peak in NY (close to Erie), one time when I fell down a boy came by and told me not to sit in the snow because there were "snow snakes".....everytime I fell I got my butt back up as fast as I could for fear that a snow snake would git me......I was like 6. sad sad sad :( I was probably like 16 before I realized there was no such thing as snow snakes.