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Starting and stopping skiing.
- Thread starter ski diva
- Start date
I only managed to ski a handful of times in college, and I know there were a couple years with no skiing (just proximity, money and having a snow capable car), but I think that's about it. I've had really wide variances with how many days I year I ski lately, but no real stops. Even in the years when I've had knee surgeries, I still always got a few days in.
pinto
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I skied a lot as a kid, as much in high school as I could while playing a spring sport, and then left for TX in college. Well that was dumb. I kept traveling back to ski here in CO, finally just transferred back, and skied a ton my last 2 years in school.
Then, on the cusp of moving to the mtns to do the post-college-ski-bum thing, I moved away again. (Well that was dumb.) No, it was actually good but I ended up being gone 10 years, during which time I got married had two babies and skied about 8 times total. So when we moved back here 16 years ago, it was game on. (and still is)
Then, on the cusp of moving to the mtns to do the post-college-ski-bum thing, I moved away again. (Well that was dumb.) No, it was actually good but I ended up being gone 10 years, during which time I got married had two babies and skied about 8 times total. So when we moved back here 16 years ago, it was game on. (and still is)
snoWYmonkey
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Stopped skiing, the only sport I loved as a kid, from 13 to 21. Boys were more fun. Or so I thought. I thought wrong. Skiing is way more fun!
VickiK
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Did not ski for one or two seasons around the time I turned 30, after the relationship with person who introduced me to the sport ended. Was very sad for a long time. But, not skiing was making me even sadder, so I joined a ski club, went on some trips, met more skiers, made skiing friends, etc etc, and haven't stopped since then. That was 28 years ago.
santacruz skier
Angel Diva
Starting skiing in 1976 or 1977 and have never missed a year. Knock on wood.
Okay. Now that I have some time, here's my story: I started skiing when I was 13 but only went maybe 10 times a year. When I was about 23, I stopped entirely. My husband didn't ski and things got in the way: work, pregnancy, etc. Then, when I was 27, I had my daughter, who was born with severe heart problems. She was in and out of the hospital for a few years, plus she was on a strict regimen of prescription medication;, I didn't dare leave her and I was afraid to expose her to a physical risk, like skiing. Finally, when she was about 12 and doing a lot better, my husband suggested we give it a try. Honestly, it was handing me a crack pipe. This was about 20 years ago, and I haven't stopped since.
So the bottom line: I have about a 17-18 year gap in my skiing, and I'm wondering how common this is. Is this something that happens more with women? And if so, why?
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that
it's mostly because my SO (at the time) never took to skiing. so my movtivation was low. it may have also been during the few years when the skiing condition was poor. i was like "what the heck to spend all that money and long drive alone." and to be honest, it didn't feel like fun skiing refrosen slush ...
meeting someone who skis changed that back.
nopoleskier
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'm lucky.. Dad was 10th Mt and early Ski Patroller and helped build my local bump.. been skiing since 5yo and only when I lived in Fla in the 80's early 90's my ski days were less but I still skied. I can not imagine not skiing..
just jane
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I learned when I was 13 and skied through high school, and then stopped when I left for college because I was too broke and carless. After college I moved back to CO and skied a handful of times but my Ex wasn't very enthusiastic and we just stopped going. I started skiing again when I started dating my now-DH. So not counting the handful of times I went post-high-school, I didn't ski for... wow, 20 years. I didn't realize it had been that long. DH took me skiing on our third or fourth date and I was so happy to be back on the snow I was in tears. That was 8 years ago.
bounceswoosh
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I stopped after college. Honestly, it was because I did a poor job managing my "all in one" PTO system - I never had time enough for a vacation, and I wasn't excited to ski anywhere I could drive to from Virginia. On one of the rare occasions I ventured out for some night skiing, I fell asleep at the wheel on the drive home and hit another car. (Do not recommend. On so many levels. I never want to think, "I just killed someone" ever again. As it turned out, the other driver was fine, although pretty shaken up.)
When I moved out to Colorado, I definitely wanted to get back into the skiing game. The first couple of years were just a few days per season, but it has gradually permeated our lives. The turning point was when we got our first dog, Cooper. We realized that with all the factors considered, we either needed to rent a place in the mountains, or we weren't going to ski much. Once we had the place, everything got easier - we were able to avoid traffic and set the alarm much later, which meant we didn't punt nearly as often - and we skied both weekend days more often than not.
In reality, the gap between when I stopped skiing and when I started again can only have been 3 or 4 years - maybe 5 or 6 if you don't count seasons when I skied a day or two - but it felt like night and day.
When I moved out to Colorado, I definitely wanted to get back into the skiing game. The first couple of years were just a few days per season, but it has gradually permeated our lives. The turning point was when we got our first dog, Cooper. We realized that with all the factors considered, we either needed to rent a place in the mountains, or we weren't going to ski much. Once we had the place, everything got easier - we were able to avoid traffic and set the alarm much later, which meant we didn't punt nearly as often - and we skied both weekend days more often than not.
In reality, the gap between when I stopped skiing and when I started again can only have been 3 or 4 years - maybe 5 or 6 if you don't count seasons when I skied a day or two - but it felt like night and day.
HellaRuby
Certified Ski Diva
Skied with my family as kid, all the way through my mid twenties, heck I even worked at a ski shop through college! But I took 12 years off after having my first child. Never really meant to take a long break but my husband had no interest in skiing and took a lot of convincing. This year youngest turned 5 so it was a good time to hop back in, and hubby finally came around. This year got off to a bumpy start, wrong skis, injuries, crummy season on the East Coast. What else could possibly go wrong?! All in all everyone had a great time and am looking forward to next year.
HellaRuby
Certified Ski Diva
I bet having children is a common reason for taking time off. I wonder as you get more responses if you'll see that? And I bet it happens to women more than men. Most of us are the primary caregivers. Men just go on with their golf, skiing, hockey etc most of the time after kids like life hasn't changed. At least that's my experience.
SkiBilly
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I didn't start skiing until I was 38...when our youngest (of 3) was 8 and have skied every season since, sometimes twice a year in both hemispheres...to get my fix!
I quite often say to DH that if we had discovered skiing in our early 20s we may have had only one child...I often wonder if my maternal instincts would have been overtaken by my obsession with skiing.
It may have been that our lifestyle could've taken a different path if we had taken up skiing 20 years earlier. So I think that having kids could definitely get in the way of pursuing the sport. I also think that having a partner who isn't keen can also put a stop to skiing for females.
I quite often say to DH that if we had discovered skiing in our early 20s we may have had only one child...I often wonder if my maternal instincts would have been overtaken by my obsession with skiing.
It may have been that our lifestyle could've taken a different path if we had taken up skiing 20 years earlier. So I think that having kids could definitely get in the way of pursuing the sport. I also think that having a partner who isn't keen can also put a stop to skiing for females.
CarverJill
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Technically I have never stopped skiing but I did snowboard primarily for 10 years from age 13-23. I also took a bit of a break (that I am still somewhat on) when I had kids. Its hard to ski with kids who are little, you have to either pay the big $ to put them in ski daycare or have someone to watch them. My husband and I have only skied 4 days together in the past 4 winters because of kids. Thankfully he is okay with me taking off for a ski trip or two a winter w/o him or the kids.
mustski
Angel Diva
I started at 13 yrs old and, like many here, took a break during the broke college years. Then I got back into it once I started working. I was definite enough that I didn't date non-skiers/snowboarders. I married a skier and we skied regularly until pregnancy and baby years. We put Gavin on skis when he was 4. Unfortunately, he had a horrible experience when Mammoth lost him when he was 5. He was so terrified of skiing that we didn't even try. We just went sledding and played in the snow. We got back into it when he was 12 and haven't looked back.
ETA: DH took the same pregnancy, baby, terrified child ski breaks I did! I appreciated that he didn't turn me into a ski widow, nor did I do that to him.
ETA: DH took the same pregnancy, baby, terrified child ski breaks I did! I appreciated that he didn't turn me into a ski widow, nor did I do that to him.
Kimmyt
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I was going to post that I took off a season here or there to gestate a child, but then I realized that I never actually had to take an entire season off. My last pregnancy I was majorly pregnant during most of ski season, but I still got a handful of easy touring days in just to get some exercise. My current pregnancy I skied most of the season, around 30 days and stopped when I was ~6 months or so. I expect to have similarly reduced ski season next season due to the difficulties of breastfeeding and skiing but still plan on having a few days here and there. I attribute this mostly to the fact that 1) we live close to ski resorts which make it affordable and easy to get out to for a day trip and 2) my husband knows that skiing is my favorite thing in the world (ok I guess behind my kid/s and him) and he makes a strong effort for me to get as many, if not more, ski days than him per season.
Likewise, I do the same favor for him during road biking season. Getting out there with young children has been a challenge so far compared to when we were kids free, and I'm sure will present more of a challenge as they grow and get into things of their own, so I am very grateful to share my life with a dude who values me and my love of skiing as much as he does spending time with his family.
