Abbi
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
That's my skiing experience about 80% of the time and I love it! (The other 20% is wonderful, too, even though I've been accused of being "defiantly solitary." )
I love "defiantly solitary"!!!!
That's my skiing experience about 80% of the time and I love it! (The other 20% is wonderful, too, even though I've been accused of being "defiantly solitary." )
I'm learning that if you ski in the east, rain and freeze-thaw cycles are the price of admission. Neither has been a deal-breaker for me so far unless the surface is literally hard, solid, ice and that's only happened once. Rain makes the snow soft, and if the mountain is open it's usually worth it to stay out.
I'm just a mediocre intermediate, and I find that I really learn a lot about what I'm doing and not doing with my edges when the surface is firm. It may not be the most joyful, carefree skiing, but it has its value. Or at least, you can extract some value from it if you're inclined.
It was awful up at Okemo this weekend too. They didn't run lifts until 10am on Saturday and those who went out came back in quickly seeking refund vouchers. The line for refunds stretched clear across the lodge. They refused to sell lift tickets for the rest of the day. All reports were versions of "it was the worst day of skiing I ever saw". I sat in the lodge until it was clear that I had no business going out there. Over night they tilled the snow, and groomed. It wound up being an OKAY ski day Sunday. Lots of icy patches and death cookies, not all lifts running, and many closed trails. Made the MLK weekend crowds feel even worse since the few lifts that were open had long lines. Frustrating weekend for sure.
maintain that less than optimum (i.e., crap) conditions make me a better skier.
That's my motto, too! Sketchy conditions immediately reveal every bad habit in my repertoire. I figure trying to correct errors in challenging conditions is probably a good way to lock in good habits. I hope so, anyway!
That's my motto, too! Sketchy conditions immediately reveal every bad habit in my repertoire. I figure trying to correct errors in challenging conditions is probably a good way to lock in good habits. I hope so, anyway!
Finally after that crazy weekend at Gore, I realized I had to adjust my outlook or i would be endlessly heartbroken.
Well. Now that we have frozen again, thawed again, and are freezing again, we thought we'd take a trip to Killington.
Ice:
Wow, some serious ice! My new self-congratulatory, learning-in-the-East phrase is, "I don't mind boilerplate. I don't mind icy. I'm not that crazy about ice, though." Meaning frozen rivers here and there, not just the odd patch.
Timidity:
I have conquered a different kind of timidity after my head-banger fall. I'm standing up to dear BF who keeps claiming I belong on blue trails. I can ski them, certainly. But I brake all the way down (skiddy turning ending uphill on every turn), and get very tired. Too tired to keep skiing those trails. I was able to explain to him that I have a lot I'm learning on green trails, and beating up my legs on blue trails, then continuing to ski them, is not my plan.
On the easier trails I am learning to tip my skis and turn. I need practice. He needs to go ski Superstar by himself a few times!
Ice again:
Oh, and I have renamed Bittersweet. Now it's Death Cookie Avenue.
@Abbi - It's a mixed thing. I appreciate so much how much confidence he has in me, and how right he has been about it in many ways. But just because I can make it to the bottom (usually) without cracking my skull, doesn't mean it's fun, and after awhile, it's not even instructive. I do need to make runs that stretch my comfort zone, but not so many of them.
Maybe it's because I haven't skied for 2 weeks, or because I haven't been active (had a migraine that lasted and lasted), but I am completely wiped out after 4 hours today. Completely. I was asleep immediately after dinner, and I have rallied a bit, but I won't be up much longer. Whole body aches. A "ridiculously good workout!"
Work on your skills at your pace and your place. Once you get those turns into C's and not Z's you can venture further afield.