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Taos - Feb 2020
- Thread starter Jenny
- Start date
Jenny
Angel Diva
Another powder day, and I’m beginning to understand why people like them. My confidence got another boost today, after a slight waning yesterday when the bumps weren’t soft.
I don’t think any new skills were introduced today, just refining what he’s already been telling us. We skied some of the fluffiest snow I've ever been in, some bump runs, and went in the trees twice. It was a super short tree run but lots of fun. The second time we each picked our own line and it was SO COOL! There’s another woman in class who is a bit more tentative in this stuff, like me, and we were really supporting each other - high fives, etc. It's been fun.
One thing Derek wanted us to do was to follow each other through the fluff, so we would all take the same line. He seriously wanted me like only a ski length behind the person in front of me. I declined - not sure enough of myself at that point and it seemed like a recipe for trouble. I must have sounded VERY firm when I said no, or my body language was yelling it, because he kind of looked up at me and then let me stay right where I was.
I also saw the instructor that I had five years ago, on our only other Taos trip. That was just a group lesson that turned out to be only me, not a ski week like this year. I went over to say hi - told him he didn’t know me but that he’d given me a lesson five years ago and it had been really helpful. I told him that we’d had a day like today, and he had promptly taken me into Etch's Glade, right after I’d told him I wasn’t sure about trees. He thought a second and then referred to Ski Diva, and asked how my neck was. So, he did remember me, because I’d had a face plant and posted about my lesson, and how my neck was going to hurt! He was super nice and thanked me for saying hi. (If you're reading this, Tom, hi again!)
I certainly hope I retain some of this stuff I’m learning. I don’t get much practice in these conditions, so it's really hard to ingrain some of these lessons. What's nice is that some of the things I’ve been working on at home have come in very handy this week, mainly all my focus on turn shape. I have skied some steep things very slowly (although the deep snow helps with that, lol). And I’ve also been able to follow someone else's tracks, which used to only work for a turn or two before I’d lose it.
Finally, he said I’m good at the carving turns when we did them. Always nice to hear, especially when the rest of the day had been hard.
Main note to self - Remember to narrow stance in the soft bumps and to stand up, because you're likely hunching.
I don’t think any new skills were introduced today, just refining what he’s already been telling us. We skied some of the fluffiest snow I've ever been in, some bump runs, and went in the trees twice. It was a super short tree run but lots of fun. The second time we each picked our own line and it was SO COOL! There’s another woman in class who is a bit more tentative in this stuff, like me, and we were really supporting each other - high fives, etc. It's been fun.
One thing Derek wanted us to do was to follow each other through the fluff, so we would all take the same line. He seriously wanted me like only a ski length behind the person in front of me. I declined - not sure enough of myself at that point and it seemed like a recipe for trouble. I must have sounded VERY firm when I said no, or my body language was yelling it, because he kind of looked up at me and then let me stay right where I was.
I also saw the instructor that I had five years ago, on our only other Taos trip. That was just a group lesson that turned out to be only me, not a ski week like this year. I went over to say hi - told him he didn’t know me but that he’d given me a lesson five years ago and it had been really helpful. I told him that we’d had a day like today, and he had promptly taken me into Etch's Glade, right after I’d told him I wasn’t sure about trees. He thought a second and then referred to Ski Diva, and asked how my neck was. So, he did remember me, because I’d had a face plant and posted about my lesson, and how my neck was going to hurt! He was super nice and thanked me for saying hi. (If you're reading this, Tom, hi again!)
I certainly hope I retain some of this stuff I’m learning. I don’t get much practice in these conditions, so it's really hard to ingrain some of these lessons. What's nice is that some of the things I’ve been working on at home have come in very handy this week, mainly all my focus on turn shape. I have skied some steep things very slowly (although the deep snow helps with that, lol). And I’ve also been able to follow someone else's tracks, which used to only work for a turn or two before I’d lose it.
Finally, he said I’m good at the carving turns when we did them. Always nice to hear, especially when the rest of the day had been hard.
Main note to self - Remember to narrow stance in the soft bumps and to stand up, because you're likely hunching.
Jenny
Angel Diva
Last day, so sad!
Turned out to be a beautiful, warm sunny day. Just gorgeous! We reviewed things as we skied more bumps - they stayed pretty soft, too, which was nice. Allowed me to end on a high note.
Went through the trees a couple of times again, successfully.
Skied a few runs in the afternoon with @Susan L and her DH. As we were riding up the lift we saw that the Kachina Peak loft was running, so DH skied on over to do that. He was pleased to have the opportunity, as it had been closed all week.
I would love to do a ski week again. If nothing else, I got my confidence/nerve back again, and that feels pretty awesome. Now to try and retain some of the knowledge, so that I can practice when I get near bumps again. The ones at home - I dunno. Hard, icy lumps. Maybe when we’re in CO at the end of March.
DH flies home tomorrow - I’m in ABQ until Monday, so I can visit with mom and aunt. Once I get home I’ll see if there are any good pictures to post.
Turned out to be a beautiful, warm sunny day. Just gorgeous! We reviewed things as we skied more bumps - they stayed pretty soft, too, which was nice. Allowed me to end on a high note.
Went through the trees a couple of times again, successfully.
Skied a few runs in the afternoon with @Susan L and her DH. As we were riding up the lift we saw that the Kachina Peak loft was running, so DH skied on over to do that. He was pleased to have the opportunity, as it had been closed all week.
I would love to do a ski week again. If nothing else, I got my confidence/nerve back again, and that feels pretty awesome. Now to try and retain some of the knowledge, so that I can practice when I get near bumps again. The ones at home - I dunno. Hard, icy lumps. Maybe when we’re in CO at the end of March.
DH flies home tomorrow - I’m in ABQ until Monday, so I can visit with mom and aunt. Once I get home I’ll see if there are any good pictures to post.
Jenny
Angel Diva
Got out here in MI today for the first time since Taos. Yes, there was a bump run, and yes, I did it several times. Soft Taos bumps are WAY better than scrapey MI bumps, but I was able to maneuver through them, but not very well. Didn’t fall, though, and was in control enough to pretty much do one bump at a time, without having to ride over too many others before being able to stop and choose my next move.
