I know, sacrilege, right? For those of us who are passionate about skiing, how could the off season possibly be any good at all? But before you demand that I turn in my skier card, read the list below. Because [swallows hard] the off season isn’t all bad. It actually delivers some great benefits for skiers.
It’s a good time for reflection and planning. Everyone needs a chance to evaluate what they’ve done, and think about what they might do differently the days ahead. This gives us the breathing space we need to do that. It’s also a great time to think about next season — where we want to go, what we want to do.
It gives us a chance to save our pennies. Whether you want to travel or buy new equipment, you’re going to need some dough. Now is a great time to save or even earn some extra money to fund next season’s adventures.
The gear savings are unbeatable. I know I jut said it’s a great time to save, but this goes along with it. If you lusted over a pair of skis during the winter, now’s the time to buy. Ski shops and manufacturers are trying to offload the past season’s goods, and you can get some killer deals on anything from skis to helmets to jackets (and more). So yes, you’re spending. But you’re spending a whole lot less, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
It gives us the opportunity to do different activities. During the winter I’m too busy skiing to do anything. The off season gives me time to bike, hike, swim — essentially, do all the things I can’t do because of cold weather or time constraints. Last summer I took up pickle ball, which is a small court version of tennis, and it’s loads of fun.
You can take care of health issues. You know that knee surgery you’ve been putting off? The off season gives you plenty of time to get the treatment you need and recuperate, so you’ll be ready to roll when ski season comes around.
It’s a great time to reconnect with non-skiing family and friends. You know all those people you blew off because you were too busy skiing? Now you can get to know them again. Practice saying this in the mirror: Sure, I’m free on Saturday. Because yes, the lifts aren’t running.
It’s not that bad to be warm for a while. As much as I love to ski, I hate being cold. And sure, you can avoid that by dressing appropriately. But really, it’s nice to go outside without a jacket. To wear sandals. And to put on a pair of shorts.
Winter will come again and we’ll all be able to ski. But for now, enjoy the season, folks. It’s good for you.