Do You Ski?
Aug. 21st, 2003 09:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tvordljAn old tale...
I was telling someone this story today and i thought at the time i should remember to type it up. It's not going to translate as well as it could if you could seem me tell it with all the appropriate actions and gestures so use your imagination.
I always wanted to try skiing. Just something about that downhill speed and excitement i guess. Nothing fancy, i just wanted to give it a go. About 12 or 13 years ago i had my chance. I went with a few of my friends down to the Annapolis Valley to the ski hill Martock. Two of them were expert skiers and promised to show me how it was done. On borrowed skis and boots i headed to the bunny hill. My friend cautioned me about the dangers of the t-bar lift because she had fallen off it the first time out so i was very careful there. Made it to the top of the "bunny" hill intact.
The lesson proceeded.
Now. Shift my weight forward a bit and change direction by then shifting my weight to either side. Stop yourself by "pigeon toeing" the skis, i.e. point toes inwards to make an upside down V with the skis. But i could not get the hang of it. My center of balance was all off. No way was my body going to turn itself on these long slippery narrow pieces of waxed wood. No way, when i was arse in the snow, could i get up without taking the ski off one boot so i could get a foothold in the snow and pull up using my poles. Trying to "ski" (and i use that term loosely) cross ways across the slope so i wouldn't go to fast, since i couldn't manage to get myself turned, i would see those trees looming and make myself fall. Finally i told my friends to go and enjoy themselves, i'd figure it out somehow.
Only i didn't. It took me over an hour and a half to get down the bunny hill. Once. And i'm at the bottom watching all these small children whizzing by.... standing up straight! But i had been all hunched over like Quasimodo (picture me hunching over here to demonstrate). Hmmmmmm. *straightens up* ..... *watches 7 year old on the hill *. Seems like i need to change my center of gravity and i bend my knees forward so my weight is on the boot. Ski boots are made of ballistically hard plastic with the join on the sides so they do "give". Oh now... this feels better. so i sidle up to the beginning of a very gentle incline at the bottom of the hill, turn around and point myself down the slope, stand up straight, bent knees and away i go.
And i stick one hip out and by God i turned direction!! Stick the other one out and change direction again. I'm considering doing the hokey pokey here lol I think i've got it!!! i practice that for a half hour or so. Am i ready for the full hill ? I look up... But by that time i'm exhausted and i don't really think i'm up to it. Decision. Chalet. Fire. Beer.
Ok then. I remember hearing what one of our party said earlier in the evening about how to turn around on skis. You put one "heel" of the ski up and pivot it and then shift your leg around to meet up inthe same direction as the first one. Nobody told me it wasn't a very clever thing for a rock beginner to try. You guessed it. i got one leg pivoted when the other went out from under me and the next thing i know i'm very swiftly on my back in the snow with legs at awkward angles and skis up around my ears. I can't even sit up due to my position! I lay there and looked up at the stars in the clear night sky and start to giggle at the idea of what it must have looked like to see me fall!
How do i get out of this one LOL! There aren't very many people around the bunny hill by this time as it's probably past the kids' bedtime. i reached down sideways to one boot and unclipped the ski so i could then manage to maneouver my legs to where i could sit up and unhook the other boot from the offending ski that slid out unceremoniously from under me. Off to the bar, then. Boy did that beer hit the spot. I did bring extra clothes because i didn't actually have proper ski pants and gear and was now rather wet from all that time in the snow picking myself up.
After an hour i just couldnt' face another try so stayed there happily until everyone else came in and joined me.
I found out later on that the longish skis i had really were too "fast" for beginners and the snow was rather icy as well for someone just learning. Typical.
The next day i was in agony. I knew it would be hard on my legs so i had made sure to stretch them out for a day or two before that. But nobody told me about my arms!!! Hauling myself up off the snow constantly for over an hour using the poles made my arms feel like rag doll arms. I could barely raise them to reach the loo paper without them shaking like Wile E. Coyote on Earthquake pills.
I dont' think i'll be trying that again. I'm lucky to have escaped with my life LOL!
I was telling someone this story today and i thought at the time i should remember to type it up. It's not going to translate as well as it could if you could seem me tell it with all the appropriate actions and gestures so use your imagination.
I always wanted to try skiing. Just something about that downhill speed and excitement i guess. Nothing fancy, i just wanted to give it a go. About 12 or 13 years ago i had my chance. I went with a few of my friends down to the Annapolis Valley to the ski hill Martock. Two of them were expert skiers and promised to show me how it was done. On borrowed skis and boots i headed to the bunny hill. My friend cautioned me about the dangers of the t-bar lift because she had fallen off it the first time out so i was very careful there. Made it to the top of the "bunny" hill intact.
The lesson proceeded.
Now. Shift my weight forward a bit and change direction by then shifting my weight to either side. Stop yourself by "pigeon toeing" the skis, i.e. point toes inwards to make an upside down V with the skis. But i could not get the hang of it. My center of balance was all off. No way was my body going to turn itself on these long slippery narrow pieces of waxed wood. No way, when i was arse in the snow, could i get up without taking the ski off one boot so i could get a foothold in the snow and pull up using my poles. Trying to "ski" (and i use that term loosely) cross ways across the slope so i wouldn't go to fast, since i couldn't manage to get myself turned, i would see those trees looming and make myself fall. Finally i told my friends to go and enjoy themselves, i'd figure it out somehow.
Only i didn't. It took me over an hour and a half to get down the bunny hill. Once. And i'm at the bottom watching all these small children whizzing by.... standing up straight! But i had been all hunched over like Quasimodo (picture me hunching over here to demonstrate). Hmmmmmm. *straightens up* ..... *watches 7 year old on the hill *. Seems like i need to change my center of gravity and i bend my knees forward so my weight is on the boot. Ski boots are made of ballistically hard plastic with the join on the sides so they do "give". Oh now... this feels better. so i sidle up to the beginning of a very gentle incline at the bottom of the hill, turn around and point myself down the slope, stand up straight, bent knees and away i go.
And i stick one hip out and by God i turned direction!! Stick the other one out and change direction again. I'm considering doing the hokey pokey here lol I think i've got it!!! i practice that for a half hour or so. Am i ready for the full hill ? I look up... But by that time i'm exhausted and i don't really think i'm up to it. Decision. Chalet. Fire. Beer.
Ok then. I remember hearing what one of our party said earlier in the evening about how to turn around on skis. You put one "heel" of the ski up and pivot it and then shift your leg around to meet up inthe same direction as the first one. Nobody told me it wasn't a very clever thing for a rock beginner to try. You guessed it. i got one leg pivoted when the other went out from under me and the next thing i know i'm very swiftly on my back in the snow with legs at awkward angles and skis up around my ears. I can't even sit up due to my position! I lay there and looked up at the stars in the clear night sky and start to giggle at the idea of what it must have looked like to see me fall!
How do i get out of this one LOL! There aren't very many people around the bunny hill by this time as it's probably past the kids' bedtime. i reached down sideways to one boot and unclipped the ski so i could then manage to maneouver my legs to where i could sit up and unhook the other boot from the offending ski that slid out unceremoniously from under me. Off to the bar, then. Boy did that beer hit the spot. I did bring extra clothes because i didn't actually have proper ski pants and gear and was now rather wet from all that time in the snow picking myself up.
After an hour i just couldnt' face another try so stayed there happily until everyone else came in and joined me.
I found out later on that the longish skis i had really were too "fast" for beginners and the snow was rather icy as well for someone just learning. Typical.
The next day i was in agony. I knew it would be hard on my legs so i had made sure to stretch them out for a day or two before that. But nobody told me about my arms!!! Hauling myself up off the snow constantly for over an hour using the poles made my arms feel like rag doll arms. I could barely raise them to reach the loo paper without them shaking like Wile E. Coyote on Earthquake pills.
I dont' think i'll be trying that again. I'm lucky to have escaped with my life LOL!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2003-08-21 06:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-08-21 06:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-08-22 01:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-08-22 05:09 am (UTC)*snicker*
no subject
Date: 2003-08-22 06:53 am (UTC)