So yeah...I don't enjoy summers like I used to...as probably most people who work in the warm-weather driven tourist industry.If you're like me, you're mind is back in the cool weather of fall and possibly winter. To help bring back these memories of cooler days, here's some pics from our ski trip this past winter in the cold crisp air of the Colorado Rockies:
Ok, so this isn't Colorado...this is a sign somewhere in Kansas. We saw these signs for miles and miles, and finally got within ONE MILE of the Largest Prairie Dog In the World! Imagine our excitement! We stopped, however, and were totally bummed to find the place apparently out of business. I mean, who goes out of business when you own the world's largest prairie dog???
This was Marden’s first ski trip….both figuratively and literally. He did a LOT of tripping, as well as sliding, tumbling, crashing, and just flat wiping out. For his first time he did pretty good, but learning to ski just isn’t a pretty process, no matter how coordinated you are. I found that skiing came back to me just like riding a bike, and we finally broke up into pairs according to ability...Mom and Dad on the bunny slopes, Marden and Tye on the greens, while Trent and I (as the more adventurous family members) hit the blues and blacks of both Winter Park and Mary Jane.
After a few fun days of skiing, Trent and I decided to trade our skis in for snowboards. I’ll say this – snowboarding is a blast, but learning is even an uglier process than learning to ski. See pic. It was after this not-so-soft wipeout (which my loving hubby snapped while laughing very unsympathetically) that I decided a helmet might be prudent.
First of all, snowboarding leaves you with a feeling of being completely out of control. With skis, you have two independently working legs and can (with practice) retain some se
mblance of control. With a snowboard, your feet are strapped to the same board, and there is no “falling”…it’s more of a “brutal slamming of your face into the hard-packed snow which feels like concrete.” Then you finally get the “feel” of the board and can begin to weave back and forth gracefully, just like on TV. But this is just the snowboard deviously lulling you into a false sense of security, so you start building up speed and confidence when all of a sudden, “WHAM!!!”, you’re eating snow yet again, but this time after a spectacular head-over-feet-arms-flailing-snow-spraying exploit which everyone within a half mile radius has just witnessed. And you can see on their faces (once you pry your face out of the hard pack) that they don’t know whether to laugh, come offer assistance, or get the ski patrol…so mostly they ignore you or choose the not-so-disguised laugh option. The worst place to do this is the last stretch of the run, which meets with other runs and widens out into a huge open area in full view of the lodge/restaurant – in full view of the literally hundreds of people lounging around, taking a break.
Another hazard is deep snow. We were lucky enough to be on our trip during the big “Blizzard of 2006” which hit Denver, and dumped 24” of much-needed snow on the ski resorts. Of course for skiing snow is great, as long as you stay on the groomed runs. Get off the runs, and you find yourself flailing about like a beached whale (sometimes in an inverted position), losing poles and skis in the whole process, and making sounds which are reminiscent of the mating call of an overweight bear. I’m not sure what’s worse – hitting deep snow with skis or a snowboard. Both are equally bad situations which one should avoid at all costs.
Despite the embarrassments, it was one of the best times of my life. I’ve come to understand something about myself. I’m an Adrenaline Junkie. I can’t wait to go again, and Mr. Hooter – despite his many bumps, bruises, and sore bones – feels equally excited about more skiing in our future, as does the rest of the fam.
mblance of control. With a snowboard, your feet are strapped to the same board, and there is no “falling”…it’s more of a “brutal slamming of your face into the hard-packed snow which feels like concrete.” Then you finally get the “feel” of the board and can begin to weave back and forth gracefully, just like on TV. But this is just the snowboard deviously lulling you into a false sense of security, so you start building up speed and confidence when all of a sudden, “WHAM!!!”, you’re eating snow yet again, but this time after a spectacular head-over-feet-arms-flailing-snow-spraying exploit which everyone within a half mile radius has just witnessed. And you can see on their faces (once you pry your face out of the hard pack) that they don’t know whether to laugh, come offer assistance, or get the ski patrol…so mostly they ignore you or choose the not-so-disguised laugh option. The worst place to do this is the last stretch of the run, which meets with other runs and widens out into a huge open area in full view of the lodge/restaurant – in full view of the literally hundreds of people lounging around, taking a break.Another hazard is deep snow. We were lucky enough to be on our trip during the big “Blizzard of 2006” which hit Denver, and dumped 24” of much-needed snow on the ski resorts. Of course for skiing snow is great, as long as you stay on the groomed runs. Get off the runs, and you find yourself flailing about like a beached whale (sometimes in an inverted position), losing poles and skis in the whole process, and making sounds which are reminiscent of the mating call of an overweight bear. I’m not sure what’s worse – hitting deep snow with skis or a snowboard. Both are equally bad situations which one should avoid at all costs.
Despite the embarrassments, it was one of the best times of my life. I’ve come to understand something about myself. I’m an Adrenaline Junkie. I can’t wait to go again, and Mr. Hooter – despite his many bumps, bruises, and sore bones – feels equally excited about more skiing in our future, as does the rest of the fam.
So here's some pics from the trip. Enjoy the imaginary blast of cold air.
Dad and Mom...on the bunnies.
Dad and Mom...on the bunnies.
Dang I wish I was in Colorado...!
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