Neil and I went Saturday the 21st to Blue Mountain. Neil found a deal for $99 each that included lessons, lift tickets and equipment for skiing and snow boarding. Neil has ski before but never snow boarded so it was perfect!
We dropped off Ryan very early (with grandma/grandpa) and were on our way. We made it to Collingwood. As we were trying to figure out where to go to get the classes and equipment we got pulled over by a cop. Our license plate was still on Oct 2011 plate. Opps. So we got a ticket. Not a great way to start our day but we were NOT going to let it poop on our parade!
We made our way over to the correct place and got dressed in the car. Once we checked in and got our ski/snow board boots. Holy cats it is a weird feeling. I was walking like I stepped out of a western movie, a cheesy one. I had this swagger and couldn't walk very fast in the boots. Neil had no issues cause snow board boots are just like normal boots. I found the ski boots were very stiff and could not bend my ankle which I assume is a good thing. heh
We got our skis, board, and helmets and we were on our way. Neil went into his class area and I went into mine. I put on both skis and started my class. I learned how to do ski postion. Sort of like a squat in Zumba or any other work out class. You stick your butt out and make sure your knees do not go over your toes when you squat. You slide out your heels to the side and then slide then back in with equal weight distribution so it doesn't cut into the snow. I found this to be pretty easy to do. I really think Zumba classes helped with this!
Once I got that down we took the left ski off and lined up to go in a circle with the one ski on and our poles. I would say it was more like a round edged square. This was KILLING my shins but I didn't want to give up. I did pretty good. We switched to the left ski only. This was a little harder for me but still was okay. Then BOTH skis on. That was super hard. I had no idea how to get going. We were not on a hill. Just going around in this little round square.
Once you were good enough you got sent to the test hill. It was about 20 feet maybe.
You learned how to walk up the hill sideways on your skis. Then you go down the hill with your skis together and stop. I got it on my second try. I felt good because there was only adults in the classes and there were a lot! Some of the people were really bad. Just had bad balance. One lady ran right into me. I felt so bad for her cause she took her skis off and looked defeated. The instructor told me I was good to go on the small real hill. ACK!
This is the smallest hill there so you dont get on a lift you get on this sort of escalator, like they have at the airport. You ski onto it though. I fell over the first time I went on. heh
Once at the top of the hill I found the instrutor and he taught me how to stop. I went down the hill stopping every few feet. It was just to practice. I did this a few times (and fell a few times). Then they taught me how to turn. I got this pretty good with only a few fall downs. Neil got a pretty good video of it.
Neil was getting pretty frustrated at Snow Boarding. He was falling A LOT and it looked super hard to do. Didn't look like much fun. We took a lunch break which was a great idea. My ski boots were on wrong and it was cutting into my shins which is why I had the bad pain when I first started. DOH!
After lunch it was fixed thanks to Neils help and I felt so much better! We did the small hill a few more times and I told Neil I was ready for the big hill.
Lets do it!
Neil confessed he was not, he was not comfortable on the snow board yet. He went to switch out for skis which I was very happy about! I wanted him to go with me because I was a little scared.
We found an instructor and told her I was ready for the big hill... EKKKK
The three of us got on the lift together. She taught me about lift safety and how to land. Well that went out the window when we got off the lift. I was supposed to go right, I went left into her and she stopped me from going down a VERY steep hill.
On the top of the real hill it was much larger up there. I was freaking out and trying my best NOT to show it. The instructor and Neil were great. We would go down the hill a little and stop. We stopped a lot. However there was one part I freaked out and feel down. I feel pretty good. I ripped up my leg pretty bad. I was shaking I was so scared to get back on the skis. I don't think it helped that the snow was starting to get icy.
We made it down the hill and the instructor was on her way to help another person. She was kind enough to tell me she was proud. She said about 6 new people out of the whole day go on the big hill. :D
Neil all day kept telling me he was proud of me. So when he asked if we could do the hill one more time I said okay (after sort of crying saying I didn't want to). He said "please?" and I thought to myself. "fuck it Mary, man up. You have given birth, twice... this, this is nothing."
I tell myself that a lot when I am doing something I don't want to do or something hard. Also I didn't want to end the awesome day with my husband on a sour note. Though at this point I was feeling pretty beaten up and my leg was on fire.
So we go back up, just him and me. I am so happy we did. Neil taught me a lot. I pretty much went parallel down the mountain the whole way. I did wipe out but only once in a bad icy patch. I felt a little bad Neil babysat me but he said he had a great time. He said he was shocked how fast I learned how to do a "c turn". What he calls a type of turn when skiing.
It was also nice to see all the little kids doing it, I can't wait to take Ryan. He can go as early as three but I think I will wait till he is almost 4 before we go. The kids were just so darn cute.
We ended the day with dinner out with Joe and Angela and then picking up the kid.
It was an awesome day. I love skiing and I can't wait to try cross country if we get any darn snow this winter. I am so happy I tried it and I didn't let fear stop me.
I think since going on rollar coasters with Neil I have made up my mind to try more things. It really started when we went to Budapest. I told myself I would try anything and eat anything there. I want to be more adventurous. I want to be a person my son can look up too instead of a fuddy-duddy mom I was becoming.
yeah sometimes it's scary, sometimes you get hurt (see below) but most of the time you just have fun and feel sort of like a bad ass.
:)
You can't tell in the picture but it was a HUGE bruise. I thought it was very pretty (and lumpy).
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