First Day on Snow
After I decided to really learn how to ski I had this idea that the first day on snow would be sooo amazing. My first year of rollerskiing I had this fantastical idea that once I transitioned from rollerskiing to snow I would be this amazing skier. I mean really, if I could learn to rollerski then certainly I would be an awesome skier on snow. Unfortunately that fantasy was shattered in a not very pretty fashion.
That year my first time on snow was at ABR over Thanksgiving weekend and it was not my finest life moments. I was so crushed by the fact that skiing felt hard, really hard and not at all magical like I imagined it should be after "getting serious". Poor Dave had no idea what to say or do so he picked the best possible option which was leave me alone to ski in my own personal misery.
Luckily after that weekend I realized that I wasn't the only person in the world who struggled with the transition from rollerskis to snow. A much better skier than me was talking about having trouble getting comfortable on snow the first couple of days out. If only I had heard that before my sad, pathetic weekend instead of after it would have made life a lot better. I probably should have inquired about that my first season so I wouldn't have been so hard on myself that weekend at ABR. It definitely is a weekend that I (and Dave) won't soon forget!
Since then I've remembered that when you go from rollerskis to snow that the skis will seem really long, really slippery and that they won't magically do what you want. It's best to ease into it. Today I got out on the snow for the first time and the first 60 seconds were the usual - these skis are hard to control . . . oh no I'm losing my balance . . . why are these skis so slippery . . . why can't I get any kick. That first kilometer it is hard to believe you ever skied the whole Birkie.
I was surprised though that I was feeling pretty okay with everything today. I actually remembered to ease into it. I also remembered that if you fly into West Yellowstone, MT from Wisconsin that the hills are going to seem a bit harder. I'm never one to adjust quickly to altitude so I should just stop and rest periodically and remember that this first weekend is not a reflection on how my entire season will turn out. I'm here to have fun after all and I luckily I don't have to ski the Birkie for a couple of months!
That year my first time on snow was at ABR over Thanksgiving weekend and it was not my finest life moments. I was so crushed by the fact that skiing felt hard, really hard and not at all magical like I imagined it should be after "getting serious". Poor Dave had no idea what to say or do so he picked the best possible option which was leave me alone to ski in my own personal misery.
Luckily after that weekend I realized that I wasn't the only person in the world who struggled with the transition from rollerskis to snow. A much better skier than me was talking about having trouble getting comfortable on snow the first couple of days out. If only I had heard that before my sad, pathetic weekend instead of after it would have made life a lot better. I probably should have inquired about that my first season so I wouldn't have been so hard on myself that weekend at ABR. It definitely is a weekend that I (and Dave) won't soon forget!
Since then I've remembered that when you go from rollerskis to snow that the skis will seem really long, really slippery and that they won't magically do what you want. It's best to ease into it. Today I got out on the snow for the first time and the first 60 seconds were the usual - these skis are hard to control . . . oh no I'm losing my balance . . . why are these skis so slippery . . . why can't I get any kick. That first kilometer it is hard to believe you ever skied the whole Birkie.
I was surprised though that I was feeling pretty okay with everything today. I actually remembered to ease into it. I also remembered that if you fly into West Yellowstone, MT from Wisconsin that the hills are going to seem a bit harder. I'm never one to adjust quickly to altitude so I should just stop and rest periodically and remember that this first weekend is not a reflection on how my entire season will turn out. I'm here to have fun after all and I luckily I don't have to ski the Birkie for a couple of months!
posted by MadCross at 6:53 PM
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