Monday, February 21, 2011

First Time Skiing

I went skiing for the first time today at Pat's Peak in New Hampshire. I was a bit apprehensive before going as I wasn't sure what to expect. I was worried that I didn't have the adequate winter wear for the occasion and also concerned about injuries. I was able to make do with a regular winter jacket and jeans with track pants underneath. And as for injuries, I fell several times, but didn't break anything, fortunately :)

The morning started with me hardly able to put my boots into the skis and struggling to find my balance. After a beginner's lesson and a few trips down the steady beginner's slope, I started to get the hang of it. After several falls, I learned how to get up effectively: point your skis across the mountain so that you don't continue sliding downward and align your weight before standing up. 

After getting comfortable with the small starter slope, I progressed to the full mountain slopes. I did an easy green circle route three times and only fell a couple of times! I mostly just used the beginner's pizza wedge, but the trip down the mountain was still very exhilarating. The rush of the cold air past your ears and the slightly heightened sense of fear kept me very alert on the track. I only had one really bad tumble where I flipped over a full 360 degrees -- my knees got jumbled a bit, but that was the worst of it. Good thing I wore a helmet :)

I'm glad I got a chance to try skiing. It was a lot of fun and I think I'd definitely like to go again. Ice skating's still on the list.

--Arkajit