Shredding!… is that how the young, hip ones say it?
My sweet uncle (the same who tried to teach me to swim…. If you’ve read my past entries) is a ski instructor at Brighton Ski Resort. He’d been begging us girls to come up and take a snowboarding lesson.
Well, Saturday night 5pm was the night.
I broke out my mostly unused snow gear and headed up the canyon. As I sang along with my Dreamgirls CD, I noticed all the cars coming out of the canyon were filled with people smiling. Knit caps still on, noses still red and big, big smiles.
At the top of Big Cottonwood canyon, Brighton looked like Planet Hoth (a Star Wars reference for my cute husband Mark who, by the way tells me there are also Wampas and Taun-Tauns there – luckily none of which were at Brighton).
So we began. First learning how to dress properly, neck cover over hat, goggles over all of it, how to put our ski pass on (the sticker covers the hole) and how to put on those boots – almost a workout in itself. Then we figured out if we rode “Goofy” or “Fakey” – which is essentially which foot you prefer in front (Hey… I didn’t make up the names).
I fell over as soon as I tried moving AT ALL with the board attached. That would be the first of many. Ever notice how teachers move you ahead just a skosh before you’d like to? Anyway, up we go on the ski lift. We had learned to stop so that was my main weapon in my arsenal – but when all else fails… fall back on my butt! My sis rode up with Uncle Drew and I was stuck ridi
ng alone (the bummer of being older). The top of the lift was ahead, I repeated the things my Uncle had told me “Board straight, straighten back leg. Board straight, straighten back leg” I prepared… Then, PHOOFMP! There I lay… face down arms outstretched, in a position that would come to be known as the “Superman Sprawl.”
I did pretty well coming down the mountainside using my toes up technique and essentially keeping my board perfectly parallel to the bottom of the mountain (therefore controlling my speed). I’ll never be one to want to ride in the fast lane… just the leisurely cruising lane.
All in all, my Uncle was impressed with how quickly my sis and I picked it up. We’re okay… not great. Not even proficient. Of the 5 times we took the chair lift, I fell 3 of those. I’m chuckling to myself now at what it must be like to work at the top of a chair lift on a beginners slope. Laughs-a-plenty I’m sure.
There were moments I’d be wallering around on the snow, that I thought “Boy, I’m glad I didn’t learn this on a first date!” (girls there’s a lesson to be learned!)
But, gosh it’s fun!! For the few moments I felt pseudo-in control and was able to feel the movement down the hill, just a thrill. Not to mention being able to enjoy our glorious mountains, which are just breathtaking.
So today, I have a few bruises and many, many sore muscles. I feel like I move a bit like the tin man from the Wizard Of Oz – I just need a little can of oil.
Thank you, Uncle Drew for your patience and wonderful teaching. And thanks to my sis who fell at least as many times as I did!
