Blue Square

Learn to ski:

So after watching that video it should be apparent to you that I am a phenomenal skier. I mean maybe if I had started last winter I'd be collecting gold medals right about now.

Ok maybe not......I know I look so awkward, did not put my arms down once the whole weekend, and I swear I was going faster than it looked! Despite all those things, I was able to make it down the mountain and didn't even fall once the whole time!

The weekend started with a "Rise and Shine" private lesson with Terri. Terri was awesome and looks like a "little person" in all the videos I have, but I am pretty sure she was at least 5 feet. Skiing basics seemed to come back to me quickly (thanks dad) which was a pleasant surprise to both me and Ter. I could make it down the bunny slope fairly easily and could do the nice wide wedge turns. Anyway, my hour with her flew by and then it was time to go off on my own.

You saw how my first run without Ter went. I went on all the green runs Northstar had (the levels of difficulty go green circles, blue squares, and black diamonds) and built some confidence on day one. Then my second day on the mountain, in 10+ years, my boyfriend decided we should go to the summit (tip top of the mountain) for lunch. There are no green circle runs at the top of the mountain....ahhh.

So I worked up the courage by the end of lunch to make my way down, what he so casually called "an easy blue square that they can't technically make a green circle." Uh huh, sure. I was doing ok even after I freaked out at the very start of the run and forgot how to turn. After getting over that I made my way down. Until, I suddenly couldn't see my boyfriend in front of me anymore.

As I got farther down the run I saw that he had gone down what looked to me like a sheer mountain face...I'm talking 90 degrees to your death. (It was probably more like 45 degrees but hey this is day two for me). He is sitting at the bottom of this cliff impatiently motioning with his hands "come here" like it's some easy journey between here and there.

There I was stuck at the top of this slope panicking. I told myself I had to go down sooner or later so I should just start going. I slowly crossed the slope going across and not down even a little coming to a complete stop on the other side as I was too scared to turn my skis even a tiny bit downhill. I stood there frozen for another few minutes trying to gather some courage. Ok time to do this I can't live on this mountain.....I went to turn downhill and just couldn't make myself do it, freaking out again. Now came the tears, dammit.

All I could think was "I'm never going to make it down this mountain, I can't do it, I am stuck forever!" Then "why are you crying? This isn't going to help you get off this cliff!" Here I go.....extremely slow and steady, while quietly weeping, I made it to the bottom of this (honestly, mini) slope. I did it!

I went over to where my boyfriend was sitting waiting for me and started crying again. He laughed at me a little (jerk) then felt bad (as he should). After composing myself we finished the rest of run and got back in line for the chair lift. I told him we had to go do that run again. He protested, saying I didn't "like" that one. Uh yeah I hated it and cried and though I was going to die of hunger and hypothermia after being stranded on the top of that slope for months on end. Yes, I did not enjoy myself but I made it down and knew the best thing for me would be to go back up and do it again. I had to conquer that mountain before I let the memory of that run swear me off skiing forever.

So up we went. I was a ball of nerves but there was no turning back now. As, we came upon that slope again it looked a million times easier than before. In addition to that there were a bunch of other skiers and I couldn't take all day to make it down. So after only a few seconds I turned downhill and worked my way down. It was so much easier! The adrenaline kicked in and I didn't even pause at the bottom I just continued on down the run patting myself on the back for a job well done. By the time I got to the bottom I was physically exhausted but so psyched!

Learn to ski: check
:)