Solace On the Ski Slopes

I have discovered solace.

When I was a child, Dad took the free ski lessons offered through local newspaper. They taught the basics of snowplowing, simple turns, safety, etc...

He brought all this information home and taught all of us kids. My uncles come from California to ski every couple of years, so they would put their two cents worth in, but never had enough time to really teach us how to ski.

Now that I think about it, I'm not sure any of us had the patience or perseverence to learn at that stage in our lives. We were pretty wimpy about the cold and how comfortable our boots and skis were. On a limited budget, we were pretty dependent on our winter coats and long johns to keep us warm. No fancy winter weather gear for us.

So, Dad discovered a fantastic deal at Alta Ski Resort. As part of their ski school, they offer a free skiing after 3 pm, EVERY DAY!!! (at least on one lift)Dad is also a great bargain hunter at the Deseret Industries, the LDS version of the Salvation Army. He has found fantastic deals on second hand skis.

I decided this year was it. I was going to find my deal on skis and take advantage of this free lift to make or break my ski skills. Dad helped me find some parabolic skis for $15 and boots for $5. :D I'm proud to report that I'm addicted. I love skiing!! Thanks to ad hoc lessons from a good friend who loves the slopes more than anyone I know, I'm learning to parallel ski and actually feel some control on the slopes. Because of that control, I can take my focus off of my fear of breaking my leg and put some of it on appreciating the beauty of the canyon, and the snow and the softness it brings to the otherwise rocky crevices.

So, now I've got a companion for my Beach Bug-- the Ski Bug!! This one is a little bit easier to appease, due to the perks available to locals.