Moments of Silence
I got up this morning excited and slightly nervous. We were going to the Vail bowls and it would be my first time going backcountry skiing. Vail had some of the best skiing conditions in the world and the bowl would have who knows how many feet deep of ungroomed powder, and as much space as the eye could see. I was going with my father, someone who had been through army training and years of PT still and yet still had a tough time snowboarding. I guess it’s to be expected with the age though. After I got ready, I walked downstairs into the kitchen and saw my father already eating breakfast.
“Did you get enough sleep?” my father asked, wondering because we got back to the condo late last night.
“Yeah, more than a school night
…show more content…
It would be a long way to get there since we’d have to go on a long flat trail to get to the area we wanted to ski at which required multiple times of stopping to have to walk down the trail. Once we finally got there we just had to go up the mountain on a kind of rope tow lift which had a rope swing like seat to make traveling easier.
Since it was my first time using one, my dad explained to me that, “You just hold onto the rope and sit on the little swing. It’ll be hard but it’s better than having to walk up.” After he said that it was his turn to go on the swing so he headed off.
As I got on I immediately thought I was going to fall. It was so hard to keep myself on. I had to use all my arm strength to hold onto the rope and I still felt like I was slipping. It felt like my shoulders were coming out of their sockets. Not only that, but staying on the swing was hard too. The seat was tiny and I had a lot of puffy ski clothes on. I fell off multiple times and had to relying on all of my arm strength to try to get back onto the seat. The lift was only a couple hundred meters but it felt like it took forever. I finally made it to the top, thankful that my arms were still attached to my
After choosing all the proper equipment, it is now time to approach the lift. The lift assistant will line you into the path of the chair. Lean back as you feel the chair picking you up. Grasp the handlebars of the chair as it lifts you. Failure to do this will cause you to fall off and you could get ran over by the chair (This knowledge comes from a very humiliating personal experience). The ride on the lift takes about five to ten minutes, but this depends on which run you choose. As you approach the end of the lift, it is advised to signal the assistant to slow the lift down. Most beginners find the lift runs too fast to exit safely. Sit on the edge of the chair and ski off to the start of the run.
Once I got up to that platform, I immediately regretted my decision. It was a bright, hot day at SpringHill summer camp in Evart, Michigan. My counselors Steven, Danny, and Conor were with my cabin mates Connor (my brother), Cesar, Brian, and I at the signature ride at SpringHill: the super tall zipline. This zipline was taller than the Seattle Space Needle. Knowing that I wasn’t fond of heights, and I have done barely anything that involves height like this, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to ride it.
stood upon, was frightening. The only was to go was down. I took a deep
My heart was fluttering with excitement and anticipation. After 5 minutes, we headed down the bottom of the hill where there were ski school employees wait with snowflake gps trackers, that will tell us where we had skied that day. They strapped them around our legs and we headed for the turnstile reserved for ski school classes. We came in at the front of the line for the ski lift that would take us to the top of the mountain.
Zip lining, “A transportation system or piece of recreation equipment consisting of a cable stretched between points of different elevations, a pulley, and a harness or bar for attaching a rider, who moves by gravity.” (“The Free Dictionary”)
The cold wind whipped across my face leaving its bright red mark behind. I shuddered at the cold and gripped my ski poles tighter with my frozen hands as I willed the ski lift to move faster than its current slow crawl. I looked to my right to see my older brother and dad hunched over trying to conserve their own warmth. For what felt like the fifty millionth time I chastised myself for agreeing to attempt the run ahead. I peered through the fog at the run that fell below.
Mikeal wasn’t making it easier by making jokes about loose screws that would burst as soon as the roller coaster dropped “falling to our deaths” he said. It only took about 50 seconds to reach the top before the big drop. The whole way up I tried keeping myself from looking down, but when we were about to drop I couldn’t help myself but look. A horrible rush of chills went through my body. I wanted to scream but no words were coming out of my mouth.
so you had no room to talk.” I finally got to the top and i was kinda scared to go down because this was my first time skiing. I didn't was to go down because I thought I was going to fall or eat it. Go down the hill or you won't pass! the teacher said.
I’ll never forget that first day on the mountain it was the day that sparked my love for skiing. Ever since then I’ve tried to go skiing as much as I possibly can, although school tends to get in the way of that plan. The thing I like the most about skiing is the fact that I can go as fast as I want down the mountain, as long as there aren’t any rangers around, without having to worry about anything except maintaining control. Every year I have pushed myself to go faster and faster so far the fastest I have ever gone is sixty two miles an hour. For the past thirteen years skiing has been one of my favorite activities and I urge anyone who is thinking about trying it to just do it, it does seem hard at first but once you get the hang of it you might become
would have to climb the mountains in order to ski them, which is why I brought
Thin air encompasses me as I commence the final day of skiing at Vail, Colorado. Seven days of skiing elapse rather painlessly; I fall occasionally but an evening in the Jacuzzi soothes my minor aches. Closing time approaches on the final day of our trip as I prepare myself for the final run of the vacation. Fresh off the ski lift, I coast toward the junction of trails on the unoccupied expert face of the mountain. After a moment of thought, I confidently select a narrow trail so steep that only the entrance can be seen from my viewpoint.
I once spent an entire three-day backpacking trip with my mind in a tape-loop of a Japanese mamba song, which I hated at the time but grew to love over 72 hours. I’ve had more ideas occur to me on commuter trains or when walking my Shih Tzu then on the 14 days I once spent canoeing in Montana. I don’t mean to suggest that communing with outdoors is underrated. The scenery is sometimes worth the journey and can jog the brain later for points of reference of fondness and wonder. But not when you can’t see anything or the scenery itself is terrible.
I scarcely snoozed at all, the day before; incidentally, I felt insecure regarding the fact of what the unfamiliar tomorrow may bring and that was rather unnerving. After awakening from a practically restless slumber, I had a hefty breakfast expecting that by the conclusion of the day, all I wanted to do is go back home and sleep. Finally, after it was over, my dad gladly drove me to school; there, stood the place where I would spend my next four years of my life.
Skiing is a winter sport that millions of people around the world enjoy, it has been changing since its origins. Skiing has a long history that has origins dating back longer than a majority of sports that still exist today even though its original purpose wasn’t for sport. Skiing has evolved from its origins. The technology of the skis and safety equipment are not only different, but are actually existent making the sport safer. In addition, the competitive aspects have changed from when it was first transformed into a sport to what it is today.
One of the most enjoyable things in life are road trips, particularly to the Colorado mountains. Getting to spend time with your family and friends, while being in a beautiful place, is irreplaceable. The fifteen-hour road trip may feel never-ending, but gazing at the mountains from afar makes life’s problems seem a little smaller and causes worries to become a thing of the past. Coming in contact with nature, untouched, is a surreal experience. My family trip to the Colorado mountains last summer was inspiring.