I love winter.
I love snow. I love the mountains. I really, really, really, love skiing. And - yahoo! - ski season is finally here!
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Bluebird day! |
Friday was my first ski day of the season. I couldn't of picked a better day to be up on Hood. It was a sunny, clear day. There was hardly any wind. And the snow wasn't too bad. The only thing that would've made it perfect was a foot of fresh powder. But, hey, I ski in the Cascades where true powder is hard to come by. (There's a reason our snow is nicknamed "Cascade concrete")
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Views from Ridge Run |
Skiing is my most favorite thing to do. I love it even more than running or hiking. What a wonderful feeling to be gliding down a run making perfect turns through the snow. It's as close to flying as you can be.
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Sunshine and snow |
Skiing gives one a chance to be out in mother nature during the cold winter months. The snow-covered woods are so beautiful. All the trees are flocked with a lovely white coating. When the sun comes out, the snow sparkles like diamonds.
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My assessment of the day |
I went up with my friend Kim. There was no school that day, so she brought her two kids and their friends. While Kim got everyone situated, I took a few runs. My first run was pure heaven. I'd forgotten how much I missed skiing over the summer. I was so happy, there were tears in my eyes!
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Looking down the Stadium run |
In the morning, I started with my telemark skis to practice my tele-turns. Surprisingly, I didn't forget how to tele during the off-season. After a run or two, things came back quickly. My legs even felt stronger. Must be all that running I did over the summer.
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Ooooh.....freshly groomed corduroy |
After some warm up runs, I felt the need to test myself on something more difficult. The racecourse (Stadium run) was open and groomed. Usually it's closed for racing, so I had to go and try it. Once I arrived at the top, I paused to admire the snow conditions. The slope was perfectly groomed corduroy, and hardly anyone had made tracks on it. I launched myself downhill, made a couple of shaky turns, and fell on my butt! But I quickly recovered, and enjoyed the rest of my trip down.
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How to do a tele-turn |
After an hour, I met up with Kim and we took some runs together. I got a new smaller (pocket-sized) camera for an early Christmas present, and today was the first time I'd tried it out. I took some photos, and had Kim take a couple of me (I'm always the photographer, never the subject) The sunny skies were very conducive to photography.
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Kim laughs at my self-portrait attempt |
And of course I tried to get a photo of both Kim and I. Two longtime ski buddies!
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Kim strikes a studly skier's pose |
Kim and I skied, laughed, whooped and woo-hooed. We had a good morning of skiing. Everyone we met on the slopes and at the lifts was in a good mood. Skiers and boarders are always in high spirits - we come to the mountain to play. Contrast that to runners on the day of a race, who are always so serious.
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Mt. Hood, lookin' white and wonderful |
By lunchtime, my legs were pooped. So I switched my teles for alpine skis. Kim's sister was selling a pair of Atomics, and I needed a new set of alpine skis (after six seasons, my old Solomon Screams were toast) so she brought the skis for me to try out.
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Kim surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery |
Well, it was love at first turn for those Atomics! After a run, Kim took a photo of me with her iphone, and sent it to her sister with one word - "sold."
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I attempt a sexy skier's pose |
Those Atomics were a sparkly metallic green color. I called them my "bling" skis! I was feeling really sexy makin' turns down the mountain with those skis.
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Top of the world view from the Cascade lift |
Kim went in early to check on the kids, and I took a couple more runs by myself. The Cascade lift was open, so I rode it to the very top of the ski area. The views were wonderful. You could see the tip of Mt. Jefferson protruding from a low cloud bank. The afternoon sun was low in the sky giving nice light to the scene. A good way to end a perfect day of skiing!
My ski season is off to a great start. Thanks to La Nina, the mountain has lots of early season snow. And I hear the snow's supposed to keep piling up. It's gonna be a good year!
:)
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