I love skiing and jump at the opportunity whenever I can. Personally, I think it's really easy and fun! I've only been twice, but I always use the black diamond slopes as they're way more fun and challenging.
First time was back in the high school days. My "friends" hazed me horribly by pelting me with slush balls at the lodge. And they "advised" me to get the longest, thinnest skis: the ones with the least control for beginners, hoping I'd wipe out and get myself killed. (I sensibly ignored them on that.) When we actually went skiing, I made two runs, and I quit.
The other trip was a decade and change later. My dad and youngest brother reassured me I'd enjoy it this time. And I took them at their word. Idiot me.
Reminder: ski boots are PAINFULLY tight. They're that way so you don't twist your ankles, I know, but they were no fun to walk around on. And I kept falling down, and couldn't stop myself. Unfriendly idiots running the lift threatened to rip my tickets all the time. I had one run without incident. Then after that, I kept toppling over. My brother and dad left me behind to ski on their own. And on one fall, I twisted my back. And with my old job with heavy lifting, you don't do that.
I was cold, wet, miserable, and in pain. And when my folks decided to extend their skiing to the evening, I just turned in my rental skis and poles (but not my boots; my brother had the locker key), and hung out in the lodge to play Super Street Fighter II.
Skis. Keep them waxed, keep the bottoms sanded, keep the tips sharp, keep the snow out of the binders... and if you don't them pitched off the nearest cliff, KEEP THEM AWAY FROM ME.
Thaboss loves skiing. He learned when he was really young... In fact, he was just skiing yesterday. It was great. He only fell once, and it was fun too... He's not amazing, but pretty good.
First time was back in the high school days. My "friends" hazed me horribly by pelting me with slush balls at the lodge. And they "advised" me to get the longest, thinnest skis: the ones with the least control for beginners, hoping I'd wipe out and get myself killed. (I sensibly ignored them on that.) When we actually went skiing, I made two runs, and I quit.
Well, that's because your friends were jerks...
ski boots are PAINFULLY tight
Probably got a size too small. And it's really not THAT hard to walk, you just need good balance. Same goes for the actual skiing.
I was cold, wet
Well then, you obviously weren't properly clothed. Your fault.
What a friend of thaboss's said:
"Snowboarding is harder to learn, and easier to master. Skiing is easier to learn, and harder to master."
(Or maybe it was the other way around. Thaboss has no idea.)
I went once, and I skiied for just a short time, two hours maybe. It was quite a novel experience, but being a hot-weather creature hailing from more exotic humid places, I took quite some time getting used to the snow, and by then my hands were freezing to the skiing sticks.
And then the fun part came; as I came shooting down the mountain side, some woman raises her stick backwards for god knows what reason and nearly impales me. Which ended up in me scooting to the side hastily and getting a faceful of snow and an ego deflation.
And then the fun part came; as I came shooting down the mountain side, some woman raises her stick backwards for god knows what reason and nearly impales me. Which ended up in me scooting to the side hastily and getting a faceful of snow and an ego deflation.
It is your fault for being in pole range.
"Snowboarding is harder to learn, and easier to master. Skiing is easier to learn, and harder to master."
Agreed. Snowboarding is hardly intuitive. It is quite fun, though.
Where I live now, lift tickets are WAY to pricey. So, I never go. And I don't have winter tires on my car now, so I can't drive to the mountain near my home due to poor road conditions. I haven't been to the slopes in quite a while, to say the least.
I've never went skiing or snowboarding. It seems an enjoyable experience, but I think the fear of falling or colliding with somebody has kept me from doing it.
I have to side with the people who never tried skiing, or snowboarding for that matter, ever in my life... allthough I really enjoy rolling around in the snow at times and the beautiful scenery it provides, I never had the urge to strap on some wooden boards and say a hail mary before plummitting to a certain death in my case! Jikes! (o.O)
It was not my fault a woman suddenly pops up and holds her sticks up at me!
If you were going so fast that you could not easily dodge such an action, then you were going to fast for your skill level. The way slopes are made- with bumps, turns, etc- its pretty much a given that people will come out of nowhere. You should be able keep your distance, and if you can't, you need to slow down.
