Monday, September 5, 2011

Ski season: is it really on its way?

The heat of summer is finally receding just as the hours of sunlight shorten.  It’s the perfect combination to enjoy an afternoon mountain excursion. Yesterday, I mountain biked the Mid-Mountain Trail at Park City Mountain Resort with a buddy of mine who works for their ski patrol. “The top is a bit thick with trees to get into, it opens up nicely in the middle and then gets narrow at the bottom”, he stated,  “great powder skiing!” It was great to have him as a guide to point out the ski slopes and glades as I visualized these places covered in a blanket of snow.
As we traversed a slope, looking down hill I thought how much steeper it seemed without snow.  Soaring down the same slope on a pair of skis does not seem to challenge my comfort level the same way.  Continuing on my bike ride, with the pull of gravity accelerating my body through the aspen trees, I had a sense of calm reflection, a connection to nature that is both familiar and comforting to me.  I can let go of all of my thoughts and worries when I am in that moment.  I feel that same exhilaration while skiing, though often I reach a greater feeling of flying, with nothing but frozen water and air between the earth and me.
  With the cooler temperatures and the new found thoughts of winter approaching, I am feeling the twinges of excitement for the upcoming ski season.   Now is the time I need to ask myself what I need to prepare for a great season.  Over the course of this semester I’ll start physical conditioning so I am in good shape to handle the demands of the slopes.  It is also time to research the newest equipment (and toss or replace some of the old) offered for the 2011/2012 ski season.

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