Snow and Skiing!

After an EIGHT year hiatus (almost), I was officially back on skis this week at Eldora, Colorado, a small ski resort just outside of Boulder, Colorado. Although we only played around on Nordic skis rather than ripping down the slopes on Alpine skis, I was so excited to be in the snow and on skis. I've never been a great skier, but I've always enjoyed the slopes. When I lived in Seattle, some family friends taught me how to Nordic ski, which is a lot of work but can be a peaceful and almost relaxing venture, especially when the trails are well-groomed and one is in good shape and can hit that sweet 'glide' spot.

All of the ski and snow fun stopped abruptly me for me when I stupidly tried to make my way down a black diamond at Squaw Valley back in 2003 and ended up tearing my meniscus. Being pulled around by the ski patrol is an experience that one should have at some point in his/her life, but I wouldn't totally recommend it. That incident, I would say, marked the beginning of the end for my left knee, and I avoided most snow-related activities like the plague. Well, I tried to convince myself that snow-shoeing was just as much fun as skiing. While I did enjoy the experience and certainly want to snowshoe again, I am SO PSYCHED that I can ski again! I have terrible luck on mountains (the knee issue, for instance, and a broken ankle that I had to hike out on), and one of my cousins has suggested that I try surfing, but I am happy to return to the mountains.

Based on our fabulously fun Nordic experience, we are returning to Eldora on Monday for a few runs on the downhill runs. I will stay mainly on greens, maybe venture over to a blue, but no black diamonds!

And I will keep my fingers and toes crossed that I don't fall and totally f-up another part of my body OR the same knee. That would just simply suck.

One last deep thought and then I'll close - being back on skis and feeling almost confident does make me forever grateful for physical therapy. I officially ended back in May, but then signed myself up for a few more weeks or months of PT this fall, when skiing became a possibility. The ortho doctor cleared me for skiing, but he said that more PT wouldn't hurt (obviously). It was painful in more ways than one to return to physical therapy, but now I will say that it was completely and totally worth it.

Here is a final shot of me, thinking about the wonder of the season (or something like that):