paragiraffe

Yesterday Shaun and I got up early and drove to Cataloochee Ski Area in beautiful Maggie Valley, NC. This was my first time skiing, but by first I mean not actually my first because I went once with Girl Scouts when I was a kid, but all I remember about that time was that the boots are uncomfortable and how to use your pole to release your boot from the ski. Skiing in North Carolina in March is interesting and by interesting I mean all the snow is completely fake and it’s fifty-five degrees out. Of course, the hill being small and the weather being mild was probably really good for my first time.

I took a beginner lesson with a guy named Bill, and although I started out as the worst student in our group of five, I am proud to say I was probably the second-worst by the end. In a way, I’m actually pretty amazed at how quickly you can get on some skis and, with a little instruction, glide around a bit. I only fell once during my lesson, and after a dozen or so runs down the slight incline in the beginner area, I was feeling pretty good. After lunch Shaun taught me how to get on and off the ski lift (piece of cake!) to have my first go down the bunny slope, during which I fell, hard, at least four times and have the bruises to prove it. Afterwards I went back to the beginner area to practice turning some more because apparently you can’t just go straight down a real hill, which is not something Bill taught in level one.

Near the end of the day, as I had completely mastered the beginner area, I decided to try to take some video of myself skiing. I held the camera with one of my poles in my right hand, but I thought the first take was kind of boring so I decided to go again with some narration. Apparently skiing and making a video and talking is still too much for me, and I totally wiped out at the end (at my incredibly slow speed). I’ve already cracked up a half-dozen times at this video, so I’m sharing it with you.

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