Skiing Blacktail Mountain, Montana

So I went skiing yesterday.  And today.  I am not sure if I am happy that I found something else that I really enjoy.  I already enjoy swimming, biking, running, lifting, trail running (which is sort of hiking for the impatient), hiking, rock climbing, shooting, scuba diving, kayaking, sailing, water skiing, back country camping…….do I really want another sport??  Well, yes, I think I do! How much are downhill skis again?  LOL

I brought my cross country skis out here with me because I have been liking the aerobic sports mostly in the past but somewhere in the past year, I decided I really like speed.  The faster, the better.  Well, I always liked speed but never went very fast.  Now I am going fast and enjoying it immensely.

My brother is a good ski coach…..hmmm, interesting family trait, no?   And tweaked my not-so-bad form after all this time not skiing (6 years?) and suddenly I had control through turns and on steeper hills.   The skis are very different since I last skied; they are not straight down the sides but almost like an hour glass shape.  This helps grab the snow with the edges.  He told me to use all of the edges of the skis, both skis, and roll from edge to center to other edge as you go through your turn and to not rush the turns.  Do not be afraid of the speed or of pointing straight downhill.  You are, after all, trying to go downhill.  And with that, I finally felt I could go fast with control.  I had felt that I could hold my own before on moderate hills but I was doing the same thing I had always done and wasn’t really sure how to get better.  I don’t think you get better by doing the same thing over and over.  You have to try something new - push the envelope a little bit.  After that little lesson, I felt lots faster, lots more in control.  I still could not catch Travis, even with him on Telemark skis, he just flies.  Maybe I am faster than him on the bike!!!  I can hope!!  And besides, thank God for all of the squats and lunges I have been doing because I don’t know how many more runs I could have made- wwhoooeeee - skiing does burn the quads!

Nature note: It is so cool how the snow sticks to all sides of the trees.  It was raining (I missed the really cold weather last week - it has been in the 30’s the entire time so far) when we left the house and another storm is forecast to come in behind this one - so there will be plenty of fresh snow between now and Christmas day.  Always a Schule family tradition to go skiing on Christmas day.  One I have not been a part of in many years and am looking forward to it very much this year.

Off to sit in the sauna.  From Montana for a few more days at least, Jennisse