Tuesday, February 19, 2008

The Family That Skis Together

In an attempt to get out and go skiing more than once this year, the family and I headed up to Hoodoo last Saturday. I have not heard people rave about skiing at Hoodoo - probably because Mt. Bachelor is nearby and a perennial favorite. I wasn't expecting much, so when it turned out to be probably the best day I've had skiing ever, I was surprised.

Hoodoo has an area called Easy Rider, which has the gentlest slope I've ever seen with a chair lift. Easy Rider could be called Chubby Baby Cheeks, as gentle and soft and edible as it was. I've been to four ski resorts in my entire life, so I've seen at least four chair lifts, if not five. I know of that which I speak. OC and I spent a good hour on Easy Rider, experiencing a state of relaxation like never before while attached to waxed projectiles of possible death or at least very real danger.

Normally, my ski day starts when my body produces a good healthy sheen of anxiety-produced sweat, about at the moment we arrive at the mountain and my mind makes sense of the information that I am about to be attached to extremely slick rented objects that will hurtle myself down a slippery hill at high rates of speed of which I am barely able to control. Also, that of my innocent child. A nagging worry soon follows which makes me imagine that my leg is about to be broken, or god forbid, OC's, and these are our last moments as fully-functioning human beings. This is when I cram everything down into my stomach and instead, bravely put on my gear and hope for the best.



It must've been good to start the day off slowly, for after a few runs down Over Easy and Hesitation, the skiier in pink also known as OC adopted a new battle cry. "See you at the bottom!" She called out to us as we ate her dust down the mountain.



Me, eating said dust.

As a parent, there are things that are inevitable and best to accept rather than dwell upon them. One of those things - among the many and various - is that at some point, your child will smoke you at something. Whether it's skiing, basketball, height, or Civil War trivia, you cannot fight it. Instead, let the defeat wash over like a soothing, chamomile-scented bath. Think back on how chubby and cute their little baby bottom was. It doesn't seem so bad after that, because after all, you were the one to raise and encourage that little behind to grow up and do so well at whatever it is.

This is much preferred over a bumper sticker announcing the achievement. Trust me on this.

3 comments:

Elise Michaels Media said...

We LUV Hoodoo! Both our kids learned to ski/snowboard on those hills. Make it a point to go to Winter Carnival there next year. The fireworks and snow are quite a sight. And, if you want to ski at night, Hoodoo has it! No uppity folks in groovy expensive ski gear. Just a lot of families having fun. And the food is majorly good and affordable!

Loralee Choate said...

I grew up skiing. I don't go a lot anymore because if I fall I am screwed with my back being in the shape it is.

So, I take it easy.

We are finally taking our boys to teach them to ski this weekend and I am really excited for it. This just got me even more excited and happy. It looks like you had such fun.

Lady M said...

Well said.

I'm glad that OG had such a good time skiing!