You may remember this lodge from earlier posts. It is at the entrance to the Birchwood Trails, and it is the home of the Ptarmigan Nordic Ski Club. We joined the club and today was the first lesson. We stood in line with the other hearty souls to get fitted for equipment (boots, skis and poles). You need to understand that the boots are made for people who are not well grounded. That is to say we all squished our Patones (great big feet) into the booties. The poles are for pure decoration because we used them for approximately 15 seconds, which is how long it takes you to remove the wrist strap and throw the poles down. The skis are "an extension of your foot flowing gracefully from your legs as you glide in silent bliss," according to people that really do this, or are used primarily for making you look and feel like a dying cockroach, since that is the position you have to assume each and every time you fall (3000 give or take) and have to get up. the only other option is to freeze to death, offering up your body to science or the wolves, your choice.
This is where you can store your skis before you enter the lodge, if you have them, or you can hang around and chat up the other new looking people until you try to ski away like a suave movie star (think Bond, James Bond) and actually end up looking like a complete dork, face down, legs askew, cursing silently.
One must first stretch before any strenuous physical activity. That was the first clue that this might be a great spectator sport. Samuel can touch his toes, I can see mine.
First we learned to ski with one ski, to get used to gliding on the skis. First one leg, then the other. See the track where Sam has his ski? That is groomed by a snow mobile and a special sled that packs the snow to make the track. We were instructed to be careful of the track and not destroy it. I prefer to think of the damage from by big, fat, geek hiney as auxiliary packing. This is also just after we were instructed on how to fall and rise again. (the saying: There is no failure in falling, only failure in not getting up again. might be appropriate here. This might also be an appropriate place to offer up a small lesson in physics and Newton's laws of motion and gravity.) Newton never tried to nordic ski, but he did a great job on describing how bad it hurts after you fall, and fall, and fall, and fall... Remember those wheels on the ox cart form the primary song? I have new lyrics for that tune now.
Joseph showing off by not falling.
Michelle met Mari Luz Posada from Venezuela, and they immediately became friends. Sam was too busy being the darling of the class and showing off his "He's a natural" moves. Next time I am going to make him ski with a bowstaff to see if his bowstaff skills help him any. Gosh!
Joseph can still walk at the end of the day. I hobbled well enough to not draw attention to the fact that all 3 of my muscles hurt. Michelle practically skipped out to the truck. I murmured. Samuel was bubbling about skiing the trails and keeping up with the instructors. I wanted a nap.
3 comments:
You crack me up!! I wish I were there to join you or better yet sit in the lodge sipping hot cocoa and chatting with Michelle.
I want to go nordic skiing too!- just to show up Sam! Lets face it, he needs to be humbled a bit:) Hot cocoa might be nice too- mmm, warm drink on cold day watching my brothers (and father) fall and fall and fall- that sounds like FUN!
This is great. I love seeing more photos of Michelle and also I love your new background. I am so glad you guys are such good bloggers. You have wasted no time in getting into all the snow activities in Canada. Great adaptive skills.
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