Saturday Skiing

Yesterday looked like a beautiful day to go skiing, but (sigh) someone has to work to pay the bills around here, so Corey couldn't go yet. Today was good through, cause there was snow over night. We woke up to a few inches here in the valley, a good indicator that it would be really good up the canyon. I wanted to go skiing with just Corey and I, but Corey is a better parent than I am and he thought we should take kids. Oh fine (sigh). They had all used their ski tickets, but Corey was willing to buy them another day (which are half off with our Mountain Collective pass). Most of them still didn't want to go. But Sophi said yes. Go Soph. And Owen and Daniel are free, so that is less painful, although I prepped myself mentally for kids needing to use the bathroom at inconvenient times and for other complaints. So up the canyon we went to Snowbird. It was a good time. I think I'm doing much better at skiing now that I've watched a few videos of how it's done - this REI Skiing the Steeps one was the most helpful. (I was slightly frozen with terror last week when were at the top of steep hill at Alta right off of the Collins lift.) So a few things I learned - I haven't have my shoulders facing downhill, and I didn't know how to do nor was I even aware of pole planting. I'm also more aware of skidding and using less edge when I turn. This video was good too - edge control, foot rotation, and separating the lower and upper body. We watched that one on our way up. Corey said he's never thought of separating his lower and upper body. But we were both ready to try things out today as we skied. We parked in Entry 1 and got a great parking place. We got our tickets and then headed to Baby Thunder. 

We took the Conveyor #2. 

While we were in there, I thought I'd practice my balancing and try to get my right leg prepped to do more work. Last week I came up with a theory that I had a hard time turning left and going left because my left leg, which was my planting leg during all my soccer years, didn't want to relinquish control to my right leg, which was my more flexible and kicking leg. So my left leg would try to keep holding my body weight, but that doesn't work on a steep hill when the left leg is uphill and my right leg is downhill. Anyway, so I was alternating standing on my right and left leg while we were on the conveyor, and then I fell over! They stopped the belt, and I was stuck and had to take off my skis. I was able to get up before the employee reached me to help me, but he was on his way. Pretty stupid and I'm not going to practice balancing on the conveyor again, ha! "How did you fall over?" I was practicing balancing so I won't fall on the mountain... smh. I was able to laugh at myself though and I apologized to the employee. 

We did baby Thunder a few times, and it was a bit more like Jackson Hole with the powder and was a little hard for Daniel and he fell and was whitewashed in the snow twice there. Then he was done and said he wanted to go home. But Corey was able to get him happy again by going through the trees in the Mini Miner's Camp. Then we went to Midgad and did Emma and Lower Bassackwards. We did a steep hill that was under the Gadzoom lift that was kinda mogul-y and through the trees. Daniel accidentally led us to that one but we did ok. 

Then we went on Midgad again to do the terrain park. We were just going to go over the hills. Owen wasn't scared and liked it, Daniel tried it but there was too much snow and he fell and disappeared beneath a poof of powder. He was totally hidden in the snow. Corey dug him out but it might have been too much for his little ego and Daniel was in a low spot. 

Poor kid - we were digging the snow out from between his goggles and his helmet. He was cold and humiliated.

So we took a lunch break. I ate a few almonds and then said I'd like to go practice some more. Corey took the kids over to the Snowbird Center to warm up and get pizza to cheer up Daniel, and I went on Midway Midgad and then I went to the top of Midgad to explore that. Upper Big Emma was crazy steep, but the research I did helped me make it down without falling and I did pretty good. There was a lot of fog though and I could hardly see a thing! We did try that with the kids later and it was kinda like my experience on the Teewinot face with Daniel, only shorter and I was able to do it this time. I helped Owen in between my legs, Corey helped Daniel. We also did the terrain park again but went to the left where there is a steep hill and some turns and jumps. Daniel fell, and as I was trying to get up speed to make it over to him, I fell too, So it was fun. You fall and you get back up again.

Corey is really proud of Owen and Daniel. Earlier this year they couldn't ski on their own, and now they're doing blues! 

Daniel taking a break on Lower Emma.

We skied until the very end. One person commented as we were getting on the lift for our last ride "Oh yeah! I like seeing these little ones getting last chair!" All done for the day. We skied until they wouldn't let us ski anymore (I think they should keep the lifts open until 5 or 6 in the spring, no need to close down at 4:30 when it's still light outside)

Waiting while Corey goes to get the car. Daniel and Owen had pink pink cheeks. Getting into the car. Corey telling Daniel that he can't keep getting so good at skiing! "You have to slow down! You're too fast!"

Headed home - Traffic wasn't bad at all.

So that was fun. Then we got home and had to do homework and practice. When Natalie and Sophi were practicing violin, Daniel got down Natalie's old 1/8th violin, which we say is his (cause he wants to play violin) and Daniel was practicing too. Daniel was upstairs practicing with us and he left it down within Peter's reach, and then Peter threw it down the stairs, so that was too bad. The scroll broke off but the fingerboard and body were still intact. The A string's tuner peg is not longer a part of the violin, but other than that it works well enough for Daniel to still pretend he's practicing. The bridge came out and I was able to put that back in, but yeah, that is our first violin casualty. His bow is really hammered too. I'm glad that I got that one off the classifieds - it makes the loss hurt a little bit less. Aside from the busted violin, it was a very good day.