Last weekend turned out to be really fun, but not quite the way I expected. We drove up to Keystone Friday night. I am always a little nervous to go snowboarding because it's scary and dangerous, and exhausting. But, I force myself to go because I know once I'm good, it will just be really fun. So the next morning I was a little apprehensive, but also determined. We took the shuttle bus to the ski area, and it was COLD! I hadn't put on my gloves yet and my fingers just about froze. Robert and Evan left to take a small lift up, while Daniel and I continued to River Run to take the main lift all the way to the top. At the top is the bunny slope and I planned to practice there a bit before taking a main run down to the bottom. I did surprisingly well. After about 2 times down, I was actually connecting my turns and not falling at all. Daniel was practicing skiing backwards on the bunny hill. He was amazing and patient and really helpful. He encouraged me to push myself and told me how great I was doing. I was so happy to have him there with me.
After about 6 times down, Evan and Robert came over and we decided to take the "slow run of the day" down to the bottom. It was meant for beginners and ski schools and stuff. That's when it started to go downhill, no pun intended. Once I got on a real slope, I got scared. I was terrified of going too fast and so everytime I got going faster, I went back to my heel edge. I was too scared to use my toe edge. The entire way down that's what I did. My calves burned because I was on my heels the entire time so I had to stop and rest a lot. It was so cold that my toes hurt really bad. They were so frozen! At one point, Daniel convinced me to try my toe edge and I fell. HARD. On my head. I laid there for a second to let my head stop spinning and I cried. I was frustrated, and cold, and in pain, and I cried. Usually I'm really stubborn and get right back up and go at it again, but it was just so hard that day. I wanted to get down off the mountain. Daniel was so great. He stayed with me the entire time and went slow and not once complained. I apologized for being so slow and crying, but he told me not to and he was happy that I was trying.
So I took it slow and finally made it down the mountain. When I finally got to the bottom, I was so relieved. We had lunch and I was done. My toes hurt really bad and my head hurt from that fall, so I went back to the hotel with Robert. He went back out later that afternoon, but I stayed in the hotel. It was warm and cozy, and I had homework to do anyways. Daniel and Evan got back and we took a dip in the hot tub. That's the best part of skiing in my opinion. :-) At about 5, we went back to the mountain because Evan and Daniel wanted to try night skiing. I thought they were crazy. If it was that cold during the day, imagine how cold it was going to be at night. But actually they had a great time. And so did I! I brought my book (which is amazing, by the way) and sat in starbucks drinking hot chocolate. It was very pleasant. When they were done we went to town and had dinner and watched the Cardinals kill Carolina.
I was disappointed in myself, but I think it would have been worse if I had gone out again after lunch. I was frustrated and I might have really injured myself. As it was, the next three days were very painful and I even still have some sore muscles. It will take a lot of nerve for me to go back up again this season, but I still have two more free rentals, so I think I will. Maybe I'll take a class.
We got back to campus on Sunday afternoon after terrible traffic and a long drive back. We were both exhausted and happy to be home. That night it snowed a lot and the next morning there was almost 6 inches of snow on the ground! It made me so happy. Especially because my classes were short and easy because so many students couldn't make it to class. The weather makes traffic bad so commuter students can't really get to class. But most of all, I love how campus looks all covered in white and I love the squeaky sound my boots make in freshly fallen powder and when snowflakes fall on my nose and stick to my hat. (And Beth, if you're reading this, your hat and scarf came in handy!)
This week is almost over and I couldn't be happier. One of my big successes was doing my physics homework. In class my professor has done a bunch of really complicated example problems and I was afraid the homework would be that complicated as well. But, I worked through it and I'm so proud of myself for finishing it! I was dreading it and when it was done I felt huge relief.
Well we have to go get our emission testing done and renew our car registration. Ugh. Such is life!
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