Saturday, January 16, 2016

Skiing - The Good and The Ugly

    Fourteen days of skiing into the ski season and one would expect to be in prime form.   After one day of skiing in December, January 3rd marks the beginning of non-stop skiing hopefully until the spring shut down.   What a strange season!  Only occasionally conditions have been considered good.  For the most part only man-made snow has been available.   Although the grooming has been quite good, the surface remains quite firm.  Sharp edges are necessary almost every day.  However, in contrast today we had a new challenge.   An overnight rain and warm temperature produce a "wet groomed packed powder" the consistency of wet cement!
    I would like to pride myself having the ability to ski almost any type of surface.   However, at what cost?   While the "wet cement" was skiable, the combination of the consistency with the stick-slip variation in slipperiness was a great challenge.   It was ugly.   None of my geezer group on the hill.  Based on how my knees felt after a couple of hours on the slopes, I know why they weren't there.
     I guess I still have the old tenacity of the farm boy in me.   If you want to ski every day you have to accept the good, bad and the downright ugly.   At least I got a workout and will not have to use the treadmill for exercise.
 

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