Sooooo.
Getting outside of my comfort zone has historically been pretty easy for me. Just hop a flight to wherever and bam, instant personal growth!
Sometimes, you just kinda quit your job and move to a new country, to get outside your comfort zone, too. It happens.
Anyway, thanks to COVID and house arrest and social distancing (which — by the way — I am totally in favor of, don’t get me wrong!) it’s been a little harder to get outside my comfort zone lately.
Enter… this past weekend!
My college friend Vandy strapped me to a pair of skis and sent me down a mountain for the first time ever on his birthday weekend. Wild!
Idk what it is, but ski resorts have always intimidated me. I know, it makes NO sense. Drop me off alone in the middle of a country where I don’t speak the language? Totally fine. Ski resort? PANIC.
I grew up in the Midwest, where skiing isn’t really a thing. But, since I’ve moved to northern Arizona (Flagstaff has a ski resort, FYI), everyone — seriously, EVERYONE — asks me if I ski.
“No, I don’t, I’m from the Midwest, open a geography book, there are no mountains and Chicago isn’t really known for its ski resorts!”
Anyway. Last week, my friend Vandy invited me to a cabin in Government Camp, Oregon, at the base of Mount Hood. He and his girlfriend Breanna were planning a small ski weekend and wanted to know if I’d like to join since I’ve been vaccinated and all.
Ordinarily, I probably would have been like “ew, no, skiing, DO I LOOK RICH TO YOU?!” but honestly COVID has made me such a shut-in that I probably would have said yes to pretty much any adventure.
So, off I went! I scored a $145 round trip flight to Seattle on American Airlines, so I took off. I spent Thursday working remotely at Vandy and Breanna’s apartment in Seattle, then we drove down to Government Camp after work.
We were also joined by Vandy and Breanna’s friends Jaren, Stephanie and Tad. I had to work on Friday, so I hung out at the cabin and got some stuff done while everyone else went skiing.
We went out for dinner and beer Friday night, and then on Saturday I got to learn how to ski.
(We went to Mount Hood Meadows, by the by.)
Vandy snowboards and I didn’t bother with ski lessons or anything, but I managed to figure it out on my own. I made a feeeeww runs down a green slope without falling, which seems pretty damn good to me consider I’d never worn skis prior to that day.
Obviously, yes, despite the few successes, I fell a lot. I am covered in bruises.
Whatever, it was still fun, albeit HOT. It was about 50 degrees, so we were all absolutely drenched in sweat the entire day. My hands also ended up sunburnt because I never bothered to put gloves on because yes, it was that hot.
Anyway, that was about it. It was a quick weekend! We spent Saturday night drinking, making tacos and playing board games.
Anyway, that was about it! We packed up Sunday morning and drove back up to Seattle so I could catch my flight back up to Flagstaff. We stopped at a few plant shops and grabbed doughnuts in Portland, and then I was back in the skies.
Soooooo… will I take up skiing? Especially because I live in a freakin ski resort town? Probably not. I had a TON of fun… but let’s be real. I’m 31 and my knees suck. I think I definitely would have stuck with skiing if I’d learned it about 10 years ago, but it’s REALLY hard on your body and the risk of permanent injury is just too much at my age.
Of course, you know me, and you know I have a habit of saying I’ll never do or try something, and then doing it or trying it mere days later. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Anyway, off to go ice my bruises!
