Ahhhh, snow...!

Yesterday was a totally perfect day and really, that can't be said too often. My Dad played hooky from work and we met out at Longmire with our skis and snowshoes and hiking boots, (just in case we couldn't find snow). But, oh did we find snow! The most fluffy, sparkling snow I've ever skied on in WA. The weather was just about as good as it could get. Warm and crystal clear. And the Mountain! Did I mention the mountain? There are no pictures because of course I forgot the camera. Doh! Suffice it to say that it was huge and beautiful.

We made our way from Paradise up to Mazama Ridge. Watched a group of telemarkers bomb a big bowl and then climb back up to the top just to do it all over again. Man, those guys work for their fun. I wanna learn to telemark... Some day. We then spent a good part of the afternoon making our way down the ridge. The thing about playing in the snow is that you get to make your own trail. You go where the path looks friendly, which is...nice.

I realized about half way through the day that I'm no skier. I like to bomb little slopes and the whoopdy-do's through the trees are fun, but I'm really not cut out to be on skis. My legs get all rubbery and I fall down a lot. Put me on a bike, any bike, and I'll be right at home. I adapt easily to different terrain, different bikes, and different conditions without even thinking. Not skis. My Dad kept reminding me to keep my edges this way or that, and not to ski into creeks or off the side of the ridge. It's just not intuitive like cycling. Kinda makes sense though. I grew up in Santa Cruz and we didn't have snow, but we did have bikes and I've been riding one since I was 3 or 4 years old.

The good part of skiing is I still have fun doing it even if I'm really no good at it. And the best part about skiing is that it gets me outside during the winter months and we always end up at these most spectacular places on these amazing days. That in itself is worth flinging myself haphazardly through the snow, (even when it get down my pants!).