Tuesday, December 8, 2009

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look where I have been hiding!

I have not been on a snowboard in more than two years, so when i finally found myself with board in hand- holding out my pass for the lift instructor to scan, I soon realized that the anticipation building up to this moment had left both my heart racing and my butt clenched tightly with delight. I overheard a ski instructor ahead of us explaining to his pack of kiddos that yesterday's windstorm had left the recently groomed slopes compact and frozen, and that they would want to take it slow and easy. With one last deep breath i suppressed the urge to turn around and head for the Bruno Bunny Slope, and with a kick and a push allowed the lift to carry me beyond the point of return. I managed to get off the lift without falling on my face and considered that a good omen (mistake #1), got strapped in and prepared to "tear shit up" as my little sister so convincingly encouraged.
I finish one run, and then another, and then another. By now I am too bundled up to feel anything. The nostalgia of every bend in my body, the motion behind each carve leaves me feeling worn-in. It's thrilling.
Before I know it I'm impatiently pleading with the 11 other members of the group to accompany me to the tippy-top of the Mountain (mistake #2). Our ski outfit consisted of various levels of experience and skill, and as such only four others consented to chaperon.
It was about halfway down that run that I realized I might have jumped the gun on this one. Becca, my little sister and part-time dare devil has stumbled upon the snow park. The slope before us is littered with jumps and rails that my siblings and counterparts eagerly take on. I watch nervously for a few minutes and then finally decide, "I can do that!" (mistake#3). I'll just take that last little jump, nice and easy, and try not to break my neck simultaneously.
So I go for it!
As I crest the top of the jump the distance between myself and the snow below has become both apparent and foreboding. I fight the urge to close my eyes as I launch from the brink in horror. Flailing my arms frantically in every direction, it probably looked as though I were attempting to take flight rather than land on my own two feet. Despite said efforts, my board eventually found the ground and launched me awkwardly into a downhill pitch head-first.

It hurt. My right hip took the brunt of the impact, which in hindsight was much better than my tailbone. Still, it felt for a few minutes as though my entire side were pulsing and throbbing against my lower spine. I'd smacked my head at some point and had lost much of my gear in turn. I took my time gathering my belongings and wandered wearily downhill toward the lodge. All I had to show for this undertaking was a seriously sore neck and a bruise about the size of a volleyball which encompasses most of my lower back.

So the lifts closed at 4. We got a few runs in after my wipeout but every concurrent ass-landing hurt worst than the preceeding, so it was with great relief that i finally resigned to our room and a well-deserved beer.
The plan had been to stop by the hottub after dinner, and to soak until the pain subsided or i got pruny- but as it so happens, they shut the hottub off once the temperatures turn negative.
In lieu of these events, we all squeezed into one room with eight bunks and four chairs accompanied by a deck of cards and copious amounts of alcohol.
Lines were formed to filter people in and out of each station of recreation, so naturally it was only a matter of time before Sarah and Nikki, my brother's Josh and Joe's respective girlfriend's began feuding. I did what i could to diffuse the situation, to begin with I tried to cut each of them off and distract them with engaging bits of conversation regarding the rise in popularity of pumpkin curry soup, their personal preference in companionship if found stuck in an elevator. Advent calenders! Minature pet pigs. Reggae Music. The arm similarities between preying manti and T-rex… anything!
My cunning distrations got us nowhere. Eventually we chose to seperate them, by the time they'd agreed to disagree most of us were unconscious. We woke up to a beautiful view, big cozy fire, and a continental breakfast.

I won't be able to walk normally or sit down until we go again next week, but I had a great time.
 
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