I'll be the first to admit I'm not the most physically coordinated person out there. The only reason I'd ever turn on ESPN is to watch the spelling bee, or perhaps curling. Other than that, I'll pass. I've been to Dubai a countless number of times, and have always marveled at Ski Dubai, which is…
Continue reading: My First (And Probably Last) Time Skiing
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
The W Verbier is said to be good if you are looking for place to take Ford Lucky.
Small tip, try hiring a skiing instructor or sign up for group lesson before hitting the slops the next time.
"I’d actually say I covered more distance on my rear than on my skis."
Ha!
"My ass is still sore from the number of times I fell, even four days later."
Double ha!
😉
How'd bike riding go your first time? Get your butt back out there - but on REAL snow.
What do you make of Singapore announcing service to New York in 2018? I just saw it on Instagram, and there were no other details. This could be a real story too. Thank you!!!
My friends did that to me ... I ended up shutting down the entire mountain (and causing a compound fracture on my friends leg).
Probably the long range version of the A350 that was mentioned in media during summer, was said to start in 2018.
Skiing for the first time is much more difficult than it looks, you should have definitely had at least a basic ski lesson before hitting the slope. But don't give up so early, no-one can do everything without practice.
Article from AUSBT about SQ SIN-NYC
http://www.ausbt.com.au/airbus-confirms-ultra-long-range-a350-for-singapore-airlines
You can't really expect to be able to ski the first time, with no lessons. Falling over constantly is pretty much par for the course at first. Take a lesson and really learn how to ski - if you're patient, you'll find that the payoff is well worth it. Especially at a real ski resort in the Rockies or Alps, where the views are unparalleled.
I echo the comments that you definitely should have signed up for a lesson. Having worked as a ski instructor, I never had a student that couldn't make it up the lift, and ski down in control, after an hour's lesson. It's pretty much a coordination-proof sport; you can be the most uncoordinated person, and still do well. The secret is TAKE A LESSON from a certified instructor.
So take Ford down to Santiago, and head up to Valle Nevado for a lesson. So many great miles destinations have world-class skiing, you'll be able to impress Ford many times over.
I will echo others and say a lesson is very important. And a good rule with lessons is to find someone who is NOT: 1) a close relative, 2) a romantic interest or spouse. More than anything this keeps the relationship intact.
Peace out.
Come on, there must be a picture of you on your skis! You have to show us at least one picture!
Visit an actual ski resort and take a lesson - you will love it. Then take a trip with http://www.ski-bums.org/GroupTrips.html
🙂
I echo the many comments about taking a lesson. So many people go out on their own without a lesson, have a bad experience and then get discouraged. Skiing is such a fun activity--give it another shot but set yourself up for success with an instructor.
LOL!!!!! I never laughed so much by reading your blog. Pizza and french fries!!! That is the basic of ski for kids. 🙂
Pictures! Pictures! Pictures! Pictures! NOW! Proof it you were there and did it!
I grew up near a lot of great skiing but had never skied. My kids wanted to go so we got them into it but then they wanted me to go too. I didn't get a lesson. Mistake #1. We went night skiing. Mistake #2. In early spring. Mistake #3. I made one run that night but my view of the starry sky was fantastic (from my back side as I laid on the slope). Icy spring night skiing was NOT the way to learn how to ski... But I'll head back up the slopes again this year, this time I'll hit ski school with my 6 year old. And I have to say that skiing outdoors is amazing, I can only imagine the blah indoor scene. Go stay in Park City during the Sundance Film Festival, ski in/ski out from the St Regis Deer Valley or the Hyatt Escala at the Canyons. Ski during the day and movie/movie star watch at night.
I tried skiing one day (and almost one night) in PA. I varied between an impressive move turning an attempted stop into backwards skiing (some people mistook me for hot-dogging it) to a spectacular intentional wipe to save a group of little kids that had stopped in the trail right after a hairpin curve that I took too fast. Everything I had exploded out like in a hockey fight when equipment goes flying.
When skiing backwards I also had to quickly figure how to do a backwards snowplow. When it came time for the night skiing the bar thankfully pulled me away to safety.
I had a half hour lesson first, but that wasn't enough (especially for the intermediate trail that my "friends" talked me into).
Lucky, I was like you and went skiing for the first time with friends in Big Bear and was told to do the pizza to control my speed, and I naturally leaned back out of fear, resulting in falling on my butt a lot. I was scared of speed. It wasn't fun and I got discouraged.
Fast forward over a decade later to when I was in my late 20s and I took what ended up being three days of lessons with the professionals at Steamboat, and I learned that you can control your speed by leaning forward (shudder), keeping your skis parallel (shudder), but gradually turning back up the slope to slow down or stop (yay!), making wide serpentine curves, much like roads are built up a steep mountain. Once you change your mindset about how to be in control of your situation, you'll be set up for success! (They also taught me how to get up after falling--position skis below yourself perpendicular to the direction of the slope, then push yourself upright.)
Now, having both my feet strapped to a single board while going down an icy slope...I haven't figured out that one yet 😛
Good luck next time. You're "lucky" so you'll get it! And don't forget to wear a helmet.
Echo the others--pizza is conceptually simple but not really the right way to control going downhill. Get a lesson from an instructor, it'll be revealing. Good instruction doesn't actually take you uphill for the first half--they practice getting comfortable on the skis and moving around on them before you hit the bunny slopes.
Also, try a real ski venue. There's something about being in fresh air, with beautiful views of the mountains, that makes it worth it in a way that Ski Dubai never can (even though its novelty is definitely a real thing). You can always sit down and take a break there if you get tired and just take in the environment, and it's pretty awesome.
I love to ski but I would have hated that as my first experience. Quite shocked that your bf, knowing how to ski and knowing your fears, didn't suggest/realise that a lesson would have been best. Takes all sorts, I suppose.
Dang. Wish I had read this post a few hours earlier. I'm in Dubai right now. If I had known you could just ride the chair lift around, I would have done THAT. ;-). Maybe next time. I'm off to London in an Etihad First Class Apartment tomorrow. (Thanks for all the advice on your blog.)
At least you made it to the ski slope. I managed to sprain my ankle in the parking lot before I got to ski. Agree, never again.
Some people actually still say "peace out"???
Take some lessons Lucky and you will soon enjoy skiing. It sounds easy, but just like water skiing, it ain't when you first try it!
It's so much easier when you learn to ski as a kid. I'm completely comfortable on skis as I've been doing it since I was 10. However, I had a similar experience to yours when I tried snowboarding once in my late twenties. I borrowed my friend's gear and just walked up from the bottom of the hill because I wasn't comfortable doing a complete run. Even in that short distance I fell as many times as you did and I will probably never try snowboarding again. But I do love skiing!
I'm usually stuck going on ski trips by myself because my friends have kids and can't do anything fun anymore, so I'd be very happy to ski with Ford while you hang out in the lodge...
Sounds fun!
I saw your photos on Instagram;
You both looked like you were having fun!
Will have to try it someday, but will be sure to put cotton wool in my underwear 😛 😉
Yay for trying! Now hire you a private instructor next time and then give it three days. It's the third day that is magic for skiing. Sucks until then.
Same experience at Squaw Valley 40+ years ago . "Come on we'll show you how " Fell down , fell down , fell down , fell down some more . At least my buddy taught me how to get back up . Funny now but , painful then . Never got back to it , which I regret . Years later took up cross country skiing . Slightly passed the beginner stage at that . Enjoyable to get out there !
As a former ski industry "professional" and ski instructor I will echo the many previous comments: A lesson would have made all the difference. There's a reason the very firs thing we teach a new skier is how to get up. You're going to fall. Often. Might as well know the right way to get up. You're also paying your instructor by the hour. Knowing how to recover from a fall will avoid wasting valuable minutes struggling and flailing in the snow while he stands there thinking, "Heh...they're paying me $8.75 an hour for this." I'll let you in on a little secret that nobody in the industry will admit: the core concept of skiing is falling. When you learn how to ski you're merely learning how to fall without ever hitting the ground. It's that simple!
I've heard many stories over the years that echo yours. People try skiing once, usually with a well intentioned friend, had a bad experience because they didn't receive the proper training, and decide they'll never do it again. I would encourage you to give it another try but this time hire an instructor. And go to a real mountain!
Or don't. You may find that you actually like it, and that's a slippery slope (pun intended). All the gear, lift tickets, apré ski beverages...it all adds up. Fast!
I find it more than a bit ironic that you lived in Seattle, with one of the best learning hills just 45 minutes away, yet your first on-snow experience was in a mall. In the desert! Now come to think of it that sounds so completely messed up I can't not give it a try.
Haha, Ben - I like the honesty of your blog. Next time you go for skiing (with ford), just rent ski blades instead of skier. They are a lot shorter and soooo much easier to handle for a first timer.
I feel your pain Lucky! My hubby is a big time skier but not me. I took a lot of group lessons but didn't help. I finally pony up and paid for private lessons and that made a big difference. I'm still not good at skiing but I can enjoy green slopes without fearing of death. Also, go to a real mountain with powder- much more fun than falling on ice!
Ditto x25. Take a private lesson, give yourself a couple of days to learn, go somewhere uncrowded (deer valley, telluride are well groomed ).
It really is worth it. I learned at age 30 (after a 4 hour experience in college very much like yours, after which I swore "never again"), and now, as a 56 year old out of shape, overweight woman, it's my favorite sport.
Give it a fair shot and get back on that horse what threw ya. ; )
Is this blog going to be like million mile secrets now. We will have to listen cute stories of ford eveytime?
" I’m happy to go on another skiing adventure, though next time I’ll sit in the lodge sipping a hot, spiked beverage in front of the fireplace, while whomever I’m with can ski."
Aw man you sound so boring to hang out with 🙂