I have never skied. Never! Being from Tennessee, the opportunity didn't present itself often when I was growing up. However, now that I have relocated the the Northeast, pretty good skiing is fairly available to me and I am excited to give it a shot!
In preparation for my bigtime ski trip coming up this March to Sunday River, Maine, my man and I decided that it would be a good idea to give this whole skiing thing a try before we drive all nine hours to Maine only to find ourselves crappy skiers.
So this weekend we will be venturing to (instead of Connecticut - more on this later) beautiful, exotic..... Lewisberry, PA! Wow! It's about a 40 minute drive from my house and is home to Ski Roundtop. A decent little ski resort where we will take a class, learn how to put on skis (literally), and try out our recently purchased ski pants for warmth and waterproofness.
I'll admit the website is a bit disconcerting for me. The first shot you see is of someone sliding down a hill on a innertube? Where are the skiers going swish, swish, swish? I am not feeling inspired by this, but I am told my boss that it's the best in the area.
So, I need help! Anyone have tips on how NOT to break my neck or extremities? Please leave them in the comments. I am going to make one of those cuff things quarterbacks wear to call plays for the weekend, filled with tips on how not to impale myself on a tree a la this guy:
And as for the wonderful New Haven, CT trip. I am saving it for an upcoming milestone. It was just too much to throw together last minute and I want to do it right... I'll share the details soon :)
In preparation for my bigtime ski trip coming up this March to Sunday River, Maine, my man and I decided that it would be a good idea to give this whole skiing thing a try before we drive all nine hours to Maine only to find ourselves crappy skiers.
So this weekend we will be venturing to (instead of Connecticut - more on this later) beautiful, exotic..... Lewisberry, PA! Wow! It's about a 40 minute drive from my house and is home to Ski Roundtop. A decent little ski resort where we will take a class, learn how to put on skis (literally), and try out our recently purchased ski pants for warmth and waterproofness.
I'll admit the website is a bit disconcerting for me. The first shot you see is of someone sliding down a hill on a innertube? Where are the skiers going swish, swish, swish? I am not feeling inspired by this, but I am told my boss that it's the best in the area.
So, I need help! Anyone have tips on how NOT to break my neck or extremities? Please leave them in the comments. I am going to make one of those cuff things quarterbacks wear to call plays for the weekend, filled with tips on how not to impale myself on a tree a la this guy:
And as for the wonderful New Haven, CT trip. I am saving it for an upcoming milestone. It was just too much to throw together last minute and I want to do it right... I'll share the details soon :) 
Your boss is right. Of all the skiing places in central/southern PA, Roundtop is definitely my favorite. It's not too far from DC, but far enough that most people just go to Liberty, and most people from Philly head north. It's a great place to go for your first time.
ReplyDeleteHow NOT to break your neck: to stop, put your skis in a wedge shape, then bring your knees closer together and push your feet out. Pretend your skis are snow plows.
Some other helpful hints I've learned over the years:
- buy handwarmers head of time, it's highway robbery at the slopes.
- wear knee-high socks or the boots will rub your shins raw.
- the chairs on the lift can come up fast, so when you have the gap, make your move. also, going in the singles line can get you on the lift a lot faster on crowded days.
- if you're about to hit a tree, DO NOT put your hands in front of your face! you'll smack your face into your poles, which hurt waaay more than the tree. if it's 100% too late to avoid the hit, just lean to the side or turn your head or something.
- when you fall, make sure your skis are perpendicular to the slope before trying to get back up. i once stood up and skied backwards into a ditch. no me gusta :(
- bring a second pair of gloves for after lunch
- bring a change of clothes and some quarters for the lockers. nothing worse than driving home tired, cold, and wearing gross sweaty clothes.
Good luck, have fun!
Wow! Thank you so much David! I will certainly take your advice along with me. Thanks for your great tips!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could offer some advice on coordination, but I can barely walk without tripping over my own feet.
ReplyDeleteHave fun, good luck and try not to pull a Sonny Bono!