New tricks for old dogs
I arrived at the ski hill tonight too late to get in on a group snowboard lesson. After a few icy runs on the skis, and after watching a few YouTube videos, I strapped my right foot into a snowboard, and with my left foot, tried to slide the board in the direction of the rope toe. I eventually made it to the nearly empty line. Once I was standing in front of the rope tow, along with a 3 year old girl on skis who grabbed the rope like a pro and let it yank her up the hill, I wondered just how in the fuck you ride a rope tow when you’re goofy foot (right foot in front) and you can only access the rope tow from one side, the left. I stepped up with my back side to the rope, grabbed it with my right hand, quickly trying to keep my board straight and also grab the rope behind my back with my left hand. It is surprising how fast that rope yards your ass up the hill. My board started slipping and I fell on my ass. I repeated this two more times.
After fall number three, I decided that half way up the tiny bunny hill was far enough. I strapped my left foot into the binding and attempted to practice the two skills I watched in the YouTube videos, the heel stop and the toe stop. I’m probably not even saying it correctly. It’s all foreign to me. After one of many falls, that reminded me that I fractured my S3 last year roller skating, I thought about the odds being pretty high that I could re-fracture that sucker along with my wrist, and also I got the fuck back up and walked up the hill, avoiding the tow rope, four times. I practiced the drills over and over, and fell again and again. It started to get easier. I started to gain a little bit of confidence each time. It was humbling as fuck. There is something about trying to learn a new skill that requires you to fully be in the present moment. I can’t wait to try it again tomorrow.
* Post between #37 of 104
* This is part of a one-year writing project. I write something and post it on Mondays and Thursdays. Some of it will suck. I'm doing it anyway.