Skiing

Skiing by Vanessa Andre

           My second time skiing, but first time in skiing in Utah going with my friend Eliza.   I am so very excited, this would be first my time on a black diamond, but I must get warmed up on the little runs like greens and double blues. “Mom HELP I’m stuck,” I yelled a little while later not realizing that it was going to be so hard. “Just move your foot like that…” she said. “Mom that does not help at all,” I all most screamed as my skis tangled together once again! “I want to go back to the cabin right now!”  “We are not going back,” my mom said firmly.  “Move your foot, that one too, Good,” mom replied.  Finally I was free! I didn’t know when I was ever going to make it to the black diamond.  10,11,12,13 times I went again and again and got better and better.  The very next day we woke up very early and were ready within ten minutes. The drive down to the ski slopes, to me, seemed like five hours (but it really was only five min).  Stopping at the ski store, we got lollipops that were interestingly flavored. I choose juicy watermelon, which tasted really good and was a fun treat to enjoy before heading to the slopes!   Up and up and up Eliza and I went on the chair lift to the uppermost summit.  Looking down my stomach felt so queasy that I couldn’t look down again.  Skiers looking like little ant people flying down the hill at a speed of 60 miles per hour.  Raising the bar to exit, scared about the 50-foot drop below, we waited to arrive at the chair station. 

Gliding off, we were careful not to fall off the drop, and by turning quickly avoided a disaster.   Upon arriving at the very top, we were rethinking our plan about the black diamond.  Deciding, since there was no other way down but buy skiing we slowly made our way to the intermediate runs, INSTEAD of the BLACK DAIMOND.  Zipping past my mom through the trees, I was a blur of red and black.   I had gotten so fast that I had to purposely slow down and wait for Eliza, getting stuck in a flat area in the process and not being able to start back down again.  I had to slide my skies back and forth with a little help from an ongoing skier who was passing by.   Getting to the part that finally was so familiar to me I gained speed, accelerated, and zoomed downward as fast as lightening.

            Whizzing downward faster and faster, my skis felt like they were sliding on water. I was beating my mom! Some more advanced skiers past me, but I still felt like the best skier ever. Although I didn’t have poles I did not need them for I was going super fast already. “Slow down,” someone shouted!”NEVER,”I called over the commotion right then realizing that that someone was not was not my mom, or Eliza, it was my dad! “You finally caught up with me,” he shouted. “Yes I have,” I replied. “I’ll race you,” I suggested! “Okay,” he responded.

Sliding to a stop, I finally saw that my dad was on a snowboard. WOW! I could not do that, just then he all most fell, and gaining back control he was ready to start. “On your mark, get set, GO!” And off we went flying down the mountain. I advanced so quickly that my skis felt like they had a mind of their own. I wondered what was happening behind me, was my dad still there, or had he slowed down? I did not know, I didn’t care.  All I cared about was the wind billowing through my hair the feeling that I could ski freely, and all my thoughts racing by. I loved that feeling. I then reached the fork in the snow; turning sharply for I was afraid that I would miss the turn off. Finally arriving at the end of the slopes I tried to squeeze into the line but my mom caught me and dragged me out. “Were going back to the cabin”, mom said. “Do we really have to go?,” I asked. “ Please just one more run, not from the top though.” “Okay”, mom said wearily. Excitedly we got back in line for our very last run of the day.