I am a Skier.

Today is Day 6.  This has been a crazy week.
Days 2 & 3 were spent in Ski School.  We rode the magic carpet and learned how to turn and the pizza wedge.  We left the bowl and went up Chickadee.  It's not bad for a bunny slope.  Supposedly the steepest beginner slope in the nation.  I was doing well with the turns but I didn't have any control.  So I picked up speed a lot because my traverse was more of a downhill than an angle.  I'm directionally challenged sometimes.  I knew it was going to get me in trouble at some point.
After lunch I was doing great, my other 2 classmates got spooked or something.  When we got back all of a sudden they couldn't do anything.  They couldn't turn correctly, they were afraid of falling and of course all they did was fall.  We regrouped on Day 3 and for the most part they figured turning out and stopped freaking out over the lose of control feelings they were having.  I was getting bored but there were some things for me to work on.  Boy did I ever find that out.
Day 4.  This was a day of setbacks.
I had to give the Ski School equipment back and rent other stuff.  The change in equipment was screwing with my confidence a bit.  Then I couldn't get the feel going in the boots I had.  I struggled down Chickadee a few times and nothing was working.  I couldn't get a grip (literally) and was completely out of control.  Ended up in powder a couple of times.  Once it slowed me down enough to stop.  The other I fell down because I still couldn't stop.  I got the boots adjusted but that still didn't help.  After about 2.5 hours of just fighting to hang on and not having any fun at all I gave up and called it a day.  Decided it was better to punt while I was ahead because the way I was going I was definitely going to kill myself.
Day 5.  Thanks God for Day 5.
I regrouped, got different boots and took an afternoon lesson.  I was fortunate enough to get the same instructor that taught me the in the first place.  As I explained my dilemma from the day before, he stopped me and told me Don't worry about about it,I know what you can do and you can do this.  So we started up Chickadee once more.  After he checked my boots of course.
This day was so much better.  I found the flex I needed and we went to work on building my confidence.  By the end of the day, I was in much better control and could follow him through almost any turn.  There were a few times that I had to bail but I was able to find my balance and get back into the groove.
Supposedly, I am now ready for another trail.  More on that later.

Skiing - Day 1

Before I get started I have to send a shout out to John the Trainer.  Dude thank you so much for the months of strange exercises you put me through so that I would be "ready" for skiing.  Without you my body would not of held up at all.  Thanks so much for encouraging and supporting me through all of my adventures.
So I decided to go skiing.  You might as well say this was my first time.  The last time I tried to ski was 25 years ago. 
This woman I know was going and she needed a roommate and I guess I needed something to look forward to so I told her if John the Trainer said it was OK I'd go.  When I asked him I was half expecting him to so look at me and ask me if I lost my mind.  It hadn't been that long since he told me I could try to play tennis.  But no all he said was he was going to have fun getting my body ready for skiing.
Little did I know what was really in store for me.  John the trainer had me doing a lot of squats and balancing exercises.  Then there were the Hip Airplanes.  Basically you balance on one leg, kind of lay yourself flat like you are trying to fly while still balancing on one leg and rotate your hip to move your body open and closed.  OUCH.
Well now I so understand the benefits of moving your lower body while keeping the upper body stable.
I am in Snowbird, Utah and there is snow everywhere.  It's the first day of "Never Ever" class.  Never Ever is 3 days of ski instruction for people who have never ever done this before. 
You can take skiing or snowboarding lessons.  My instructors name is Dwayne and I'm in class with 5 women from Charlotte.
We start in what they call the bowl.  It's this isolated area where all of the ski lessons begin.  So on the first day they start you out in small groups and take a part of the bowl.  There are people everywhere.  Skiers ( or want to be skiers) and snow boarders take up space.
We start with the wedge and understanding how to move our weight between the skis.  We progress to trying to walk and then move a bit.  You learn that you hate walking in ski boots really early on.  Finally you get to the point on sliding down a very small incline.  You think you are all that because you went less than 5 feet and you didn't fall down.  By the end of day one you have made it to the magic carpet.  This is major because it means you don't have to walk up the little hill to slide down.  The conveyor belt glides you up the incline.  This is suppose to help you with getting off the ski lift (it really doesn't but I get why they try).  I'm just happy that I no longer have to walk.
Once we get up the hill we are suppose to be in control and go slowly down the incline.  Yeah not so much.  I can do the turn thing.  I figured out turning before we were taught because I was going to fast and if I didn't do something I was going to mow down a 3 year old.  I managed to move out of the way and not fall down thank you very much.  The rest of the day was more of the same.  Ski school is about 4.5 hours.
By the end of the day I was exhausted but grinning my ass off.  It felt like I was rode hard and put up wet. I knew the training was paying off because people in my class were complaining about there legs and hips were hurting really bad.  Nothing hurt on me, I was just tired.
Nice shower and stretching and I was oh so ready for a good nap or sleep for a week.  The only thing that hurt on me was my shins.  All no amount of exercise would have prepared me for that.
This was a great day.  Next is Day 2 - The Ski Lift.