A New Activity

When I first moved to the Prairies in 1979 (was it that long ago?) I thought the landscape here in central Canada was boring. Flat was all I saw. It took a few years before I really began to appreciate and love this land. Today I see so much more and while I love the beauty of my home province, I'm always happy to come back to Manitoba. Over the years we've had international students living with us and all of them have indicated to us that they would love to ski while they were here. They assume that because there is snow, there is an opportunity to ski. They don't realize until they actually come here that the landscape is pretty flat and there are not too many places for them to hone their skills.

Wes and I enjoyed downhill skiing when we were in our late teens and early twenties partly because there were plenty of hills near our homes. I enjoyed the speed and the thrill of being just barely in control as I raced down the hill. I remember getting up early in the morning so that we could be on the hill as soon as it opened and then staying until closing. Sometimes I'd wake up the next morning a little stiff and perhaps a little bruised but never bad enough to make me want to stop skiing.

I've gone skiing a few times since I moved to the prairies but not often. There aren't a lot of ski hills here because the prairies are, well, flat. One of our hills is called Holiday Mountain-not really a mountain but a valley and Assissippi, a new ski resort is a good 4 hour drive away.

The last time I went skiing, there was no speed or rush. I snowploughed my way down the hill and only spent a couple of hours on the hill. I think that caution and the fear of falling and hurting myself has replaced my need for speed. I suppose that can happen as you get older.

Tonight, Wes and I will attend our first of four cross country skiing lessons. I think that my days of downhill skiing may be over but cross country skiing might get me outside a little more in the winter, provide some good excercise for us and keep us in shape for biking, once the snow melts.

Most of the people I know who cross country ski, love it. My son Tim thinks I should try snow boarding. Most of the people I know who snow board, love it. However, I see snowboarders on their butts far more often than I see cross country skiiers on their butts. I prefer to stay on my feet.

I'll let you know how it goes.