Adventures in skiing 1

So, yesterday I decided to take my two dogs onto the Grand Mesa for a little cross country skiing.  Now, Husband is in Denver this weekend, instead of here, so it was going to be just me and the dogs.

I did not check the weather report, but I did look out my windows as I was getting ready to go.

It was a cloudy day with a lot of wind, and it did look like it might be snowing where I intended to go.  'Psh' I thought to myself, 'it was snowing last week and we had fun....'

So off we went into the storm.  It was snowing sideways on the mesa due to the high winds we were having.  I could barely see where I was driving.  'Still,' I thought to myself, 'when I get where I'm going there's lots of trees, the wind will be less.'

Here is a picture of what it was doing after I got my skis strapped on and we went up the first hill:

Look! Crazy woman in blizzard!

Sure, I see the trail, don't you?

It's nice up there usually, they mark your trail by tying blue tape to tree branches so you hopefully don't get lost in a blizzard, and there are trail maps, but you really need gps to know what direction you're facing in the trees...

Unfortunately, it was still snowing sideways, even in the trees, and the snow was very large, and since it is spring; wet.  I was getting damp, first from the outside, then from sweating from exertion on the inside.

I fell twice trying to go down big hills in pie form, (oh, sorry, 'snowplow' position).  I down hill ski, and this is a move I know well, but on cross country skis, with your heels all loose and flopping around behind you, this move has proven very difficult.  (yes, I am already considering taking some lessons, apparently watching an Olympic instructor on you tube does not give you enough of a lesson- who knew?)

Anywho, finally came across a clearing where there were no blue ribbons on trees.  Crap. Really? And now the snow is blowing so hard sideways that my glasses are covered in wet, and every time I breathe they fog up.  Not to mention that even in this low lighting they've managed to polarize!  It's like karma just said "There is no try, just do.  Use the Force to ski back through the maze of trees that are spaced perilously close together.  You don't need sight to use the Force now, do you?"

I figured that Husband would be really displeased if he got a call from Search and Rescue about his wife, so I decided that the lack of a marked trail in a blizzard was reason enough to ski back to the car.  The dogs thought I was nuts, they were having the time of their life running and eating snow at the same time.

Here's what it was doing when I got back to the car:



Needless to say, I made it back home in one piece, and now my thighs are all achy from working hard, and the dogs are still exhausted today.  Or at least that's what they want me to think so I'll feel sorry for them.....

Remember, it's just a ride.