When the leaves change color and begin to fall off, I start getting ready. When the clouds cover the sky in that eery gray that tells me snow. When the ski club signs start showing up around school. When it starts getting colder outside, I uncover my skis. When it snows for the first time, I get my skis waxed and tuned. When there is measurable snow, I check the ski conditions at a local mountain. When I have time, I go skiing.
The first time I step into I bindings, I know I belonged in them the whole time. When I step into my bindings, I'm free. I work my way over to the lift. It doesn't matter who I'm skiing with. I ski what I ski. I ski the hardest trails. I ski the most fun trails. I ski the empty trails. I ski the trails with powder (fresh snow). I ski what I want to ski, and my friends follow me. I don't ski the popular trails because I know that there wont be much snow on them and they will be really crowded.
I slide over to a good lift. I wait for my turn to get on the lift, but when I'm up, I show everyone that I belong on that mountain. I get on the chair lift, tuck my poles under my arm. I bring the safety bar down and wait a few minutes until I'm at the top. I get off the lift and slide over to the trail map. I ask someone who works at the mountain what trails are open. They tell me where a good trail is, and I go in the other direction. I know that the same person has told about a hundred people already to go to that trail. It wont have much snow on it b the time I get there. I go over to a different trail, one that I've done before. It wont have anyone on it. Not today. Today I ski down that trail. It doesn't matter who else is there. When I ski, I block everyone else out. I ski by myself.
This is a link to a video that I recorded in Stratton this winter.
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