troubleSHOEting

The events in this blog took place in December in some valley

I did not want to blog them since a great weekend ended sadly

 

I ran over a fox.

It was snowy and hard to see and I wasn’t driving fast- I saw this beautiful fox- crossing the road well in front of me- made it to the grassy patch between the roads, saw the cars on the other side, panicked and ran right back, I hit the brakes but not fast enough. Never ran over anything- let alone such a magnificent creature. Karma for gave me- since on the Michigan trip, we saw another fox- I took it as a sign.

 

So back to holiday valley few nights before.

My last ski day ended with a lot of pain – my feet were killing me and I didn’t know why- I managed to ski a bit but after a couple of hours , that was it, had to stop.

So now I went down the slope of the bunny hill, felt a lot of pain- and stopped

 

I knew this can’t be right- too much pain, and other people are smiling- I figured they are not in so much pain. I asked Alla not to wait and hit the big slopes while I figure I out-

So I went to a guide, and the 1^st question- how many socks do you have.

Apparently if you have lots of socks , there is more pressure in some places, pressure leading to pain- couldn’t they tell me that when I rented the shoes?

I only had 1 sock, but I had thermal pants, so out they went. Some people old me tonight the shoes so the ankle will not move( and since my left ankle is my Achilles hill, I had that tight more than media on Obama) so, with quick trouble shooting from the guide- shoes were looser, less thermal pants.

 

I guess I could have discovered that something were wrong by the way I walk. You see people walking in ski shoes- they look a bit odd- I was walking like Robocop- with matching sound affects – every step was unnatural. But no more. Robocop would have to be killed (like they should have done in Robocop 2- the 3rd movie was soooooo bad, the 2^nd was just regular bad- flying Robocop – give me a break)

So went up the slopes again- and managed to ski down relatively pain free- my muscles were still cramped a bit from the pressure. But suddenly I could do move which were impossible before- like turning… and slowing down- that pressure on my calve muscle prevented me from natural movement

Just like troubleshooting which I do a lot at work- sometimes all you need is just small adjustment and all the rest falls in to place.

 

So I decided to go again talking to myself and saying I have to conquer this mighty pick (it was a bunny hill- but unlike Benny hill, I wasn’t laughing just yet).

So few more times till I was comfortable and started to enjoy myself- I was tired and frozen at the end of the day- but mission accomplished.

 

This weekend is a yearly tradition for Alla’s family and friends- the entire hamoula (how do you say hamoula in russion?) went the for skiing every year here.

The good thing about this place is the frozen Jacuzzi-

You go to the pool, which is indoor, swim under a divide to the other part of the pool which is out doors… and it was -12f – so kind of cold

Wet, you have to climb out fast, run a long distance of about 5000 millimeters – I know it is only 15 feet – but feels more… to the Jacuzzi- which feels so good- but your head is still in the cold.

After you put your head in the hot water , and keep it out – you hair freezes and tiny ice shards is forming on your head- very cool.

So after an hour in the Jacuzzi- you start reading the signs around you- including those on…- you should not stay more the 15 minutes

But the water is so warm, and this is a small pool, with 15 people all drinking their beers – and one guy drinks diet coke.

You can’t bring glass to the pool- so whenever the DontBringGlassToThePoolInchargeDude comes- everyone hides the beers…  he knows you’re hiding, says he will bring you a plastic cup- but the fear of being caught by this pool soup Nazi is so great…. That some chose not to drink any more- except the one which had another diet coke in a plastic bottle.

So an hour later after reading the sign that says no more then 15- we step out- back to the outdoor pool,  to cool down , then again to the Jacuzzi.

Later the Hamoula is having their traditional dinner

I drink some vodka, and avoid the rest, but I tried some nice foods- and ate way too much. The next day, though I did manage to ski the previous day, I wasn’t anxious- since I was still sore

But I started with a ski lesson.

I came to the lesson shop and they ask what is your level- I say beginner- they ask me ‘can you sit on the ski lift?’ I say yes (since I could!) and they say that I am intermediate- are these the only requirements- being able to sit? I have been doing that since 4 months after birth- what does it take to go to the expert class- knowing how to spot a tree?

So my intermediate class began with the guides checking the people who showed up and dividing them to sub levels- then we went up the bunny hill, to watch us ski, then divide us again.

So I was in the more “challenged” group of the “special needs” intermediate- but I am not a beginner- I told you I can sit

So in that group was another hamula member and myself – so we almost had a private lesson.

My not beginner comrade had Austrian ski’s from the 80s or before- still in good condition- but all the guides who saw them were like ‘man, these are ancient skis’ how can they tell? I have no idea- he must have heard that from more than 5 people that morning alone- and Americans don’t comment on other people so it was unique.

My skis are top of the line- many were impressed and asked  me where I got them- and I quickly pointed them to the nearest rental shop- I wish I was as good as my skis- I think they were insulted or insulated or something like this. So the guide showed us stuff and explained well so by the end I could kriss kross , and had decent turns. But with something I still had difficulty. Walking up the mountain. You may ask why do I want to go up- since they point of ski is to go down- but every now and then you have to go up to the cafeteria, or to a lift.

You are supposed to walk like a duck. And my knees were not going to be associated with ducks- and for some reason I had more pain as I was trying to duck out of this position- so later that day after intensive shoe adjustment- I managed to duck up and down- still not good- but enough for now.

 

After the lesson we went up and down some more times- me with my expert skis and Mr ancient skis- and improved our skills

Later after lunch and a very good hot chocolate – racer came back from skiing on all the big picks (those easy steep black routes…) and decided that I am ready for the big leagues- the greens

If you never skid before- this is the system: hardest courses are the blacks-for the blanket they put on you if you don’t know what you are doing. Blue is next in line for the bruises you get on your legs when you do them, greens are easy- since green is easy in some slang (like rookie , wet behind the ears, zaplad and etc..) and yellow for – you are either a coward for trying me or a total beginner who doesn’t understand the rating system- the bunny hill was yellow

 

So we did an beautiful green- in the bunny hill- all the area is clear- just a big slope- in the greens – you go through the forest- amazing view (which I only saw while I was stopped- since the trees are to close). I got better, saw a tree which had a clear path around it on the right- I told my self- Gil, you can do it… I approached the tree, and it must be the natural movement of the earth- I somehow managed not to hit that tree, and pass it on the left. So I answered back to Gil- no you can’t’ not yet- and tried to stay in the middle.

But again, an amazing course with expert skiers aging from 3-9 zooming fast on each side.

I noticed that I am having problems turning right on the steeper parts- I could turn left ok- but not well right- and already told myself to tackle that on the next lesson.

We made it down in one piece and went to another green- this one was nicer then the last , but I was getting tired from slowing down and avoiding trees and decided no more for today

Unfortunately – in some courses you can’t get back to the main area- but must go through another route- so another green- now I was very tired- my right turn was not existent and my left was getting worse- and I had a hard time making it down- close to the end- there was a steep part- and I slipped and slid on my back for a few seconds and an unknown distance.

I felt the cold creeping in (flash back to lethal weapon 2)- I unlike Joe peschi  knew that I was on the ice- but got up to clear all the ice that got into my pants from the back- brrrr cold cheeks. But then it got hot as I felt the lovely scratch and burning I had from this cold mountain- so with that it was time to go home- with a stop to the Jacuzzi- which was much needed.

 

Then we got on the road and saw a fox….

 

Oh-the following incident was very funny when it happened

“hey, there is water in the sink” came a cry of disbelief as racer was pulling something from the sink and was surprised to discover water there- doesn’t sound funny now- but you had to be there- it would be nice to see you- so plan again for next year- the weekend before Christmas – holiday valley, new York- with the entire hamoula- for part 2 of Gil of the jungle in ‘watch out for that tree’

 

 

p.s-if you lookup group in Russian it says-‘ группа’-  I still don’t know how to say hamoula