Skiing

During my holiday to America in winter, my family and I went skiing in Lake Tahoe, a 4 hour drive from our residence. Lake Tahoe is a popular destination for skiing and winter activities, and there are a number of skiing resorts there.

When I heard that we were going skiing, the first image that came to mind was that of a professional skier racing down treacherous snow-covered cliffs at rocket speed, with snow flying off their skis. However, I expected my skiing experience at the ski resort to be very safe; with shallow slopes, and many safety precautions.

Cloaked in heavy jackets and clumsy ski boots, my brother, father and I staggered into the ski resort for our 1 hour and 45 minutes ski lesson. My mother did not want to try skiing, as she was afraid that she would fall while skiing down. She helped us take videos and pictures of us skiing. The ski slopes were a white mass, extending to the sky. Skiers and snowboarders raced off the slopes, flying into the air, buzzing like mosquitoes. The slopes were pimpled with obstacles such as railings and ramps. 3 open-legged cable cars transported skiers to the top of 3 different slopes. I deduced that the 3 slopes were of different difficulty levels: beginner, intermediate, and expert. The beginner slope was comparatively much lower, and less steep that the other slopes, but even then, it was still quite high.

Our teacher was an old but fit woman called Darcy who had been teaching in this resort for 52 years. She did not look very old, and was still capable of skiing quite well. During this lesson, we learned the basics of skiing: how to brake, how to accelerate, and some general tips. After the lesson, we took the cable car up the slope to test our new-founded skills.

At the top of the mountain, the slope looked more formidable than from below, but I was not very afraid, as I felt that I had mastered the basic skills. After all, I could brake when I encountered difficulties. I pushed myself forward, and I skidded down the icy slopes. Instantly, I gained speed at an amazing rate, and I sped down the slope with a whiz. My speed shocked me, and I lost my balance. I tried braking, but the force of gravity was too strong, and I continued speeding down, getting faster with each second. Worst of all, I was headed towards a patch of trees. When I came near enough, I grabbed onto one of the tree branches to slow myself down, and I braced my fall with my gloves. Behind me, my brother slowly skidded down the slopes, with a nervous expression on his face. Slow and steady sure does wins the race!

Getting up after a fall is one of the main challenges of skiing. The ski boots are very heavy, and the skis are exceptionally long. After a fall, I found it very hard to get back up. Sometimes, my ski boots would be detached from my skis, and it will very hard to attach them back on the fluffy slopes. Getting up from a fall is tiring, and quite demoralizing. Actually, skiing down the slopes is not very rigorous: getting up after a fall is.

After skiing on the beginner slope for 2 hours, the organizers closed it down for the day, and we proceeded to try out the intermediate slope. As we sat on the cable car up, my emotions were a mix of excitement and nervousness. The cable car ride seemed to take an eon, and as we scaled further up the slope, my teeth chattered in anxiety. There were many obstacles on the intermediate slope, and I still doubted my ability to dodge them.

The intermediate slope was very hilly, and had many steep slopes. The first time I attempted the slope, I was very cautious, and jammed brakes before every slope. After using this style for a while, I gained confidence, and went down the slope at a higher speed. Every time I sped past a steep slope, my stomach would lurch, and sometimes I would nearly lose my balance, but I still savored this excitement.

Without realising it, the day had passed, and it was time for us to leave. Bidding the place farewell, and hoping to come back soon, we left the resort with lasting memories.