A Fun First.

(One of the many love notes Mick left me along the ski track)

Last weekend, Mick and I had a lovers get away with Jesi and Tyson up at Bear Lake. They hold a time share in a resort company and invited us up for a relaxing snowy weekend. The invitation could not have come at a better time of year. Cabin fever was creeping in on me.

Mick and I spent the first part of Saturday cross country skiing. Having just watched the Olympics, we were feeling hopeful that we could attempt such a feat. As we made our way around the 5K course below Beaver mountain, we had our work cut out for us as we tried to teach ourselves based on the previous weeks TV 'lessons'. Who better to teach us then the Olympians themselves, right?

We did awesome going uphill, minus two falls straight back on my BUTT, out of nowhere! After my old woman brain was jilted, I learned real quick that balance was key. Toes can only grip so hard without having heals locked into a binding.

Mick won Gold for Most Awesome Fall. In fact I could almost give him the Silver Medal as well. As we skied to the crest of our first big hill, people at the bottom were cheering us on and ringing cowbells. Apparently they thought we were part of the Special Olympic competition that was occurring. Oh, we were special all right, but those Special Olympians were awesome! One schooled right past us with no fear of the ity bity hill that made Mick and I cower.


With the crowd watching, I made Mick attempt the hill first. He was sailing down the track, head up, knees slightly bent, looking confident and picking up speed. At that point I would have wagered my life that he would survive the hill, spill free. In a split second and only half way down- WHAM! he takes a face plant, receiving a serious white wash and then turns to me with a smile and powder falling from his face. I laughed myself silly until I worried he had hurt his knee.

Good times! I only wished I had recorded this medal winning fall.

I fell in love with cross country and made Mick take me again on our way home. He was not so eager, but had a good attitude of trying it again. The wind in my hair as I sailed around the sunny course felt awesome! Our hope is to get the girls up for lessons with Nordic United next winter. Mick and I might need lessons too. I would really love to learn the 'skate'. You know, where your legs and skis are in the inverted 'pizza' position of downhill skiing. That sucker made me fall every time I attempted it!


We met up with the Payne's and celebrated Jesi's Leap Day birthday by going to the "Free Garden City Ice Rink" where there were "free skates".

We quickly learned why the rink and skates were free. The ice was slushy from sunshine, and by the time we found a suitable pair of free antique skates, which were coincidentally next to a toilet...

...we all wanted to shrivel in pain from lack of support from old leather.

We opted for playing the most awesome game of skate-less ice Horse Hockey with the 'special', free hockey sticks. SWEET! Jesi made me a ho, hore and horse before I knew it with all her mad Hockey Horse tricks. Tyson ended up victorious when all competitive Mick wanted to do was WIN! Next time Mick, next time.

Here's a few of our skills.

Needless to say, we all soaked really well in the hot tub that night, went to bed before midnight and slept until 8:30. The things adults can do without kids in toe!

The following Monday before I returned our rented skis, Abbie and I hit the Country Club for a jaunt around the golf course. Abbie in the pulk with me pulling. Ironically, I never fell backward this trip. Abbie must have balanced me out. Talk about exhaustion!

What a great weekend with Mick and good friends!

Next item of business- buy some cross country skis for next season.