Good Friend, Good Push

A few days ago, I made yet another trip out to Mt. Holly. This time I went with a friend and he encouraged me to step outside of my comfort zone and go down some runs that I normally would not have considered. We started off on the bunny hill because he had not gone skiing since middle school. He picked it up like an old pro and I was fighting to catch up with him all day. We quickly moved up to the intermediate runs. After a few trips down, he decided that he wanted something more challenging and he knew that I could handle it, so we headed to the terrain park (the run that has jumps and rails and what-not). I did not have the guts to hit a jump at first, but by the end of the day, I was riding on the incline leading up to the jumps, hoping to build up enough courage to go for it. Unfortunately, it never happened… But I did attempt some crazy moguls! We also did this one black diamond run a few times; while you were standing a little ways away from the top, you could not even see the run, that is how steep it was. It was a good trip; I enjoyed spending the day with my friend and I appreciate that he had enough confidence in me to push me to achieve bigger and better things (even though I was terrified the entire time!).

Snowboarding

      I feel strongly about snowboarding. When I was learning, I aspired to be able to make it down a run "the proper way". My belief of the proper way of snowboarding was to alternate heel-side to toe-side. I would sit on the chair lift and watch others snowboard, mesmerized; especially if it was a chick snowboarder. I think it is so neat to see a chick be able to go out and hold her own in a male dominated sport. Now, I am one of the chicks that I aspired to be, and it feels incredible.
      When guys see me at the top of a run, they most likely underestimate me. All that they see is a girl, sitting on the ground in her purple jacket, strapping her feet onto a pink and purple flowery board. But when I take off and blow past them half way down the run, they realize that I mean business. Riding to me, is so relaxing and exhilarating all at the same time. I feel in control, like I can take on the world with one hand strapped behind my back; but I also feel like I am constantly at the mercy of the mountain, I never know what will happen next and possibly cut my run short. When I am on a run, my mind is free and absolutely nothing else matters; that is exactly the way that I like it!