Let the skiing begin!! We drove over to Beaver Creek, parked in a garage, easily picked up our lift tickets and were quickly on the snow.
Angie, Lily, Lily and I signed up for a morning of ski lessons. We were joined by two other women that were beginner skiers. Our ski instructor was Joe. He was wonderful. Our lessons were for about 3 hours. I felt really good about my progress and gained a lot of confidence.
 |
| Us with Joe, our ski instructor |
Ski school was sold out for Sarah Ellen's age group, so James and Tripp were her instructors for the morning. They went straight to the top of the mountain and even hit some blues. SE was fearless and loved hanging with the big boys.
We joined back up for lunch not realizing we picked a restaurant, The Dusty Boot Roadhouse, clear across the village. Walking and navigating stairs in ski boots is not the easiest of tasks. We compared notes during lunch and decided we were all ready to head straight to the top of the mountain. Beaver Creek is unique in that it has many green runs at the top of the mountain. Our plan was to ski a few of those and head down the mountain on a very easy slope called The Dally.
Once we were suited back up, we took off for the Centennial Lift. Angie and I lobbied for the gondola, where we could all ride up together. James felt the lift would be much faster and we could ride four to a lift. Off to the lift we go. Keep in mind that James and SE had been doing this all morning. He quickly explains that we shuffle up to the gates and a small conveyor belt moves you forward a few feet and then you sit on the lift. Easy right? WRONG - so. very. wrong. The four of us shuffle up to the gate. It opens and James and SE bolt forward, while Lily and I hesitate because we had never seen this conveyor belt thing before. In 2.3 seconds the gates close, and Lily and I are still standing there while James and SE take off up the lift. Okay, so I guess you need to be quick when the gates open. The next time the gates open, it catches Lily's pole and it goes flying off. We stand still again and the gates close again. At this point, people behind us are yelling for us to go. I promptly yelled back that we are new at this. Finally, we make it on the lift. This thing takes off at the speed of light and thank goodness someone was on the lift with us to lower the bar because I was holding on for dear life. On the ride up in this rocket ship they call a chair lift, I was trying to control my anger at James. I guess he thought ski school taught us everything we needed to know and we were now ready for double black diamonds. As the lift nears the landing it comes in HOT and abruptly slows about ten feet before you are to get off. Needless to say, I topple off, roll down the hill and lose my poles. I look up to search for my husband waiting to help us and apologize for not explaining the process well. He is nowhere to be found, but I do turn around to see Angie falling off her lift with Tripp beside her and Lily Porter is nowhere in sight. One look at Angie and I can see that her anger mirrors mine. Next comes Lily Porter on a chair lift BY HERSELF! She missed the gates too and ended up on a lift all by herself. Bad, bad daddies!! Finally, I spot James with SE far away ready to head down a slope. Are you kidding me, dude????
We all regroup, with the daddies getting a stern scolding, and head for our first green slope. Green, my fanny! I get to the top and think I am looking down Mt. Everest. I immediately forget everything I learned in ski school, but as everyone else is heading down I guess I have to as well. Somehow, I make it down to the bottom. I go up once more and came down a touch faster at three mph the second time. Everyone did a few more runs of this section until the upper lifts closed at 3:30. Time to make it down the mountain now.
 |
| Mt. Everest I tell ya |
 |
| Master of the snow plow |
 |
| Are we done yet? |
 |
| Snow bunnies |
We set out on The Cinch which is a green that meets up with the super easy Dally where I can finally enjoy a long, gentle slope. James and Tripp break off for a black run to meet up with us before the Dally. I am by far the slowest of the group. The Cinch isn't horrible but it is fairly narrow and often on cliffs. We finally make it to the Dally - AND IT IS CLOSED! Hold up! I have to keep doing this the rest of the way. At several points The Cinch crosses over black diamonds. Just looking to the left paralyzed me. What if I slid that way and couldn't stop. At one point, I fall trying to make a sharp right turn to stay on The Cinch. If I missed the turn, I would be staring down a black diamond. I couldn't get my boot out of the ski so I could stand up, then I couldn't get my boots back in the skis. A few ugly thoughts were flying through my head at this point - at the skies, at James, at this stupid mountain. Angie and SE had already gone around a bend, and I knew they would be worried about me. Sure enough, Angie comes trekking back up the hill just as I get situated. James texted that they couldn't meet up with us and would see us at the bottom. Oh sure, I will see you in FIVE hours. This run would NEVER end. And yes, I am getting very frustrated with my husband for abandoning me in the middle of this mountain. Every now and then, a ski patrol would pass and ask if we were okay. Apparently, it was well past 4 and they were clearing the mountain. A snowmobile is already carrying a few people down and asks if I want a ride. We get to an open section and a few more ski patrol check on us. They suggest we make a left (down a blue) because continuing The Cinch will be longer. SE is all about the fastest route, so Angie goes with her while TWO ski patrol escort me through The Cinch. Can you say HUMILIATING! They even asked if I wanted to ride on a toboggan down. $%^@ no!
Finally, I make it to the bottom at 5:20. The tears start to flow, and I am quick to decide that I will not be skiing the next day. James apologized profusely and gave me lots of TLC. It really stinks because had The Dally been open, I think I would have had a much more positive experience. If, big IF, I ever ski again, I will be content to stay on the bunny slopes all day long.
The girls were exhausted, but absolutely loved it. They all decided to ski again the next day. Angie was on the fence, but I think the last leg did her in a bit too, and she decided to snuggle up to a fire with me the next day.
We hobbled back to the car, made it home and ordered pizza from Gondola pizza. It was an early night for us all.
 |
| Done, done, and done |
 |
| How we all felt! |
