A Lesson from the Ski Hill

I'm sharing this snow skiing story today from Milk Cans and Quilt Blocks. It's the season for skiing and it's always the season to learn a life lesson.  Enjoy!

Lucky Friday

An excerpt from Milk Cans and Quilt Blocks

I was only trying to show my niece and her daughters a good time at Bogus Basin Ski Resort.  The mountain I learned to ski upon.  The mountain we frequent a dozen times every year.  My Mountain!

Spring skiing is so great!  The weather is enjoyable.  Nobody cries to go indoors because they are freezing.  You can get a suntan.

Never mind there was a plane to catch.  Never mind there was a track meet to attend.  Never mind the snow was rapidly turning to slush.  It was Spring!  Spring skiing is so great!

Never mind I’m pushing fifty.  Never mind I decided to take an alternate route and six-year-old Shyan decided to go with me.  Never mind my cell phone was losing its charge.

Never mind I misjudged my location!  Never mind my brother-in-law is Director of Mountain Operations and would kill me if he had to send search and rescue!  Never mind, never mind, never mind!

But mind I did when I realized we had two choices.  We could take the path of least resistance and slide down into a gully that must come out somewhere.  I minded that I had seen others in that gully and I knew I didn’t want to be stuck in there.  Or … we could climb ever so slightly and come out on my favorite run.  Or so I thought!

Never mind my favorite run was two crests away!  Those crests were separated by ravines.

So up we climbed up … and down.  Then up … and down.  Shyan was beginning to show signs of panic.  This apparent from the ascent up the music scale and increase in volume of her cries of “Aunt Carol, where are we?” and “Aunt Carol, are we lost?”

“No Shyan, we aren’t lost.  We’re at Bogus Basin!”  That was all I was certain of – we were at Bogus Basin and Shyan had a plane to catch to visit her father in Seattle.  Oh, and I was also certain I didn’t know how I had led her to the place I had, nor how I would lead her out!  I hoped Shyan couldn’t hear the panic rising in my own voice.

When things seem really bad, they usually find a way to get just a little bit worse.  That’s how it was when I triggered a mini avalanche sliding fifteen feet down an extremely steep slope.  I had been attempting to lead Shyan to safety, coaxing her to sing “Do as I’m Doing, Follow, Follow Me!” an old Sunday School song, in an attempt to keep her panic at a manageable level. 

The effort required to climb while lugging six-foot-long skis and ski boots on my feet was beginning to exhaust me.  I was hot, so I opened the zipper to my jacket, removed my gloves and hat, and made a fruitless attempt to use my cell phone.  It probably would not have found a signal if the battery had been charged.  We shall never know. 

After my unfortunate slide, I could not see Shyan for she was positioned above me and behind a tree.  My legs began to tremble and I feared that I was exhausted.  Shyan was crying that her leg hurt.  I did not know if she was safe or injured.  I began to panic.  We were alone in an area other skiers were unlikely to venture and I had no way to signal our location.

I could not call for help, and yet I did.  I cried out loud, “Father!  Help me!”  There was no need to explain my predicament, for HE surely knew!  Calmness came over me and my thoughts were clear.  I knew what to do.  I removed my skis and used them much as one would a tree limb hanging over a river bank.  I jammed one into the side of the mountain and then the other pulling myself up and jamming the toes of my boots into the snow with each step – a little higher - slowly climbing to safety.  I slipped a time or two, but never so far back as I had begun and I continued to progress. 

When I arrived at the origination of my decent, I rested a moment, still unsure as to where we should go.  We were lost at Bogus Basin.  I continued to assure Shyan that we were inside Bogus and we couldn’t be lost because Uncle Steve would find us as long as we were still inside Bogus.  I dreaded the moment I faced Uncle Steve!

As I stepped into my skis – a monumental task considering the degree of my fatigue – Shyan pointed to a small rise and asked “Aunt Carol, can we go up there?”  There was a large outcropping of rock on a small knoll.  It looked as good a place as any.  I still had no idea how to get to the safety of the ski lift at the bottom of the hill.  Only one problem, it required a little more climbing!  The snow was very loose and the going precarious but we carefully made our way to the top of the knoll.  I stopped to rest.  My trembling legs welcomed the reprieve.

“Lucky Friday!”  Shyan shouted.

“Huh?”  I panted.  I think it was a Thursday.

“Lucky Friday!” she repeated.

I followed the direction of her outstretched arm and beheld a black ski run sign that read “Lucky Friday.”

“Aunt Carol, can we go there?”   This time she pleaded!

laughed, relieved that we were indeed still at Bogus Basin and we had actually discovered a marked run.  It was a run I dreaded because I knew its location, the black double diamond marker, and the condition of the snow combined to create a challenge I would not welcome even if my legs were fresh, but it was a marked run and it would eventually lead us to safety.

I could not keep up with Shyan as she sped as quickly as her short skis could carry her through the trees to where she knew her mother was surely waiting.  I picked my way through the maze stopping often to rest and make a very ugly, very novice-like turn to avoid a tree.

Much laughter ensued when we emerged from the trees at the bottom of the hill.  It was the nervous laughter of relief, followed by a few tears.  Uncle Steve was nowhere to be seen, for which I was extremely grateful.  The search and rescue had not yet been activated.  I would live!  My nephew, Nathan, Uncle Steve’s boy who grew up on the mountain asked, “Did you see Castle Greyskull?”  Castle Greyskull was the name he and his brother had dubbed the outcropping of rock that Shyan had determined we should follow. 

“Yeah, I guess we did.  And we came out on Lucky Friday!”  I added.

“Did you actually see the Lucky Friday marker?” he asked a little amazed.

“Yeah, we did,” I panted.  “I didn’t know there was a run called Lucky Friday.”

Nathan shook his head and quietly stated, “I’ve never seen the Lucky Friday marker.”

How often do events occur that prove both comical and very earthshaking at the same time?  The family had a lot of laughs about Aunt Carol getting Shyan lost at Bogus Basin.  It is a story that will be told for years amongst the skiing and non-skiing relatives alike.  What a joke!  Carol got lost at Bogus and Shyan had to find the way out!  Yes, we all make light of it.  But for me, it was sobering.  How quickly did I turn the wrong way when I felt certain I knew what I was doing?  How scared did I get before I turned to the only source that could help me?  And even after that, I continued to slip, never so far down as the first time, but it took increased effort and many attempts before I reached my goal.  And what of the child?  In the Book of Mormon it states, “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.”  (2 Nephi 21:6)  How often does one overlook the faith, optimism, and humility of youth?  I was fortunate.  On that “Lucky Friday,” or Thursday, I was reminded of several lessons, most especially to remember to exercise the humility of a child.

If you enjoyed this post, you can find more essays like it in Milk Cans and Quilt Blocks and Gold Pans and Irons Skillets, available in my Etsy shop and on Amazon.

Happy Running!

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Monday Mood Mender: So You Want to Buy a Boat

 

 

This Monday Mood Mender is an excerpt from Gold Pans and Irons Skillets.  As the weather warms we begin thinking about outdoor recreation and that can include buying a boat!  Enjoy!

So You Want to Buy a Boat

Are you nuts! Maybe you should wreck someone else’s boat first. There are a few facts regarding boat ownership that one should be familiar with prior to purchasing a boat of his own. These guidelines may very well save one’s sanity.

The first and probably most important guideline is to buy a used boat. Do not be tempted by the shiny paint and bright propeller of a new boat. The unblemished interior and perfect upholstery will not add to the level of fun experienced by boaters. Rather, they will elevate the level of stress the inexperienced boat owner will encounter while developing his boating skills. Look for a well-loved boat—one that has previously missed the trailer while loading, scraped up against an unkempt dock, had its propeller dinged by unseen rocks, and/or possesses rebuilt gears having had them stripped by a sandbar. This will not only reduce stress levels, it will also save a great deal of money and grief.

Money. Remember there are hidden costs to boat ownership. Though the monthly payments seem manageable, do not forget the rising costs of insurance, boat fuel, boat licenses, life jackets and boating toys, picnic lunches, boat storage, doctor appointments, insurance deductibles for boat repair, swimsuits, sunglasses, sunscreen, ibuprofen, and a new hot tub.

Grief. A boat can tear a hole in one’s heart in so many ways. The first time it gets damaged the owner may feel as if one of his children has been diagnosed with an incurable fungus. This will most likely occur on the maiden voyage in any number of fashions. If one is fortunate enough to have previous trailer experience, the jackknifed boat trailer may be avoided. If not, SUV may experience paint job damage, as well. It is inevitable that the driver of the boat will, at some point, miss the trailer while attempting to load boat. Hailstorms happen. Upholstery wears out. Some reservoirs have hidden obstacles such as, rocks, tree stumps, and sandbars. Boat plugs are small and cheap, but critical to boat buoyancy. Do not forget the plug!

The second guideline is to get help. Boats are not cars. They do not move like cars. They do not steer like cars. They do not have brakes. The steering wheel is on the right side of the boat, not the left. A valid driver’s license does not guarantee competent operation of a boat. It is advisable to take a lesson, take a friend (with boating experience), or hire a driver!

Bodies of water can be deceiving. Water, unlike pavement, is fluid. It is ever changing. What may lie well beneath the surface this week may be lurking just below the water line next week, especially if the body of water is an irrigation reservoir during a drought year. It is advisable to take a map, take a friend (that knows the area), or use a depth finder. The latter is probably not the best option as this is a well-loved boat. It lost its depth finder long ago.

Weather is unpredictable. Thunder. Lightening. Wind. Rain. Hail. It is advisable to get a weather report, get the boat out of the water, and get to cover.

The third guideline is to exercise patience. Not only is the boat owner new at this activity, the boat riders are also new. Communication skills tend to develop slowly. While driver can see individual in water behind boat or in front of trailer waiting to help with loading, he cannot hear due to the roar of the motor and propeller. There is a learning curve required to decipher hand signals, head nods, and arm wavings.

Remember, well-loved boat was purchased for a reason. It requires practice to learn to enter a boat free of muddy feet. It also requires practice to tie secure knots. Nervous drivers sometimes do bring the propeller into contact with foreign objects. It only takes a few minutes to swamp a boat, but boat will drain and dry provided it can be rescued in time. Keep spare boat plug in glove box.

The fourth guideline is to find joy in the ride. The motivation behind acquiring a boat was most likely to have a good time, spend time with loved ones, and relax. It may take time to accomplish this goal. It is difficult to have a good time or relax while panicking over learning to launch, load, and operate one’s newly purchased boat. Add a few scrapes and dings, discover that the boat still floats, learn to water ski or catch a fish, improve communication skills, and the experience will begin to be enjoyable. If, however, the motivation was to keep up with the Joneses, the best bet would be to purchase a brand new boat complete with shiny paint job and bright propeller. It would then be wise to park it in a rental storage unit to preserve the newness, take a few snapshots, and talk really big to the neighbors. The monthly payments and insurance will still be due, however many of the added hidden expenses will be avoided—as will the joy.

 

Moral: If you love something enough, even its imperfections are beautiful.

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Happy Running!

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