I'm Famous!

I was in a commercial for Schweitzer Mountain! Based on no real talent, they just needed a third member to diversify the "cast." Every week they create a new skit emphasizing different activities or weather around the resort. I am in the tubing frame! I don't normally sit with my hands out like so in the commercial. I am not really sure what I was thinking, but I am famous none-the-less! (You can check it out, but for some reason this link only goes to Schweitzer's homepage and then videos are on the right side of the page and it is the 2nd video in the line-up.)

I finally took my terrain park lesson. It was crazy. I learned so much stuff and I am so much more confident. Not that I know what any of this means, but I learned how to do an ollie 190, butter turns while snowboarding down the mt. (these are just doing 360's in motion), I learned how to do a spin off of a jump (although I can't land this one. I always fall right on my tailbone) and I learned how to do a 50/50 and some other crazy trick that resulted in many a bruise on the metal box in the park. It was crazy and a lot of work, but I am so glad I took it. The major thing I learned is that I have to commit to the trick I am going to do. If I, even for a second, take my eye off of the landing or question what I am doing I will ruin the trick and fall. Case in point, I clipped my hip, neck and tailbone trying to master one trick off of the box-sets. It really hurts to walk today. Also isn't this a lot like life!?

After my terrain park lesson, my instructor must have seen potential in me b/c he mentioned he was going to go trek through the woods and build a jump and snowboard down to it. Although he put the offer out, I basically forced my way into that outing. There was no way I was going to miss this. I met him the next day early in the morning and little did I know what was in store for me. He kicked my ass! The one type of trail I haven't gone on are double black diamonds and what does he have me do all the way down...? He had me weaving out of the most narrow trees all while keeping up with his speed and it was crazy foggy, you couldn't decipher ground from sky yesterday. There were a few moments I was sure I was going to die. But I made it through and I was pushed to my limits, which is how you become better at what you do. I am glad I went. I had a real off-trail experience and the exploring was great.

The more I push myself, the less I become afraid of things. And it resulted in getting a home-cooked meal out of it when a few of his fellow ski instructors needed to have a ride home. The classic barter system of the ski bum. I don't know how they live comfortably at all. It's definitely not for me, I depend too much on consistency. But the crazy snowboarding, I will take anyday.