There are two things in life that always put a smile on my face:
driving fast and great skiing. For me these are sure fire ways to put me in an instant good mood. It just so happens that the faster you drive to the ski resort, the better the snow gets – isn't life great! On the first big snow day this season I climbed into my car and raced up the canyon through a blur of white. As I slid into the resort parking lot all I could think of was floating through the fresh snow. I hurried to get ready and made it on one of the first chairs up the mountain. As I exited off the chair and started my journey through skiing nirvana... something awful happened!
As I headed down the mountain nothing was working like it should have. I made a few turns and although I wanted them to be flawless I realized that my balance was off and my confidence low. As I struggled down the mountain the snow got deeper and more difficult. I was knee-deep in s_ _ t, and in big trouble. A couple more attempts at some beautiful turns and POOF! A large cloud of misty powder developed around me as I laid in the snow. What was wrong with me? I guess I had overestimated my mid-season conditioning. I was tired, breathing hard, buried up to my eyeballs in snow, not to mention only 1/3 of the way down the mountain. This was the part of my skiing that I chose not to remember, and no matter how great the drive, I was no longer in a good mood.
My skiing was in need of a 60K mile tune-up, and while walking the floors at the local ski show I found a great mechanic at the Skier's Edge demo booth. The Skier's Edge is a ski simulator and fitness machine. With a little explanation from one of the reps I stepped onto the machine and was ready to go. What I felt was so life-like... this was the motion I was looking for on that first big snow day. I was able to work my lower body, set edges, maintain forward lean and focus on a stable upper body – everything I was looking for on the mountain. A Skier's Edge machine and a blissful grin came home with me from the ski show. After a couple of weeks of training on the Skier’s Edge a storm hit and the mountain was calling me again. I grabbed my skis and headed out to answer the call.
Back in the big snow I now had a new-found confidence. As I started down the mountain I felt in control of my skis. I laid down turn after turn, while keeping my upper body quiet and my weight down the hill. All of the training I had done on the Skier’s Edge had given me incredible balance and control. Any bump or change in terrain that the mountain threw at me I was able to rip through with power. I was skiing better than I was at the close of the previous season.
I think that most of us skiers can agree that we always have room for improvement. After years of skiing, and countless hours spent refining technique and form, it's nice to know I now have a little edge. It's a Skier's Edge, and it always puts me in an instant good mood – just like the drive up the mountain
