Redemption Post

I can't believe that its been so long since I have posted. I strive to post something at least a couple of time a week but this last week has been nutty. I worked full days and that in itself takes a toll on me. But the real reason for this post centers around me and skiing. I am a fair weather skier. I like to ski about once a year on easy green runs with no ice and fresh powder in a place that is beautiful with nice people and no lines. Does that sound like it might be a hard thing to find? Most times it's not, most years I hook up with friends and have a great time.
Icicles at the Taos house!

This year we went to Taos with 16 of our closest friends from the Rez for a long weekend of winter sports. The first full day there we bundled up and car-pooled up the mountain, I rented skis got my lift ticket and I was ready. Little did I know that Taos, NM is known for its intense skiing - the stuff double black diamonds are made of. I skied the bunny run a few times and it felt good, the sun was shining and it felt good to be active. After the bunny run I skied what looked to me like the next easiest green run. That, too, was exhilarating and I felt ready to tackle bigger and better things. I then met up with 3 of my friends and we headed up the mountain. Now these ladies are much better skiers then me but I felt assured when they said it was a green run.

More icicles at the Taos house!

Well, let me tell you this was one helluva a green run. Narrow with trees on one side and the mountains edge on the other, icy as hell frozen over and nerve-wracking. I slowly made my way down the first few miles thinking "I must be crazy". When the run leveled out I looked down and noticed that there was a slalom race course the ran the same length of the mountain I was supposed to ski down - what kind of green run has a race course on it? At that moment I was struck with the realization that I needed to get the hell off the mountain. I went to the race course shack and asked the timer to call ski patrol. He looked at me and asked if I was injured - I said no I am just tired and done skiing. So ski patrol came and loaded me up and I got a nice scenic ride down the mountain.

A bacon weave that our friend Chris made...crazy looking isn't it!

So to make up for this unfulfilling day of skiing we headed back up to Northern New Mexico for a weekend at a friends condo in Angel Fire, NM. Just the name gave me hope - it had a nice ring to it and I had high expectations of a nice day of skiing. The weather was awful - cold, windy and snowy and it would have been much easier to stay warm in the condo but I took my courage in my hands and went skiing by myself. It was a FANTASTIC day! The weather remained ugly but the place was so friendly and the green runs were amazing. No chance of a Sonny Bono here. All in all it was a day full of redemption, courage, love of nature and great easy skiing.