So... Let's get started, shall we?
positives:
- Ryan and I went to Seven Springs Mountain Resort (Southeast of Pittsburgh, PA) to go snowboarding for the weekend.
- Thanks to *Groupon, we got an absolutely AMAZING deal on the lift tickets for this resort (usually $68 per person/ per DAY, we bought 2x 2 person lift tickets for a total of $100) Whoo Hoo!
*groupon tip: scour other locations groupons. A lot of times groupons are redeemable online or, for someplace else that you want to go. Example: My ski trip for Seven Springs, was on Groupon Akron, even though the resort was east of Pittsburgh.
- We met up with my hubby's best childhood friend Dan, who lives in the Pittsburgh area and skis here regularly. I have only met him one other time, in a party situation, so I was truly grateful for the opportunity to get to know him on a more personal level.
- We also spent time with Dan's friends who have a beautiful 2nd home about 7 miles from the ski resort. THAT IS THE LIFE! Erin, Ron, and Erin's daughters Natalia & Monica are seriously some of the nicest, most generous people I have ever met. I felt so at home there -- but more on that, later.
- We spent about 24 hours at their house; chilling, playing with their five awesome dogs (I so wish we would have brought Scout, she would have been in heaven!!!) and talking.
- Saturday was a bust from a ride standpoint, due to the rain. By Sunday afternoon, the game had changed. The rain turned into snow and by 4pm -- which was when we hit the slopes -- there was tons of fresh powdah, totally making up for Saturday.
- Dan, Erin, and Ron met Ryan and I at the resort. Erin used to be a Ski & Ride instructor for many years at the resort, and they took Ryan and I through a slope by slope tour.
Which means, they essentially sacrificed their time on the mountain in order to allow me to participate. My plan had been always to let Ryan go off with all of them and I would stick with the green runs. (I skied a TON as a kid, but hadn't really done more with that since about high school. This was my first year snowboarding -- so I'm still very green). They had none of it, and they totally analyzed my abilities (or lack thereof) with the weather, the hills and the trails, and gave me that outside encouragement that I really benefited from.
Seriously. There is something to be said, about skiing with people who are far better than you and you don't really know ALL that well, to challenge you to push a little harder so as not to feel like you are making a fool of yourself. I took my time, and I certainly fell, but I kicked my intimidation to the curb and let myself go. And I was able to do this both for the reason mentioned above as well as the fact that they knew what they were doing. I was completely able to trust what they told me, and when they said "You can handle this run" and they watched people on the hill and said things like, "Start off over here, there's a lot of power," and "Ride around that ice over there," I knew that I was capable. And I did.
I went from the beginner runs on Saturday, to Double Black Diamonds by the end of Sunday night. Including a mogul hill that even my husband chickened out on :-P (I take huge pride on that one, as does my husband -- even though he's a bit envious) The funny thing, is that when my husband backed out of that hill I almost did, too. Then I thought about it and said, you know what, I really think I can do it, and I'll never know if I don't try. So I did it. Then, halfway down Goosebumps (the mogul run) Ron said "When you get to the mogul, don't try and steer around it -- that's too hard. When you get to it, go up it and use the peak to turn the other direction." Two things amazed me about that run. Not only was he right (not surprising really, but it sounded really intimidating until it makes sense), but he directed me, and I was able to do what he said, and it worked! AND I DID IT!
In all honesty, I still can't BELIEVE some of the hills that I went down that night. Yes, I fell -- a lot, in fact -- but I popped right back up and kept going. It was, to sound cliché for a moment, incredibly empowering and liberating. And I'm still riding high on all of it.
From the bottom of my heart, Thank you Ron, Erin and Dan. There are not enough words to express my gratitude to you all, but please know that it is there!
- Ryan and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary on Monday, as we drove back home from Seven Springs to Metro Detroit (a beautiful and really easy 6½ hour drive). I love you baby! And I look forward to the rest of our lives together.
- Saturday's snowboarding was a bit of a bust -- it RAINED ALL DAY!
- I didn't feel comfortable enough even on the beginner hills cause the snow was too slushie.
- Drank a little bit too much on Saturday night, which, since my husband and I really don't drink all that much EVER, we really went overboard.
- Injured my arm snowboarding on Sunday night (though it may no look it, this is thoroughly unrelated to the above)
- Found out this afternoon after a CT Arthrogram (with injection), that I actually have a fracture of the Radial Head bone in my elbow. I will follow up with Dr. Wagner (the Orthopedic Surgeon I met with Thursday and Friday) on St. Patrick's day for more information. *Meanwhile, painkillers are nice
- Our puppy got bit on her ear by another dog at the Camp Bow Wow that we usually take her to when we are out of town. We now want to find another establishment to take our baby to. Bummer.
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| scout's ear on friday -- she was bit on monday |
Like I mentioned, this was an amazing week and I enjoyed all of it! Even suffering my first "diagnosed" broken bone.
--happy living
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