As a Florida native I grew up water skiing, wakeboarding and surfing. I never took lessons, perhaps with the exception of a friend or family member shouting backseat-driver directives at me from the stern of the boat. I wasn’t a pro by any means, but learning water sports just came naturally. Snow sports, on the other hand, proved to be my nemesis. My first experience mountainside happened when I was a freshman in college. Back then I was fearless, and I must have had some modicum of beginner’s luck because for the first half-day on the slopes I never fell once, and I seemed to have picked it up as easily as water skiing. I still can’t explain those magical four hours, but on my next attempts that afternoon my inexperience was manifest as I tumbled down the mountain time and again. Flash forward nearly a decade and a snowstorm that shut down Atlanta had my roommate convincing me this was the perfect opportunity to give the sport another shot. Again, I failed miserably. My childish fearlessness was no longer there to push me to my limits and I was completely ill-equipped in terms of apparel, so within an hour I parked my wet and cold behind at the lodge bar while my roommate expertly swished and swooshed down the black slopes. I vowed to give up on any hopes of ever being a snow bunny. continue reading
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Original article: Lessons in the Snow: How Failing at Snowboarding was an Unexpected Birthday Gift.