I think I learned to ski when I was approximately three years old. Growing up in Southern Finland, it meant mostly cross-country. No hills to speak of there. Nonetheless, I used to love that too. Quite often I would take of with some hot chocolate and sandwiches in my backpack and make a little solo tours on the frozen lake to the nearby islands.
 |
| On one of the early winters |
In the mid-nineties I spent some time in Grenoble, France, as an exchange student. Up until then I hadn't really thought much of alpine skiing, since I never had the finances to go find some decent slopes in Lapland. Suddenly the slopes sort of came to me, so I figured it would be a great sin not to use the opportunity that was presented to me. So off and down the slopes I went. And absolutely fell in love with that. Easy curves and smooth ride, wow....
After that I did some downhill skiing also in Finland, but not very often. Now I've been based in Basel, Switzerland for past six winters. You would think that she's surely going for it again since the mountains are right there. Yeah, right. Somehow for past winters I never made it to the slopes. Wanted to, but never got there. Somehow the winters just flew by and there didn't seem to be time for snow-sports. Show-sports being more time consuming =). And my excuse could also be that there is no mountains in Basel region, it's so-called flatlands of Switzerland.
This winter I was determined to set it right and drag my butt to a ski resort. Yesss, I made it. And wanna do it again. It was so much fun again. Took some time to get my bearings on the new (to me) carvers and all, but at least it didn't fall flat on my face.
 |
| Upright, yesss! |
I went with couple of my friends to Feldberg at Black Mountains, Schwarzwald, Germany. A nice and mellow day. Foggy, of course, so not much scenery to boast about. But I was totally prepared for this, since the mountains generally don't wanna show themselves to me. I'm starting to think that they are just an urban legend, -just like the giant crocodiles in the sewers of New York.
I don't really know why it is like that, but generally, when ever I'm heading for the higher ground, there is loads of fog or low-hanging clouds. So no chance to see any kind of mountain formations. Like this time also, as you can see:
 |
| The Alps on the background, yes? |
However, skiing is much fun, even if there is no postcard-pretty "Alpenblick" on the background. And I have really set my goals to reaching the snow more times this season.
And I'm also dying to invest in new gear, but I try to hold my horses until the end of the season and get it cheaper. Difficult, difficult...
Posts
