Elaine's Responsibility Code

First of all, the inspiration for this post's title :

1. Always stay in control.
2. People ahead of you have the right of way.
3. Stop in a safe place for you and others.
4. Whenever starting downhill or merging, look uphill and yield.
5. Use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
6. Observe signs and warnings, and keep off closed trails.
7. Know how to use the lifts safely.

I saw this posted near the cashier at the Park City Mountain Ski Resort yesterday when checking out my ski rental equipment. It comes from the National Ski Areas Association and is called "Your Responsibility Code." I found it most helpful to have start-off guidelines for etiquette and safety in an area I had never been and where I had no idea of what to expect. Many of the code items were similar to what I observe or expect when hiking, so this immediately put me at ease. But the first one on the list sure made me smile! Stay in control. So, here is my "Responsibility Code" of sorts; these are my suggestions for how to "stay in control."

What I learned the first day :

1. This is not a comfort sport. Don't expect to be comfortable when learning; it will hurt! As I read on one site, "Get in shape to ski. Don't ski to get in shape." I found this amusing more than annoying, because honestly, skiing is a luxury sport. The lifts and runs and equipment are all expensive to maintain and make available. So I found it amusing to put my foot into that first rental boot, only to look around me thinking, people pay for this kind of discomfort? (see what I learned day 2 for better news) But how could I feel annoyed? Surprised a bit, but perfectly ready to take a deep breath and think about something else ... like the fact that I would soon be learning how to ski down a mountain of snow!

2. Don't take your skis inside restaurants. People look at you funny. This is why there are complimentary ski racks to lean them against right outside the restaurant doors.

3. Learn how to walk in heels. (again, see what I learned day 2 for better news) I spent all of the first day thinking I should go home and practice walking in heels more often ~ toe-to-heel, toe-to-heel, like an elegant princess! I used to walk like this, "to practice being a princess," when I was a little girl ... but I never did become graceful, I always looked like a fool doing it! I also looked like a fool all the first day of wearing those rental boots.

4. Do yoga. I should have done an hour of yoga the night before my first time skiing ~ you wouldn't think it looking at those people all bundled up the way they are, but you want to be flexible if you're going to be a skier.

5. Skiing can be very much like ice skating.


What I learned the second day :

1. Wake up early, eat delicious and filling food, drink plenty of water (and go to the bathroom), and don't be opposed to warming up the insides with an early afternoon cocktail! I luckily learned each of these things simply by being grateful I did them, not by experiencing any mishaps like having to go home early because you peed in your getup.

2. Rent equipment from a place that gives you amazing-quality boots that don't hurt and beautiful blue Salomon skis! Then you also learn that your toe-to-heel endeavors didn't actually make any sense whatsoever, so scratch that bit about learning to walk in heels ... there still remains no reason I can think of for that kind of torture being a good idea.

3. Don't cry when you fall. It's not so bad, and then once you have fallen, if you went on something super-challenging for your level, you learned exactly what you should work on next so you can do what you just did again, later, without falling.

4. Always stay positive. Look around you and learn. Even if something's hard or it hurts, you're still skiing! Keep moving (and be willing to move SLOWLY) and you'll get better.