I’ve always been amazed by the active lifestyle of people who live here. Skiing, snowboarding, biking, running, rock climbing… You name it. People of all ages are always doing something active and adventurous. It’s not weird to see a three-thousand-dollar car with a ten-thousand-dollar bike on its rack. Same true with skis, snowboards or whatever it is that people call their passion. I admire and respect that so much that I’ve secretly wanted to become this way.
You see, growing up, I was the “uncoordinated” one. The one that was too slow to run, too heavy to jump or too clumsy to do anything. I was just not that good at sports. And then I came here.
I ventured out to learn to ski and of course I tore my ACL on the bunny hill the first time I went out with friends, BUT I didn’t give up. After each season I became a little more confident. This year I had a crazy goal: To take guests out skiing with me. While my co-workers know exactly the name, the length and the little secrets of each run, I barely know the runs by their characteristics: “I love the one that has those tall trees on the left”. Furthermore, my sense of direction is nonexistent so I really had to prepare well to acheive my goal.
My first guests were my dear Aussie friends: Gavin, Paul, James, Lozza and Chris. I studied the grooming report as if it would be the final test for my MBA graduation. I did some warm ups at home just to make sure I was in the best possible physical shape. I tuned my skis to perfection, all to make sure my friends would have the best time ever.
Well… while skiing with them, I found out that I had it all wrong. It is not about being perfect, fast, or knowing it all. It is really about just having fun! I remember thinking back to when I just arrived to Vail 9 years ago: “Why do people call this a vacation, when they are sweating just trying to put their boots on?” It took me all this time to understand it. The fun of sharing and unfolding a ski adventure is priceless. For a moment you forget about the world, and you are just present, gliding towards paradise. While sitting on the chairlift on your way up, you laugh about almost crashing with each other, or confess that your legs were burning with each turn, and it is all good.
Thank you my Aussie friends for skiing with me. I am glad you had fun, just like I did!
Now, who’s next?
Magda-
With my favorite ski run in the back. The one with the tall trees on the left.
