Finding my footing on slippery slopes

A spanking new pair of Solomon cross-country skis and boots were under the Christmas tree for me in December, their performance metrics and buyer reviews meticulously researched by both my husband and son prior to purchasing.

Truth be told, I hadn’t asked for a new pair of skis, nor had it crossed my mind I’d needed them. My family, however, decided it was time for an upgrade. I guess my 30-some year-old skis had fallen from grace.

Along with new ski gear, I also received new trekking poles and new thermal baselayer wear to support even more outdoor recreating on my part. I’m not sure if my family is trying to keep me out of the nursing home or put me in one.

I’ve skied on the Solomons three times so far this winter, which is equal to the number of times I’ve been out skiing at all, snowfall being rather meager in the valley and not timed so well with the weekends.

When I first tried on the new gear (Before Christmas I’d been told, and believed, the tall package leaning in the corner was a pop-up canopy for Luke) Luke instructed me to perform the paper test — that is, to stand in my new boots, clipped into my new skis and see if a piece of paper could be barely slipped under the fishscales and, next, to put all my weight on one ski and, if the paper couldn’t be pulled under that ski, then the pair had the perfect amount of flex for my weight. — Who knew?

On my inaugural venture out on the new equipment the skis felt slick and fast. The snow was relatively packed and they seemed to “swim” a bit but I kept up with them. All I can say is they felt different than my old skis and my trust was in question — but all went well — meaning I stayed upright and uninjured.

More recently, I headed out to the Bigfork Nordic Center. I lost control on the very first downhill. My friends and I attested to its iciness — one friend skied down to try to help me release the bindings only to ski right on past on the slick slope saying over her shoulder, “This is me coming to help youuu!”

I played in and out of the groomed tracks, trying to find a smooth rhythm on my new skis, now twice shy on the downhills. I still felt they were slipperier than what I was accustomed too, which I soon verified with a double-knee plant while trying to herringbone uphill.

We figure we skied at least 6 miles that day. Somewhere in the middle of the excursion I began to “feel the edge” of my skis better. I was a bit sore the next couple of days, however, from my rather dramatic execution of the snowplow technique I kept utilizing to control my downhill speed.

But I think if I can get out a few more times, if not this season, next, I’ll get familiar enough with the Solomons to put my full trust them.

And trust is key with any human-powered equipment, whether you’re hurtling yourself downhill on a pair of skis, on a pair of skinny wheels, or paddling through the chop in a crosswind.

Experience unlocks trust. Trust unlocks courage. And courage unlocks the potential for great adventure.

Community Editor Carol Marino may be reached at 758-4440 or community@dailyinterlake.com.