Easy Livin.: XC Skiing Gone Wrong.

"There are no failures. Just experiences and your reactions to them." -Tom Krause

If Tom Krause said this to me last weekend when I attempted to go cross country skiing, I'd probably tell him to stick my skis where the sun don't shine. Needless to say, it was an interesting day. Sunday I started off with high hopes. I rented some cross country skis from REI and found a good place to try them out. Mind you, I should have been smart and youtubed this activity, but that would require me using my brain and I just don't seem to do that often. I got to Elk Meadow in Evergreen and all I knew how to do was put the skis on and that's only because the rental guy at REI told me how to! So I logically think of how this would work and I start on my way trying to get the hang of this thing. Someone told me it was just like the nordic track at the gym (which my gym doesn't have of course). Now if they meant that I would stay in place and continue in the same motion, then I would say yes, it was quite like that. I found myself literally not moving location, yet moving my legs and arms in a "cross country" fashion. I finally got moving a little bit and it just wasn't clicking, so after 25 minutes I said "screw it, I'm going snowshoeing" (at least I was smart enough to bring those knowing this might not go well). I turn around and start sliding down a slight decline. Now y'all, I didn't grow up skiing. I don't know how to ski. I don't know how to control myself when sliding on snow. Nor do I like to slide on the snow while standing up. Naturally I try to talk myself through this, "Okay, Dana, keep those knees together. Relax. Enjoy this.". Yeah right, I freaked out and just fell over. I put a nice little knot in my shin and naturally started cursing at the skis. I took them things right off and marched back to my car cursing at the skis the whole way (Like father, like daughter). It was a gorgeous day, the sun was out and it was actually pretty warm out! So don't worry, I didn't let this XC skiing experience damper my day. I put on my snowshoes and had a trail loop in mind and was ready to get in a nice hike. Off I go and it was so great! I looked at my feet and said "yes, you are meant for walking, not being strapped in long pieces of sliding plastic!". It's gonna be a good day....if only I had looked a little closer at the specifics of the trail. Now don't get me wrong, I love going uphill. I'm a weirdo, I love sweating and getting a good burn (yeah!) but when I am going uphill for over an hour, I start to get a little confused if I'm not going up a damn mountain. Well, my friends, I was going up a mountain. I took a break (#35) and looked at the topography map and realized that I was gaining about 2,000 feet of elevation. Oh, well no wonder why I'm sweating like a mad woman and becoming exhausted by the second! I wasn't prepared for this. My legs were already weak from my workout in the gym the day before (no excuses: no pain, no gain!). I finally decide the damn snowshoes are slowing me down and so I take them off and start trudging up in my hiking shoes (which are NOT water proof, bad life decision number 765). Soon enough, I'm exhausted, hungry, and my shoes are soaked along with my socks. Great. I finally get to the top, hallelujah! The trail is no longer hard packed snow and I'm basically walking in water shoes so I decide to put the snowshoes back on. At this point, I am at an all time low and I'm only half way done. On top of all this glory, it starts snowing. I understand that not every hike is going to be a good hike. You're always going to have good days and bad days, this is life. But y'all, I was NOT a happy hiker. To make life even more positive the trail I finally get to to start heading back to the car is called "Too Long Trail". By this time of delirium, I find this hilarious and laugh like a crazy lady. I'm also cursing at the snow, which is not something I ever wanted to find myself doing. I always wanted to like the snow, it's so pretty and all. But by this point I am hating it, sick of seeing it, and just want it to be warm, sunny, and dry. After a few miles of crazy lady Dana, I finally simmer down and quietly just keep walking. I finally get to my car, strip off my shoes and socks, and dry my feet in the foot heater of my car. What.a.day. Today I hope to go for a nice long hike, and I pray it goes a bit better than last weekend. Also, I bought some waterproof hiking boots yesterday and hopefully they will be shipped to REI in a few days. Huzzah. Life is good. Happy trails, y'all!