I Almost Died

I did something this weekend that I've never done before. I went skiing. That's right, snow skiing. Bas and I drove to the Poconos in Pennsylvania (where my perents honeymooned more than 30 years ago). We went to a ski area called Camelback. It was a quick hour and a half drive from our house. I bought Bas a new pair of skis for Christmas and he was psyched to try them out.

Now I'll start this story by saying that I consider myself to be a fairly athletic girl. When I was young I played several sports including soccer (for 13 years), basketball, volleyball, cheerleading, and gymnastics...to name a few. With the right instruction, I can pick up skills at a pretty good pace.
So, I expected to be pretty good at skiing my first time. And I was right on! I took lessons with a group of adults and my teacher was praising my skills. He said to me quietly on the side, "You are doing awesome!"
As a matter-of-fact, during the middle of the lessons another instructor came over to take the best "new" skiers from the class onto a slope. Now, mind you when I say slope...I am talking about a beginner slope. Definitly NOT those slopes you see at the top of a mountain. A bunny-hill, if you will. But it was pretty big shit for someone who had never had a pair of skis on before that day. And I happened to be one of the 3 people out of 11 who was chosen. And the other two "all stars" had been on skis before. So how about that! I still have that athletic "thing" in me after all these years.

So, Bas who has been skiing for some 16 years was coming down some scary ass slopes while I was with the insructor. Then, he came over to find me and was quite proud to see that I had gone over to the more advanced section.
Finally when the lesson was over Bas and I played around going down the bunny hills for a while. I was magnificent! I was weaving in and out of the poor souls who had fallen on the slope. I was making turns. I was even able to stop at the bottom of the hill no problem. I didn't fall once. Not once. Bas was extremely impressed and proud of me. He couldn't believe I was so good! And I was all, "I told you I'd rock at this."

Don't worry people...the bragging stops right here.

Bas thought that it was time to up the anty. And because I had been so advanced he thought I could go from the bunny hills to the advanced novice path. Skipping the easy path, that is.
So, we ride the ski lift to the top of the mountain. All the while, I was feeling pretty comfortable and confident about it. I thought I was so damn good that I'd be able to handle this shit no problem.

We get to the top and like an idiot I already fell getting off the lift, which is mighty emabarrasing to begin with. But no problem, I'm thinking. Everyone falls now and then. I brush myself off and get ready for my adventure.
Then, I looked down. Big mistake. I had no idea how I would do this. That shit was soooo steep and so scary I wasn't even willing to try. The unfortunate part is...you can't go back down the mountain without actually skiing down it. Once you sit your ass on that lift, it's the point of no return.
Bas skied down the first section and I was still standing at the top. For a looooooong time. I was looking down that slope, watching other people go down for like 15 minutes.
Little children-5 years old-were flying down past me.
Old ass 70 year olds were sliding down past me-no problem.
A guy who had one leg gracefully passed me.
And I'm still standing there. Looking at Bas at the bottom. I could see the impatience building in him. He kept calling up to me, "C'mon baby, you can do it." Finally I got pissed at myself (Trecia style) and said "Fuck it, I'm going." And I went. And I met Bas at the bottom of that section. Now there were only four more sections like that to go. And I looked down.....the next one was even scarier!
All of a sudden, I started crying. And I'm not talking about whinning or getting "choked up." No, I was full on sobbing. With the tears, the noise, the snot, the crinkled up face. No, it was not pretty. And people were definitely looking at me. But I didn't give a damn. I was terrified. I have NEVER cried from the fear of doing anything in my life previous to this day. I am a brave cookie. I've jumped off 30 foot diving boards when I was 8 without even thinking twice. I've rode the highest and fastest roller coasters in the world and was ready to go again. I used to jump ramps with my brother on dirt bikes. I used to swing off a ropes right into the canal near our house when boys were too scared to do it.
But this nearly paralyzed me with fear. I couldn't believe how afraid I was.
After Bas had tried to comfort me and tell me 50 times that I could do it...I slowly decended down the mountain. I fell too many times to count.
I remember going down one slope and saying out loud as I'm going down, "Too fast, too fast, too fast, too fast!"
At one point, I fell halfway down one of the slopes and couldn't get back on my skis so I slid down on my butt-even that was scary.

Needless to say, because I am here writing this blog........I made it to the bottom of the mountain. I am alive. And all in all, I had a great time. I will definitely go again....but I will instead be on that easy path and gradually work my way up to the advanced novice (death) path.

I was, however convinced for a few hours that this was one of those cases where a husband tries to kill his wife. I was thinking, "Dammit, Bas wanted to cash in the big $25,000 life insurance policy I have. His plan was to get me to kill myself, and then run off with the girl he met at the grocery store."
But of course, I came to my senses and knew that my baby wouldn't kill me.
.........at least not for anything less than a cool mill!