Friday, March 7, 2008

(In the words of MacDaddy...) Who was that Righteous PSIA Dude??

(Charlie Stocker shows us effective movement patterns)
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(Josh and Rick work on effective movement patterns)
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We had a GREAT all day clinic today with Charlie Stocker from Vail. He'll be here for the next few days, and it is SO exciting to have some great visiting pros here! YES! Thank you Bonnie for putting me in as many of the clinics as you can spare me for, that is LOVELY and sweet and exciting!!

Today's all day clinic was on moving along the length of the ski! Familiar territory that can't be visited enough.

I learned a TON today, (after teaching my first Black level Ski PE, which was also very exciting...) Lets see...

Quote of the day: "Don't surprise your skis, and they won't surprise you". Yes, I like that one a lot. Also, old ideas are important, but being open to new ideas is equally so. Lets use things that have worked while looking at things that evolve the sport or our understanding of the sport.

(Angela can carve!!)
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(Bonnie gets out and skis it! YEAH!)
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(Charlie watches Michael do it right)
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I found my mantra, and strangely enough, its the one part of Secret Tactics of Martial Arts Experts that I had been having trouble applying to skiing. One chair ride with Michael and Alyssa fixed that.

"If you are walking along with nothing but a bamboo cane, and suddenly someone attacks you with a sword, you should take their sword from them. This, then, is already your victory."

We were heading down into Last Chance, a rather gnarly bump run at Bridger that sort of routinely kicks my ass, and I was thinking (as Michael suggested), about the terrain as the attacker with the sword. If I take his sword away from him, I would be making the bumps ineffectual at attacking me, either by being less resistant to them, or charging them where I need to, but skiing them effectively, supply, and efficiently. Inneresting!!!!

I actually had my two best bump runs down Last Chance, probably ever, although I still have a bracing leg, especially when I get tired.

I will take your sword from you, this is already my victory.

We also talked about diving turns and climbing turns, steering, stance as it applies to steering, patience into the fall line, describing an arc that is allowed to be smeared, and so on. It was a great day. And I got to ski the Elans on the groom for the first time, and they rocked. Although, they are SO short that I can find myself on the end of the diving board in relatively no time at all!!

Mental health note for the night: Home life, challenging. Boys miss me, which means Ethan is lovely and clingy, and Bodhi doesn't want to talk to me (owie). Tom and I are... well, because I want this to be an honest chronology of my journey, I will write a private post on what is happening there, and one day, I'll include it in the journal. Its awfully hard to put that stuff up as it happens, but that's what has made this the toughest month ever for me, and, I am sure, for him as well. We are doing the best we can in a rather gnarly situation.

Thanks for the chat tonight, Ric B. you are an angel, and here is love and hugs for Sue, who is a hero. You two are very inspiring.

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