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| "The key to happiness is freedom, and the key to freedom is courage" |
Here in the mid-Atlantic, as
the local meteorologists begin to vaguely mention the words "cold"
and "snow" in the extended forecast, I begin to dread the shoveling,
slush, cold, and mess that snow brings. And yet a large
part of me welcomes the snow. There is a beauty that snow brings as
it covers the earth in a pure, white blanket. And snow brings
opportunities for adventures and fun. A chance for me to continue to participate in checking a bucket list item off as completed.
Gramma learns to snowboard
On December 12th of last year, at age 49, I learned to snowboard. It was a wondrous experience. The Mister gave me my first lesson in a nearly empty schoolyard late at night. It was amazing and I regretted that I hadn't tried snowboarding earlier in my life. Yet, I probably wasn't ready at an earlier age in life. There is a freedom that comes with maturity that brings a different kind of brave. I was finally courageous enough to try to snowboard.
I
continued to practice a few times last year, practicing in
schoolyards and on fire lanes in local wooded areas. While last
year was brutally cold and icy, there wasn't much snow that was good
for snowboarding. I would have loved more opportunities to practice.
That
is why I became excited when the news forecast included talk about
the approaching Polar Vortex. I can't wait to go snowboarding again.
And I think I will plan a trip to one of the local ski resorts.
I
had never expected there to be ski resorts on the east coast. Before traveling here on a regular basis, I expected the area to be too tropical for snow sports. Oh, such a silly girl I was. There are ski resorts here. Nearly every Monday, during the winter season, there is
someone at work who talks about having been skiing, tubing, or
snowboarding nearby. This year, I hope that I am also talking
about snowboarding down a real hill. I am definitely ready to try snowboarding on a slope.
Let's
keep in mind that the Mid-Atlantic region is nowhere near the
elevation of Telluride, Colorado. But even so, there are plenty of
places in the Mid-Atlantic to find a lift to take you to the top and a hill
to come down.
A helpful snowboard tutorial.
It is not as difficult to learn to snowboard as I expected. And not half as scary. For me, getting up from fastening my bindings was the most difficult part. But this young lady shows a way of getting up that I will try this year. If you are very nervous and not starting at a ski resort with lessons, I'd advise starting on a smaller hill than in this video. With the right snow, your board will slide on the smallest of hills.
Popular ski resorts convenient to the Baltimore and DC areas.
I am listing the four resorts that my co-workers and client families most visit:- Wisp at Deep Creek (Maryland)
- Whitetail Resort (Pennsylvania)
- Liberty Mountain Resort (Pennsylvania)
- Roundtop Resort (Pennsylvania)
Here is a complete list of the 34 mid-Atlantic ski resorts as listed in DCSki. This list also includes resorts in Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina.
If you have ever wanted to snowboard but have just been too nervous, even if you are my age or older, I recommend that you give it a try. It is not nearly as scary as it looks. You can be bashful like I was and start in a yard with the smallest of incline if the snow is right. Or you can go all out and start at a resort. Either way - be courageous and live your dreams.
Written by Dawn Rae
Disclosure: In affiliation with AllPosters.com, Dawn Rae is a blogger and content writer who may earn compensation from the sale of AllPosters products.
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