The Seasons they're a-Changing

I hate winter. Hate it, hate it, hate it. Every fall I ask myself why I live in this god-forsaken state where winter lasts from November through April, and Summer is really only July and August. I'm a summer girl, through and through. Love the sun, love the heat, would bask for hours if I had the time. Then fall comes, and I know that means months of cold, snow and ice. I get depressed and hibernate until May. I live in the "Ski Capital of the East" and I have only skied twice in the 11 years that I've lived here. I used to ski all the time before we moved here. Go figure.

This year has been different. I changed jobs, and one of the perks of this job is free lift tickets to the mountain. Before, the expense always held me back. At $65/day or over a month's rent for a season's pass, it wasn't realistic. Now, it's different. Another perk was free rentals at one of the local ski shops. Ok, it was time. The kids have been bugging me for two years now - their jaws dropped when I said I was going to learn to snowboard. I rented equipment and took a lesson. Then the rest of the season was spent learning how to make turns without taking catastrophic falls, learning to keep on an edge, learning how not to fall on flats, gaining confidence, turning on steeper terrain, gaining speed, learning to relax, and having fun. The kids took me on more and more trails - some trails I'd never even been on on skis. :) Every week was an adventure and we had a great time - we laughed, we threw snowballs at each other, the kids marveled at me when I would pass them on the hill and they had to catch up with me, then they'd chastise me when I was too slow. All in all, it was great QT.

The point of this entry is that now as the seasons are changing I'm finding for the first time since I've lived in Vermont that I'm actually sad to see the snow melt. I look at the mountain longingly as I see bare spots appear - their goal is to stay open until May 1st - if that's possible, then I have 4 days left of riding - but I think that's a little unrealistic with the rain and the warm weather that we're getting. Usually I'd be getting psyched up for riding my bike, running, softball, but I'm already mourning parting with my new purple K2 Luna - just thinking about it.

So, in a few weeks, I'll have to put it away - and bring my bike to be tuned, and when I get on it, the sun will be on my back, and I'll ride a different ride, and climb those hills, and I'll swing the bat and smash that softball, and I'll go to the ocean in August and bury my feet in the sand, and enjoy the warmth of summer while it lasts...until the snow flies again and I can ride the snow again. Crazy girl.