We arose early, met up with a bunch of other early risers, and headed off to Michigan for the annual home school ski trip. After checking in and getting all bundled up, we were ready to move on out! Since there were several first-time skiers this year, we spent a short time over at the bunny slope (just behind the girls) to help out where needed and to give ourselves a few "refresher" runs.
It wasn't long, and the girls were ready to move over to the slopes. We spent the time before lunch on
Dean's Pass and
Lumber Jack.
Grace comes around the final bend on Dean's Pass.
Megan on the Lumber Jack run (I realize the names of the runs mean nothing to the average reader, but they're for my memory:) )
Grace heading down.
Breaking for lunch and a much-needed time for warming-up. This year, after learning from last year, we took along hand warmers. Those things worked great!
Then, in the afternoon, we went up the double chair lift to a different part of the slopes.
Just off the lift, Megan chose to stop literally at the edge of this nice dropoff....a bit too close for my liking.
We knew we were on a more challenging slope and that knowledge was confirmed when we came around the bend off the ski lift and saw the steep decline. Standing at the top of the crest, Megan said, "I'm scared."
However, she proceeded to take off, going straight down! I guess any fear she was experiencing was short lived!
Grace takes her first run down this intermediate run.
One time down the
Oak run was all it took. We were hooked after that! So much so, that we spent the rest of the time going up and down that run. The second time down, we went through and out this hut. You come out of the hut at a bit of an angle (rather than hitting the slope going straight down), which made a big difference (at least for me, it did).
Megan heads out...
..and doesn't stick around long!
Our last run of the day, Megan went down, Grace went down, and I followed. Megan apparently had gone back up, which then put her behind me (unknown to me). Grace and I headed in to return our rentals, etc., and it was then that I was made aware that Megan had fallen. One observer's words were, "It was a HARD fall." Instead of skiing straight down, she thought she'd attempt to weave like I have to do. Unfortunately, trying a new move for the first time going at an incredible speed is not a good idea! She fell....no, wiped out majorly, losing both skis and sliding head first down 15-20 feet. Since she landed on her chest, the wind was knocked out of her, and I believe she blacked out for a short time. Coming to a stop, she laid there unmoving for a brief time trying to catch her breath, and then she remembers looking behind her up the slope to see where her skis were. Someone brought them down to her, helped her get up, and then down the slope the rest of the way where her friends were waiting for her at the bottom. They helped her into the lodge to sit down. That's where I found her. No broken bones, just some bruised ribs. AND VERY THANKFUL FOR THE LORD'S PROTECTING HAND ON HER, AND ALL OF US!
Stopping for pizza on our way home.
It really was a great day!
~Wee
Moving away from the stack, Megan waits for the inbound pass.
Our girls came away with another win!
Grace's turn out of the "starting block."
