Ski Season Opens for the Bairs

Well, we made our debut up at Bluewood Ski Mountain this weekend. We spent Friday and Saturday skiing. The kids were ecstatic. We were pretty excited, too.










In the morning, Troy was loading skis, boots, and poles in the van. I was packing our lunch and rounding up all the hats, gloves, scarves, goggles and other important stuff. What we didn’t know was that our kiddos were impatiently waiting in the van, completely geared up and ready to go. By completely, I mean hats under their helmets, goggles, scarves, coats, snow pants, gloves, and ski boots. Did I mention they were ecstatic? Talk about a role-reversal. We are usually waiting for them when it’s time to leave for somewhere.

Kevin is pretty sure he is the best skier on the mountain. Troy mentioned that an intermediate lesson on technique might be a good idea for him. Kevin was almost offended. He doesn’t understand how his dad could think such a think. I suggested, sarcastically, to Kevin that he might want to teach lessons this year. Kevin agreed that would be a good. A very healthy ego, indeed. Actually, in reality, Kevin is really a remarkable skier. He has good form, and isn’t afraid to try anything. He would love to be on the ski team, and would probably excel at that. If only we lived closer (It’s a 1hr 45min drive each way).

Stacy was my ski buddy. I promised her that I would stay with her and at her skill level. I don’t feel the ‘need for speed’ like the boys. We spent quite a while on the bunny hill at first. Then I bribed her with a package of fruit snacks to go up the chair lift, to the easiest hill, called Country Road. It didn’t start off so well. First, she fell off the chairlift at the unloading point at the top. She had forgotten how to get off. She fell on her pole at hurt her back a little. She was more mad than anything. Then we skied down successfully. She had a great time! She went up Country Road 3 times Friday and twice Saturday. The first time Saturday was too powdery, so she fell a lot, and was frustrated. She did, however, end on a good note. She had a great time.

Bluewood closes each day at 4pm. On Friday, the boys were LITERALLY the last two skiers off the mountain. Troy, Stacy, and I came down our last run at 4:02. We saw Kevin on his way up the chair lift for a final run, with a huge smile on his face. The lift operators had the CLOSE sign up, but flagged us through for one last lift up the mountain. Troy went up to ski down with Kevin. Stacy and I headed for the van to warm up and prepare hot cocoa. The boys said that halfway up the mountain, the chair lift stopped moving for almost a minute. They were a little concerned that they might have to spend the night on the lift, until it started back up again. Stacy and I waited 20 minutes in the car until we finally saw our boys, escorted by the ski patrol, coming down.

The first day, Kevin ate an early lunch on the way to Bluewood. He started skiing at about 11:45, and was finished just before 4:30. His gloves were not the best gloves, so his hands were cold and wet. He was almost in tears and said this was the 2nd coldest he has ever been in his life. We had other gloves in the van, but getting them would have meant stopping skiing for awhile. So, he skied non-stop the whole day. He didn’t stop to eat, drink, pee, or anything else. He said the only time he stopped was to ride the lift up the mountain. Saturday, we mandated a lunch break, and had gotten him nice, new gloves. What a sport!