Great Day on The Slopes.

David R.

December 26, 2010 - 3:54 PM

My first day of skiing was as fun as I was expecting but my body is definitely feeling the effects. Skiing involves the use of muscles that I don't exert too often, so I am always a bit sore after a day full of hitting the slopes. My quads are tired from constantly being in a semi-squatting position, and my feet hurt from the beating they took from wearing ski boots. Anyone who has ever been skiing knows that ski boots aren't the most comfortable thing in the world, and it will be a blessing if I make it through the week without developing blisters. I wish someone would invent boots for skiing that are as comfortable as snowboarding boots but I guess it is what it is for now.

The snow was soft and fluffy all over the mountain and I barely hit any icy patches. The snowfall has been lagging for the past few years so one of the biggest problems with the slopes at Beaver Creek was that they tended to be covered with ice. The snow cover seems to be much better this year, which will make for a better skiing experience, and the sun is supposed to shine even harder tomorrow than it did today!

Given that the Oregon Ducks football team is about to play for the National Championship, I took it upon myself to represent the beloved University while on the mountain. I threw on my Oregon jersey over my heavy winter jacket and wore it proudly until I returned home this afternoon. Throughout the course of the day I heard many "go ducks" remarks from other skiers and snowboarders who said they would be cheering for the ducks. I figured I would probably hear a few remarks like this throughout the day, because I would assume that many from this region of the United States would be in support of the PAC 10 given that the Universities of Colorado and neighboring Utah will now be joining our conference. Most of the comments I received were positive but at one point someone skied past me and muttered "war eagle," the saying known to the Auburn Tigers. I wanted to respond by asking where that dumb saying originated from, but I decided to keep it civil...for now. The title game is still a ways away so I decided to enjoy the rest of my vacation in the mountains without allowing myself to get worked up pondering how our Ducks will fare in the pinnacle contest of college football.

Later tonight my aunt and uncle will make it up to Beaver Creek to join to rest of us in the winter time festivities. My uncle is an expert skier, which is rather remarkable because, like I said, he now lives in Florida, a state known for its sunshine-not its mountains. It's always fun to ski with him and my aunt and I have learned a lot from him over the years. Of course, he and my aunt have both become Ducks fans and they want to be able to rep the "O" down south. The other day my uncle called me and asked if I could bring him and Oregon "O" that he can put on his car in Florida in spite of all of the Auburn bumper stickers. I'll give it to him when he arrives and hopefully it will drive some doubt into the minds of the Auburn faithful.