Why you should go skiing this weekend

"The Ski Channel's" new employee goes skiing for the first time ever, is really tired and happy afterswards.

This article is aimed at encouraging never-skied-people to pull up their courage and try it. But non-skiers won't be checking out TheSkiChannel.com. You have friends you've been trying to drag up the mountain, please forward this to them, and I'll do my best to convince them to go with you, finally. It's also funny.

First, allow me to say that I am from Washington D.C. (relocated to Los Angeles) and I don't like being cold. People always give me a hard time "you're from DC, you should be used to the cold." I didn't like the cold in DC; I don't like it in LA. I prefer warmth, heat, a fireplace, a hot car that's been left in the sun, a baked potato maybe- you get me. But I will tell you that I forgot all about the cold during my lesson at Mammoth Mountain resort, and it was snowing!

Note the heart-shaped flake! That's Mammoth Love >

The day started out great, blue sky, sunny, beautiful spring day. I looked up at the slope for the first time. It looked steep and scary. And I'm fairly sporty and game for anything. I went to the main lodge to get my gear. Friendly staff, all willing to answer any question I had; how do I get my boots on? Where do I store my shoes? What's that thing on my ski for? Pulling on those boots is no small task. They weigh as much as you do. They also have several hundred wily clips with teeth and as soon as you wrench one open, you're on to the next one and the first one clamps shut again. WALKING in them is an experience you won't soon forget. Once you have clamped yourself into them for all eternity, you have to kind of stomp, heel to toe, smashing the ground like a mad zombie with shin problems. Aim for the door and finally get outside and it took about a half hour, with seventeen layers of clothing, hat and goggles, skis, ski poles and heavy boots, to cross the 30 feet distance from the door to your first lesson.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/akosma/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

I got a "beginners package," which includes boots, skis, poles, and an all-day lesson. I look at the 3 year olds whizzing by me on skis and feel silly for worrying. Then I look at the class full of 3 year olds and wonder if that is my class. Thankfully, it's not. They have an adult class full of people just like me. Intimidated, frightened, and off-balance.

Enter Tim - The greatest ski instructor ever. Tim was a bright young buck whose enthusiasm and vocal chords never failed us. He would give us clear, step-by-step instructions from 9:30AM to 3PM and made us feel like champs throughout the entire day.

THE FIRST THING YOU LEARN TO DO