Sunday November 26, Sun Valley

I am pumped. Dressed. Ready to go snowboarding.

There are two mountains, dollar – for kids – and Baldy, the Sun Valley Ski Resort.

Both my little nephews are able to go to the big Mountain – when all of sudden Mitch says, “auntie Jill will you teach me to snowboard?”

Mark replies, “remember not until your 9 buddy, I want you to be a great skie first.”

Mitchie, “I can hit every run. And I can’t wait until I am 9 I already asked Santa for a snowboard.”

Mark, “we don’t know that Santa is bringing you a snowboard buddy. Lets ski today.”

Two perspectives going on in my head, One Mitch is truly is a GREAT skier, and we can hit every run possible at the resort, and it would be just a kick ass day for boarding for me. The other is –I want to be with my nephew and I do want him to be a boarder.

Then Mitch says, “Auntie Jill – Will you teach me?”

Then Mark just looks at me, (they always do this with me and Mitch) they let me make the decision. Ultimately he will be my responsibility that day and I will be at dollar.

“Yes.”

So I spend my day – tugging him up half a mountain and then teaching him to board.
Exhausting! On my board I have one foot released when towing him, while he stays in and I physically tow him up part of the hill. Finally he says, “I am ready for the lift.”

Um. This I defer to Mark. He also gave up skiing to be part of this lesson but just on foot.

“Can I go on the lift?”

“It’s up to your Auntie Jill”

“Yes.”

Does this kid really love me, or is he playing me?

“Jill you need to tell them to slow down when getting on, help him on and off the chair”

The first ride went smooth –butter. I also trained him well. Best student to date. Never said, “Can you let up on me?”

I taught him point board downhill, unless stopping.. How to turn – He never will ever know the term “falling leaf” –he was just carving. He got up immediately after a hard fall and questioned what he was doing wrong or needed help. One time he almost fell and started sitting and I yelled (encouraged), “no rag doll, stand up like you do when you skateboard” and he fully got out of his fall and made awesome turns. He did take hard falls but was a great student. He has been in ski lessons and skateboarding since two and fully has no fear – easy peasy!

Then next run, -and I don’t have a lift ticket for Dollar Mt. and the guy won’t let me on the chair. I fully understand, I thought it was going to be a no lift day. However he picks Mitch up and puts him on the chair. Mitch yells “auntie Jill” To the guy I am like” he can’t get off the chair. Can I leave my board? stop the chair.” He is like “no you need a ticket.” The chair continues and Mitch is going on the chair alone. ARGH… so this it the Dollar Mt. I have begging to run up.. well, here I go. The chair goes really slow for kids. And many stops for falls off the lift. I take my board off, and run underneath Mitch. He yells down and he is kind of scared, “Auntie Jill I need to you run faster then my chair. I need to you to help me off the lift.” Does he not know that I am giving it all I got at 7 thousand feet elevation, chasing a chair and a board on my shoulder? He yells down again, “I have seen you run faster than that.”

I make it just in time to see him get off the chair – and we boarded down.

Talk about a workout.