Our Family Ski Trip to Colorado

By Katie Queen
 

My family planned a trip to Colorado over the Christmas break and everyone wanted to go skiing.  So, we went to Winter Park because they have the National Ski Center for the Disabled and they can help me learn to ski.  The first day we were there I met Roger, Bruce, and Kathy. Roger helped set up my equipment. Bruce and Kathy helped me ski. They are a married couple and volunteer at the center. They are also great skiers.

My skis were mounted on a seat that I was strapped into.  Bruce and Kathy helped me learn to drive the "ski seat" on the Bunny slopes first.  Bruce held onto a line attached to the back of my ski seat, and Kathy skied in front of me to help guide me down the slope. I had to lean left or right to turn those directions.  There was also a handle bar, which helped me hold turns and keep straight balance.  After I finished the Bunny slopes, they told me that I was doing well on my balancing and turning and they also told me that they thought that I was ready for the green level.

The first thing we did before going to the green level was the chair lifts.  My two instructors had to lift my "ski seat" up on the chair, which made me really scared because most of the "ski seat" was off of the chair.  But, the good thing was that there was a bar to pull down in front of it that would hold it on and it made me feel safe. But, not all of the chair lifts had bars, one of them made me a little nervous. It had nothing that made me feel safe.  But, at least my instructors tried to hold it on and there was only one small strap that kept me from plunging to my DEATH!!!!!!!

Well, okay, I might have exaggerated a little bit, but it was how I felt at the time. I survived though, and came back the second day to try a long green run, called Kendrick's run.  Tom and Andy were the volunteers who helped me, and my whole family followed us up to the top of the run.  We all started down, and it was pretty steep, so my sisters, my mom, my cousin Courtney, and my Aunt Lisa all wiped out. Tom and Andy were good at helping them learn how to slow down without falling.  I think I'm ready to try a blue run the next time we go.

I'm glad my Aunt Lisa found out about the NSCD at Winter Park, and stayed with me, so I felt comfortable.  I'm also glad my Uncle Mike got me a warm ski bib and hat at Gart Sports, where he works.  Skiing was lots of fun, the snow was great, and I can't wait to go back.