I just had to go and get myself a pair of new skis (and boots). There’s a new type of ski out, they are much shorter and slightly wider than my old skis. Apparently, they provide for more maneuverability and balance than ”normal” skis and they are also easier if you want to ski skating-style. Which I’ve never learned. Anyway, how could I not get them? All I needed then was to find some snow to try my new gear… so I drove to Lofsdalen today. I thought the place would be buzzing with people, but the season is clearly coming to an early end and there wasn’t enough people to fill the snowcat, and I was the only one with skis. It would’ve been silly to be pulled by the snowcat alone so I climbed in as well.

Once up on the mountain, I was left alone with my new skis. The snow was hard and I was facing a hill down to a valley and the parting words from the driver was that I should take care going down, as someone recently dislocated their shoulder here. After testing the glide, I picked up the skis and walked. I’ve never experienced glide like that… it was just too fast for me and the icy surface didn’t provide any grip at all, not even when using the V position trying to slow down. I got very nervous at that point! Every time the trail went down, I stopped to think whether or not it was skiable and inevitably, I made the wrong decision soon. The skiis took different routes, sending me crashing and I fell on my bad hip, naturally. That hard surface did me no favours and I’m now sporting big bruises on my right leg and thigh. After that, I just automatically picked up the skis at every slope down. I prefer my bones unbroken!

The rest of the trip was rather uneventful, actually. There was some thin cloud so although the sun was shining, it wasn’t all blue skies around. I knew that I probably wouldn’t do a lot of photography on this trip and I was right, so I’ll just be be grateful for the few pictures I did get.

Would I have made the trip had I known what the conditions were like? No. Do I regret I did it? No. When I was having my lunch, sitting in the snow with the sun on my face, I was at peace with the world. Even with the bruise that was quietly throbbing on my side… reminding me that someone must be watching over me since I have not seriously injured myself yet. Go figure.