Apparently, I have energy to burn. I am dying to go skiing. YEARNING.
I love skiing. Love it with a passion. I'm not that good at it, but that doesn't really matter to me. I can do the intermediate slopes if I go really slowly, and I adore a long, slow green.
But I haven't been in nine or ten years. Every year I talk about going, and sometimes I get as far as starting to organize a trip. Someone always wants to go but then the timing doesn't work, or something comes up. Every year I am disappointed that the snow has melted without me crash-landing in it.
This year. I'm going skiing.
Like, today. I think I'll go today. By myself.
Dude, it would be easier for me to go overseas to a country I've never been before than to go to Tahoe by myself. I don't know why it's making me nervous to think about, but it is. I know guys do it, go skiing and snowboarding by themselves, just because they feel like it. Do girls? Do you?
I'm going to drive up this afternoon. I don't even have a hotel reservation, which is very unlike me. I called a couple of places — everyone has rooms available. I figure I'll just get there and look around, ask for a good price at the front counter. I used to work at a hotel and it was always easier to give a great rate to someone smiling at me at the front counter than someone on the phone.
Then tomorrow I'll get up, rent skis, and hit the slope. I think I'll do Squaw Valley. Then back home in time for dinner with the pocket vegans.
I'm telling you this so that I don't chicken out. It's not the drive, or the skiing, or the lodging, or the eating by myself that has me worried.
It's the lift line. Standing in line by myself. That's going to be weird, right? Or not? I don't know.
I feel like a challenge, though, and I feel like snow. It's supposed to be sunny and 41 degrees tomorrow. I'm so there. I'll keep you posted. (Twitter feed, above to the right, will be chock-full of little tweets, so keep your eye out….)
You go girl. I,too, love to ski and haven’t been in years since I moved to the south. I miss that feeling and I used to love to ski by myself. It will be a great adventure…maybe something you can use in a future book. You can do it and you will be so happy and proud of yourself once you do.
Hi Rachael, my girlfriend skis and snowboards all the time by herself. In fact her Dad lives near Tahoe and she was just skiing down there last week. I just learned how to ski and I’m really loving it as well. There doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the week though for me to get up to the mountain and go skiing. I can’t wait till the next time.
Have a great time skiing by yourself. I go alone very often, for the same reasons as you mentioned…schedules, commitments, etc. So I just go. The nice thing about going by yourself is you get to relax. You don’t have to push to keep up with someone else,you don’t have to ask which trail to go down, you can rest whenever you want, you can stop for the day or stop for an hour. The singles line at the lifts goes really fast and sometimes you don’t have to wait at all while others are just standing there. Have a Grreat Day!
Ooh, don’t worry about the lift line, especially if it is busy. If you’re all on your own you get to use the singles line which goes way faster than the regular line. Plus you get to ride the lift with random strangers and make friends. I’m a serious introvert and I always had a good time chatting with strangers on the lift, so I expect you’ll have a ball 🙂
Good luck!
You’re going to have an awesome time! I like going on little trips by myself and having time to think and enjoy things in my own way.
I have never gone to Tahoe alone but when I take a trip with family or friends, being on the mountain alone is one of my most favorite things. Most especially I love riding the lift up alone – it is so very peaceful. You are lucky to be going tomorrow because on a weekday you are likely to get a chair to yourself. The only way to do that, though, is to get into the lift line alone. It’s not particularly fun or inspiring, but I find it to be not a big deal at all. And the reward of sitting alone on the lift, surrounded by trees and snow and blue skies and just the little whirring noise of the motors and perhaps the thud of snow falling off the branches is so worth it.
I ski alone often.
The single lift line is the BEST part–it goes fast, sometimes you get to ride up alone or meet strangers who know the best place to ski that day.
Enjoy
Just go. I am always talking myself out of doing things by myself…and then when I finally do I have a fab time. To 2009, when I stop being afraid of doing stuff!
Go! Do it!
I went hiking by myself last summer and it ended up ranking pretty high on the best day ever list. If you are having a blast doing something you love, experiencing life – it isn’t awkward, it’s inspiring.
Hi Rachel
I hope you had a wonderful time !
Go Rachael!
I totally understand what you mean — I love skiing, but am married to someone who doesn’t and haven’t been in 8 years. I often want to go alone, but for me, it’s not the eating alone, skiing alone, the lift lines alone, but it’s the possibility that I may have to put the chains on by myself that makes me chicken out from driving to Tahoe alone.
I love that you are attempting it alone!! Go girl! Have a wonderful time!
Oh, by the way, Hubby and I were driving thru Oakland after going to Berkeley for a performance and I was thinking of you. I told him about you and your blog. “It sounds like you have a serious woman crush on this girl, huh?” he said to me. 🙂
You are just that cool!
You will have a GREAT time! Enjoy those long greens and check out a blue for fun! 🙂 🙂
When I lived in Vermont I used to snowboard by myself quite often. Of course it helped that I worked for Burton Snowboards at the time and if I told my boss that I was going to the mountain and would be in mid-day he thought it was great. One thing I like about going on my own is riding (or in your case skiing) at my own pace – no need to hurry or wait for anyone. And if you’re lucky enough to be on an uncrowded trail, sometimes you can be entirely alone – just you, the snow and the mountain. Awesome.
Have a wonderful time!
Singles line is the way to go — You’ll get in way more runs that way!! My sibs and I still do that unless the line is short. PLUS you get to meet interesting people 🙂
Have fun!!
I’ve also got the jones for some skiing. Great minds think alike!
oh you’ll have so much fun! i love going alone – it just releases me from the commitment of having to think about other people and who wants to stop because they’re hungry or someone has to pee, etc etc. i’m heading out this weekend with a big group of people i’ve never gone with before and i’m sure they’ll be surprised when i get off the lift and immediately board off alone. but it’s a small hill and i’ll run into them at some point. 🙂 my boyfriend will just laugh and tell them not to bother following me.
and the lift line? you get to use the singles which is the best line ever and you’ll probably meet some really interesting folks on the lift.
have fun!
The last few times I’ve been skiing, I’ve gone with someone, but I usually end up on my own for lift lines, because we ski at different levels. As at least one other person has pointed out, that means you get to go in the “singles” lane, which is nearly always an advantage!
Have fun!
I’d totally go skiing alone! Sometimes it is more enjoyable that way when you can swish down the mountain like a mad monkey!
PS I love Tahoe. We stayed at the Squaw Inn last time and it was lovely!
Probably too late for you to read this but I think the solution to feeling awkward standing alone in a line is an iPod! I have a friend who keeps earbuds in anytime she doesn’t really want to chat — and nobody else knows she doesn’t have it turned on!
Single!
(And stop Twittering while you drive!)
Yay for you! If I didn’t have class tomorrow (I’m in Reno) I’d totally meet you at Squaw. Although, I love Northstar because there’s a yarn store right in the village!
I follow you on Twitter and I’ve been wondering what all those tweets have been about. Hope you enjoyed the sushi!
So by telling us in order to make yourself do this, you basically just kind of double-dog-dared yourself. 😉
Y’know, anytime you feel like hanging out in the snow? You know where to find us. Early November to June, baby!!
Have a wonderful time, sweetie!
Oh my goodness! I’m so impressed! I, too, have a really hard time thinking about having an adventure like that by myself. I bet you will have an amazing time, and I can’t wait to hear all about it.
you’re too funny.
even when I go to the slopes with other people, they are skiing and I am boarding and I am usually in the liftline by myself anyway! 🙂
1. Jealous! This time last year I was having my first proper skiing holiday, in Davos, while everyone was at the economic forum so the slopes were blessedly empty. (Like, this empty.) So now WEF’s in the news again and I’m naturally thinking it’s time to go back. Oh wait… can’t. Pregnant. *sigh*
2. Standing in line alone is so not an issue. I frequently ended up in line by myself even while skiing with friends. Is fine! Go ski! Bring back pics! Make me jealous!
I have never gone by myself, but you make me ask “why is that?”. Snowho’s reasons in favor are compelling.
You are so lucky that you can go skiing at Squaw Valley for the day. Going skiing out west is one of those expensive dream vacations for me. Get there any way you have to, alone, with a Girl Scout troop, whatever. I would kill to ski there. Have fun!
Ah man. You are just like me, except I’m having issues getting into the pool. I bought two Speedo swimsuits (one has sushi on it). I even have an underwater ipod. Do you think I have managed it yet? no. I am scared to death.
If you make it to Tahoe alone (we used to have a family house just down the slopes from Heavenly so I can honestly say you will survive!) I promise to go swimming in your honor. You just have to let me know how it goes.
Press on!
OH! Squaw Valley….be still my heart!
I SO hope you go and breathe that AIR for me and take a picture, kay?
Cuz I grew up skiing there and it is a GREAT place
in my memories…
Hope it is for you as well!
squeeeeee!
Have fun! It’s not weird at all. You get to go in the single line if there are any lifts that seat 3 where your going, it’s always the faster line!
I’m glad you made it happen!