What’s skiing to me? I think the coolest part of that question is that it’s different for every one. To me it’s artistic, peaceful, extreme, stylish, fast, passionate, and many more feelings that I cannot regenerate by solely sitting here day-dreaming.

This time of year it also becomes a longing; especially since this past week’s storm left Summit County and much more of our high-country sitting under the first few scattered inches of fresh for the ’09-’10 season.

On a side note, by “skiing,” I don’t mean skiing versus snowboarding.

I figure as long as you can get down the mountain, or want to at least try; you’re in the club. Call it skiing, snowboarding, riding, shredding, it’s all the same culture and we’re all striving for the same progression and passion.

Asking myself what skiing is and what skiing means really becomes a re-occurring question every year when fall begins.

As I look up at the mountains and their brilliance changes daily from purple to blotched white to blanketed with the fluff that I live for, my blood boils and it’s all I can do to bust out the twigs and give them their pre-season wax coat.

All I can do to hope to satisfy my craving is do my best to prepare myself for the upcoming bumps, chutes, kickers, leg burning cruisers, and hopefully plenty days of waist deep pow.

I find myself finally motivated to get back in the gym for some leg training, back in the pool for a few laps, and back on the bike for a few last rides before the snow comes.

So what’s skiing to me? It’s motivation to improve, to progress. It’s my ongoing excuse for getting away and for a few minutes every time between lift rides it’s my experience with blissful freedom.

Here I am looking at a whole new season to do with what I will, for me the best part right now is that it’s just around the corner. The trees are white and the snow-makers have started and it’s finally starting to look like winter.

For comments or suggestions contact joey.mark@du.edu.