The season has been so good, it's been hard to stop. This last weekend, my son Spencer and I went to Whistler / Blackcomb to ski / ride on the last weekend of their "spring skiing", after which they start running their camps on the glacier. It wasn't great, but we were sliding around on snow!
We've decided we're going to try and ski at least one day every month in 2008 (without going somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere). With Timberline open year round in Oregon, it shouldn't be too tough. So far we've skied for 9 months straight (back to October 2007). Should be fun to keep the string going!
June 13, 2008
February 15, 2008
Closed for too much snow!
By now I'm sure nearly everybody has seen or read the news, but the amount of snow we've accumulated out here in the Pacific Northwest is amazing! In fact, so much snow fell in a 2-week period that many of our local ski areas were closed due to avalanche danger.
Unfortunately, by the time the roads were reopened, the temperatures warmed up and the snow turned into what is famously known as Cascade Cement, so deep and heavy in some places you came to a complete stop in a foot or two regardless of pitch.
Oh well... the good news is the weather has settled down, the groomers have done their thing to smooth out the heavy stuff, and the sun is supposed to be out this weekend!
Unfortunately, by the time the roads were reopened, the temperatures warmed up and the snow turned into what is famously known as Cascade Cement, so deep and heavy in some places you came to a complete stop in a foot or two regardless of pitch.
Oh well... the good news is the weather has settled down, the groomers have done their thing to smooth out the heavy stuff, and the sun is supposed to be out this weekend!
December 11, 2007
We need snow!
Well, I just went through my second weekend of giving instructor clinics without hardly any snow. Our entire group on newer instructors should be applauded for trudging up and down a small hill to practice our exercises and manuevers. They did a great job!
Interestingly enough, the hiking up and down the hill was much harder on my ACL-repaired knee than skiing was 2 weeks ago on the groomed slopes at Whistler. I ended up pretty sore!
It seems as if most ski areas around the country don't have much snow. Let's all do a snow dance!
Interestingly enough, the hiking up and down the hill was much harder on my ACL-repaired knee than skiing was 2 weeks ago on the groomed slopes at Whistler. I ended up pretty sore!
It seems as if most ski areas around the country don't have much snow. Let's all do a snow dance!
November 26, 2007
Finally on Snow!
Well, the 6 months of hard work rehabbing my knee paid off, and my son and I went skiing this last weekend! All in all, it was a great time with decent snow, blue skies and less people that I expected.
I was actually surprised that I wasn't more scared about skiing since this weekend was the first time I had been skiing after tearing up my knee, but I guess after 44 years of skiing you can suppress that fear pretty easily. We managed to get in about 25 runs or so over the weekend and I will admit to starting pretty easy on greens and blues and staying away from most bumps (2 runs on black diamonds) until my knee is a little bit stronger, but from a technique and speed standpoint I really don't think my skiing was all that much different from any other first day of the season.
The only aftereffect is that my knee is slightly stiff (but in a good way) but I think that's attributable more to the 5 hour car ride home than the skiing itself!
Let's pray for snow as the ski areas everywhere seem to need it!
I was actually surprised that I wasn't more scared about skiing since this weekend was the first time I had been skiing after tearing up my knee, but I guess after 44 years of skiing you can suppress that fear pretty easily. We managed to get in about 25 runs or so over the weekend and I will admit to starting pretty easy on greens and blues and staying away from most bumps (2 runs on black diamonds) until my knee is a little bit stronger, but from a technique and speed standpoint I really don't think my skiing was all that much different from any other first day of the season.
The only aftereffect is that my knee is slightly stiff (but in a good way) but I think that's attributable more to the 5 hour car ride home than the skiing itself!
Let's pray for snow as the ski areas everywhere seem to need it!
November 20, 2007
Going to Whistler!
Well, I'm off this weekend for our first days of skiing. Whistler is really the only area around with any kind of snow at all, and even that is fairly marginal right now (only 3 of 30 lifts open), but it sure beats not going at all!
It will be very interesting to see how my surgically repaired knee responds. I've worked really hard to get the knee back in shape and as strong as possible. Even though it's still not as strong as my non-injured leg, I think it's strong enough to ski.
I wonder if I'll be nervous? After 44 years of skiing you wouldn't think so... I plan on taking it easy for a day or so and work my way back to skiing hard and fast.
Pray for more snow!
It will be very interesting to see how my surgically repaired knee responds. I've worked really hard to get the knee back in shape and as strong as possible. Even though it's still not as strong as my non-injured leg, I think it's strong enough to ski.
I wonder if I'll be nervous? After 44 years of skiing you wouldn't think so... I plan on taking it easy for a day or so and work my way back to skiing hard and fast.
Pray for more snow!
August 19, 2007
Post-ACL Update
Well, it's been awhile since I posted... maybe it's because it's summer and all I've been doing is working and rehabbing my knee.
It's been 13 weeks since my ACL reconstruction / meniscus repair surgery and I feel pretty good about where I'm at in terms of my progress. My range of motion is nearly back to 100% and I don't find myself thinking too much about the knee anymore.
I've been doing a lot of balancing exercises to help me stabilize the knee, and of course riding the exercise bike almost daily. In particular I like using a Bosu ball as you really have to get in balance, which will improve my skiing.
I've also been concetrating on weight training and do a lot of sets (leg press, leg curl, squats) on one leg (obviously the repaired one), and rebuilding the muscle in the injured leg is a priority.
I'm feeling good about being ready for the season, and can't wait for the snow to start falling.
It's been 13 weeks since my ACL reconstruction / meniscus repair surgery and I feel pretty good about where I'm at in terms of my progress. My range of motion is nearly back to 100% and I don't find myself thinking too much about the knee anymore.
I've been doing a lot of balancing exercises to help me stabilize the knee, and of course riding the exercise bike almost daily. In particular I like using a Bosu ball as you really have to get in balance, which will improve my skiing.
I've also been concetrating on weight training and do a lot of sets (leg press, leg curl, squats) on one leg (obviously the repaired one), and rebuilding the muscle in the injured leg is a priority.
I'm feeling good about being ready for the season, and can't wait for the snow to start falling.
May 18, 2007
Let the Rehab Begin!
It's been about 36 hours since my surgery, and I feel good (I'm sure the drugs are helping). As a lot of you know, focus of the rehab is to get the knee working right away.
The CPM machine is great. It works the knee (flexion and extension) passively, and allows me to gradually increase the range of motion to the desired goal. My surgeon has set my goal is to at -5 for the extension and 90 for the flexion within one week (this is lower than some goals because I also had a meniscus repair). I'm only on my 4th session and am already at -5 and 50.
There are some other strength exercises they also want me to do (with brace on) and I will start these today.
The CPM machine is great. It works the knee (flexion and extension) passively, and allows me to gradually increase the range of motion to the desired goal. My surgeon has set my goal is to at -5 for the extension and 90 for the flexion within one week (this is lower than some goals because I also had a meniscus repair). I'm only on my 4th session and am already at -5 and 50.
There are some other strength exercises they also want me to do (with brace on) and I will start these today.
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