I grew up skiing 5 days a year on Wilmont Mountain, WI when I was 3. After a few years off and a move, I started going on family trips to Snowshoe Mountain, WV. We had a family friend with a condo, so it was super cheap. We'd ski 3 days there and I freaking fell in love with the sport. I was just a 9 year old kid with a gorby gap but not much skill. We drove to snowshoe about 4 years and by the last one I could ski everything on the mountain and would brag to my friends in school about "skiing the blacks."
After This, I was probably 12 and on the way home from snowshoe my dad asked if I wanted to go out west for a few days next year. Me and my siblings leaped at the opportunity. So the next winter, I brought my jerry kit and rentals to copper mountain. With my spy+ goggles over my shiny black giro helmet, I hit the slopes on the rossignol performance sticks. trying to take every side hit and hitting the "ramps" in the park, I just grew to love the sport more.
I skied 3 years at copper with their 4 pack deal. Then I made the most gaper move of all. I bought an epic pass. I went to keystone and a basin with it. this year I upgraded to hitting the jumps next to the rails, but was informed by the tall guys in big shirts to not do that.
2 years later, winter 2021, Jerry landed his first 360, bought his own gear, and finally threw the goggs under the helmet. jerry took his talents to SLC where he rode his first tram at the bird, and got his first powder day over 5" at Alta. few weeks later drove up to Jackson Hole and got 26" my last day, hit a 3 off a side booter and ripped some turns after. Not the prettiest, but that wasn't what it was about. I got my first holler from the chair and couldn't help but crack a smile and let out a hoot. Took 5 days at Jackson and then headed up to big sky for the last stop on the trip. Hit some dad turns first couple of days but found a dope crew and decided to try my first backflip off the wind lip on Powder seeker. The boys told me to hit it first to check speed so i hit it. One hit a 5 and the next laid out the coveted backflip. now it was time. We filled up the chair and the nerves hit me. I had to do, chickening out was not an options. We traversed over and I watched the guys hit it. Now it was my turn. I dropped in, hit the lip, spotted the landing, went to far, landed back seat, got tossed forward, double ejected, and tomahawked down the landing. amidst my tumbling, I heard the "ooohhff" from the boys and the heckling from the chair. My tumble came to a stop and felt my shin throb. I thought I cracked it at first. But through the embarrassment and pain I couldn't help but crack a smile. I had my first tomahawk :) I left the spot of the fall and had to quit early.
That's what skiing is all about. It's not about the difficulty of the tricks or the air time or the cool gear. Its about the love of the sport, the next lap, the new trick. Through all the slams, looking stupid, shin bang, and money spent. I can't imagine loving something more. I'm still the same Jerry I was when I was 12. We all are, we're just a little more grown up now. Here's to next season
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/998408/Mad-decent-clips-from-Boyne-Highlands--shorts
P.S. Here is my current status. Still a jerry, but having a blast :)
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