The way skiing calls my name

“Lexie! Lexie!” That’s skiing calling me. Seriously, skiing and I are best buds. Skiing is a sport deeply embedded in me. Totally biased opinion, but it is the best winter sport in the world. Arguably the best sport in the world. I was taught to ski not too long after I was taught to walk. My dad estimated that I was no older than three years old the first time I was put on two planks to glide on top of snow. Looking back through the years, I remember most of the times that skiing has pushed me passed my comfort zone and the bold memories of when skiing helped me bond with my friends and family. Skiing is in my blood. Well, at least snow is. It's just melted down and in the form of water.

Five-year-old me looked so fly on the slopes at 3'8". You best believe.

There was a point in my life that I took it for granted. When I turned 10, I told my dad that skiing isn't cool and I wanted to try snowboarding. We both took snowboarding lessons. My dad was in his mid-50's and basically just bruised up his butt. I took it upon myself to become a snowboarder. Throughout my teenage years, I predominately stuck to snowboarding. I got to the point where I could do jumps on a snowboard and I felt like such a badass. My dad convinced me a few times to get on two sticks instead, but I still didn't think it was "cool." Looking back, this is particularly embarrassing given that my parents are close friends of the legendary McCoy Family and I had to admit to these revolutionary skiers that I was one of the snowboarders taking over the Mountain. I still remember Roma McCoy shaking her head about it. "At least you wear a helmet," she told me.

Me in my youth crushing it on two planks at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area before I decided skiing was for losers. That's my dad next to me. He obviously has better fashion sense than you.

During college, I didn't ski much despite being so close to Tahoe. The biggest reason was that I didn't own a car until my junior year of college. I don't regret many things, but I definitely wish I had kept up skiing throughout college more. When I was 24, I started to get back into it and went snowboarding with my cousin, Cameron, up in Big Bear. The following year, I had one of the best snow weekends of my life with my friends Michelle, Eric, and Zoe at Mammoth Mountain. Zoe and I were on snowboards while Eric and Michelle were the real cool kids on skis. I remember Eric led us on a couple of slightly uphill traverses, the kind that are rare for any snowboarders to make it up without taking their board off. This is when the wheels in my brain started turning and the words "I think I want to go back to skiing" came out of my mouth.

The weekend I decided that snowboarding is for losers. Zoe and I are with Wooly at Main Lodge.

A couple months later, I rented a pair of skis and went skiing with my dad. It was extremely easy for me to pick it back up again and I was skiing into Cornice Bowl in no time. It's been five years of an obsession and now I live in Mammoth Lakes so that skiing can be my #1 sport. I would say winter sport, but I just skied from November until the end of July so it is becoming year-round.

The weekend I decided skiing isn't for losers. Dad is fully aware that he lost style points on renting that helmet, but at least his brain is still working.

I love the sport so much that I tore my ACL, MCL, and a meniscus while doing it on Closing Day at Mammoth Mountain (July 28). That's a lot of love. I had knee surgery on August 21 and I love skiing so much that I can't wait to hit PT hard and get back on two planks ASAP. Unfortunately, that ASAP is closer to 9 months. I cancelled my Ikon Pass today to get some money back for it and I actually cried when confirming the cancellation. I love skiing that much. The past month has sucked and it is going to suck being sidelined when I just want to ski with my friends and dad. I know that I'm not going to get many ski days in next season. But those powder shots to the face are going to be worth it come 2020/2021 season. I'm already dreaming of a trip to Japow or catskiing in British Columbia. Let's make it happen. Bring it on, Kneehab.