When I started planning my first trip to Salt Lake City I already know I was going to try skiiing for the first time. It seemed like a missed opportunity if I didn’t, to go someplace with the “greatest snow on earth” and not at least try something that would allow me to really experience the city I was in to the fullest, the way both locals and tourist alike did. It was part of the reason I loved traveling. And honestly honestly from the moment I landed in Salt Lake City, I was blown away by its beautiful. As soon as I got off the plane, I felt like I could jump out and touch the clouds and was free flying over the snow covered mountain top – it felt freeing and powerful and I craved to experience what I anticipated as better views when I went skiing.
As soon as I got to Snowbird (one of Salt Lake City’s many ski resorts), I did get those incredible views I craved but as the lesson began learning how to ski humbled me back down to earth from that powerful mountaintop feeling to quickly being a victim of mother nature and gravity. To backtrack a bit, we have to keep in mind it’s easier to learn things as a kid than it is an adult so I was already at a disadvantage. But sometimes I wonder why when we’re a kid that we’re able to throw ourselves into things and pick things up so easily. Is it because we think we’re invincible or there’s just not quite as far to fall from when you’re a kid so even if you get hurt you just bounce back limitless? Or maybe its because you really don’t know how to calculate all that risks involved with an activity as you do when you’re an adult. Either way learning things, especially physical things, as an adult sucks. We already know SO much and are likely very good at those things because of all the previous time and investment that it’s frustrating and feels kind of pointless to start completely from scratch. It’s easy to say fuck it and focus on that ego boost or comfortability of doing something you know you’re good at.
But while it’s more difficult, there’s a certain power that comes with learning things as an adult that is lost on a kid. As a kid you don’t really have a reason for something, you do it cause it’s fun sure but you don’t have a lot of agency in the decision that leads you to sticking with something despite being bad at it or it feeling scary and uncomfortable.. or at least I didn’t as a kid. I was afraid of everything and I still am. I would never describe myself as a brave person. I never liked sports or climbing trees or anything that gave me a chance at getting even a skinned knee. As a kid, I would happily walk away instantly from anything that involved any of those risks and read a book instead. That is why to this day I seriously lack in the anything involving any sort of dexterity or really going faster than a brisk walk. I like hiking but I’m going for the peace of being in nature, not the thrill of climbing higher. I like boxing but I’m not about to get in the ring with someone, etc. I don’t want to hurt myself and I’ve spent my life vehemently avoiding any chance of it. It’s just not in my nature to thrill seek (well in that way).
And yet even though I don’t have any more bravery than when I was a kid, I have two new things that mostly only come with age – stubbornness and passion. So yes, my first time skiing was terrifying and I fell on my face as soon as even tried to attempt a bunny hill but I got back up anyway. I wanted to quit. So badly I wanted to quit and I think if I was still a kid I would have abandoned skiing all together but my stubbornness literally would not let me so I fell a few more times, got frustrated, laughed and keep going! I will also say my amazing instructor Carl at Snowbird tried every way possible to be patient with me and help me learn and was incredibly encouraging which helped as I struggled to figure out how to stop so would literally just fall down instead.
I wish I could end this and say perseverance paid off and I’m not longer afraid but the fear is always present. The “lesson” here isn’t, don’t be afraid – it’s be terrified as hell but do it anyway. Let yourself be so scared and uncomfortable and keep doing it cause you want to, cause you’re determined as hell. Let part of the experience of whatever you’re doing be about that bravery and perseverance and keeping that promise to yourself more that if you’re able accomplish whatever it is you’re doing in the first place. Cause honestly doing something you’re scared of doing is just as important as being good while doing it, maybe even more so.
After the ski (and life) lesson, it was time to wind down and relax so I had also planned a brewery tour – which I didn’t realize until afterwards how odd it was to have that be more of the activities for an area notorious known for its strict alcohol rules. For those of you that didn’t know, in Salt Lake City the ABV limit for beer was 3.2% until 2019 when it was raised to a whopping 5%. However, as my guide informed me, that actually is why the beer in Salt Lake City is the best because it is much more difficult to make the beer taste good with a lower ABV, they had to get creative. I visited the Bewilder Beer, Roha Brewing and Fisher Brewing and each time was blown away by the stories how these breweries came to be. Whether it was Bewilder Beer opening right before COVID and despite all odds surviving, Roha Brewing starting with just a tiny bar with three seats and building out to an entire space or Fisher Brewing finding creative ways to sell merch to expand their business, there was a small business feeling of each brewery that I really appreciated – just a bunch of people who loved beer and loved making it that they then decided to make it for everyone, in a place that made it more difficult to do so.
Overall, Salt Lake City was beautiful charming and full of some the nicest people I’ve ever met and heres hoping next time I’ll be brave enough to even try the bunny slope.
