7 Years of Suffering

People from Florida are not cut out for winter activities. I can hear my friends calling now “What do you mean we can’ t ski because we’re from Florida?” First of all, most of you are from someplace else. Second of all, I did not say we CAN’T ski, rather it doesn’t come as naturally to someone who skis 6 days a year from Florida, as it does to someone who skis, oh, 90 days a year and is from Vermont.

Alas, the Florida Keys Girl went on the annual trip to visit said former Vermonter, currently living in Utah. The Park City Chamber of Commerce (I think) has a program where if you pre-register online and then present your same-day boarding pass at a resort ticket window, you get a free afternoon lift ticket. Who doesn’t love free? So, after waking up while it is still dark out and leaving Fort Lauderdale airport at 6:00AM, I arrive in Utah in plenty of time to see friends and then head to the glorious resort that is Deer Valley.

I should mention that I am not a great skier (and that would be an understatement), but I do try, mostly because Florida Keys Guy thinks this is the greatest activity on earth. Well, after a couple of hours trying – and failing – to keep up with my friend’s 6 year-old, my feet were killing me. I bought ski boots somewhere around 2003, and they have been hideously uncomfortable every time I have worn them. I assumed all ski boots were like this. So, Saturday morning, at about 8AM, I marched myself into Surefoot at Deer Valley and said to Dave (going forward known as “Groovy Boot Guy”), “I am from Florida, ski 5 or 6 days a year and wear flip flops 98% of the time. I need comfy, not expensive” When Groovy Boot Guy finished laughing at me, he eventually found me a some fabulous Fischers (pictured right – it’s ok to be jealous, they rock). Pair that with custom footbeds and a warm furry inside and I am a happy camper. My feet were happy the rest of the trip, which roughly equates this way: FKG’s feet happy + not terribly cold = FKG not complaining = Everyone else is happy, too = All around good trip. The seven years of suffering through bad boots is over. If you want to buy a pair of 24.5 Langes, circa 2003, let me know.

Stay tuned for the next posts on food and wine consumption notes from the trip.