Rec sports goes skiing

Editors note: This is a first-person account of the University of Tyler’s Recreational Sports ski trip to Durango, Colorado from Jan. 4 to Jan. 8.

On the fourth day of the new year, 42 students and four faculty members headed off on a grand adventure together. Jameson Adams, Heather Barber , Wes Davis, and Kristee Phelps led the rowdy crew to Durango, Colorado for a three-day ski trip.

“The school ski trip was an awesome experience for me, not only because I had never really gone skiing before, but because it was the perfect “get-away” trip altogether. It was a blast skiing the beautiful slopes and being with some pretty awesome people at the same time. Definitely an experience I will never forget.” Michelle Viskozki said.

A scenic view of the Rocky Mountains from outside of Durango, Colorado. Durango is 236 miles south west of Denver and is a prime destination for winter sports addicts. by Elizabeth Barrett

Jan. 6

The first day went smoothly. The snow was powder fresh and awaiting us. The slopes opened at 9 a.m. and most people were up, out the door and waiting for the lifts to open by 8:45 a.m. I stuck to the bunny slope the first half of the morning. After all, it had been 10 years since I last skied.

A handful of the University’s women’s soccer team came on the trip. The majority of the soccer girls decided to snow board. Some previously had experience, but most were trying it out for the first time.

“Snowboarding for the first time was such a fun, but challenging experience that I can’t wait to do again. It was awesome to experience it with the soccer team by my side,” sophomore Kendall Kramer said.

“It was a great opportunity for me to get to know some of my friends a little better and see them enjoy one of my favorite things in the world,” junior Lauren Pate said.

After conquering my fear of the bunny slope, I went up the mountain. My “guardians,” as I so lovingly named them, were none other than my bed mate Strickler, freshman Sarah Sorce and senior Carrie Kathan. I only fell five times that day, and none of them were truly horrifying busts. We stuck mostly to the green runs that day. Green runs are the easiest runs for most people. They are flatter in most areas and do not have moguls, which are the bumps that some blues runs and almost all black runs have. Blue runs are usually very steep, and black runs were created by Satan. Okay, maybe I exaggerated a little, but black runs are the most difficult. They are normally very steep, sometimes narrow and 99 percent of the time they have moguls.

Senior Justin Carney makes snowboard jump on one of the intermediate runs. The resort offers 51 percent of intermediate runs and 49 percent of hard/easy runs. by Elizabeth Barrett

Jan. 8

It was bittersweet waking up Thursday morning. We had a full day of skiing left, but the sooner the day passed, the sooner we would be returning to Tyler and getting ready for another long, long semester. Thursday was a surprisingly warm day. I wore a T-shirt under my jacket, and a few people didn’t even have to wear jackets. The entire UT Tyler group met twice that day to take group pictures. Once on top of the mountain, and the other was after we had all turned in our rentals at just after 5 p.m. We were told to get plenty of sleep that night for the long drive ahead, however most of us didn’t listen. A large group gathered in the guys’ condo that night to hang out, talk about the trip and some of us even stayed up all night. I was one of the few who didn’t go to sleep and was SO glad I didn’t the next day. Other than staying awake long enough to watch Sex and the City, I slept practically the entire ride home.

I had an amazing time on this ski trip. The majority of my dues were paid as a Christmas present by my father, Dr. Drew Barrett. I hope I get the opportunity to go again next year, because this is the first time that I haven’t gained weight over a Christmas vacation since I can remember! Thank you UT Tyler Rec Sports, Dad and all of the people who made this trip what it was.

By Elizabeth Barrett Staff Writer