Are you an avid skier? What about snowboarding? Or is sledding or sitting in the lodge more up your alley?
People always think its crazy that I'm a native Coloradan and and only tried snow sports when I was 20. I grew up waterskiing and boating, so snow sports weren't really my thing. Until I met my hubby. Because he loves sports of all kinds, I tried snowboarding with mixed results. I loved the sport at first. But that could have been young love with my hubby too ;) Within the first 10 times boarding, I had broken my wrist, blew out my knee and gotten a concussion. Things weren't looking promising. So I decided it might be safer to help the kids down the mountain in regular boots. That was more safe but not as much fun. So this year I'm trying skiing. I figure if I can waterski, maybe I can snow ski. We shall see!
Even though I'm no good at snowboarding, I love to learn. So I decided if I couldn't get down the mountain well, at least I could learn the history of the sport.
Skiing began as a mode of travel and survival. The earliest drawings of skiing come from cavemen in the Paleolithic period. The oldest known ski-like objects come from northern Russia and date back to 6000 BC. Crazy, right?
Most people in the ancient times were not racing down the slopes for fun. They were hunting. Or traveling. Or trying to survive the harsh Ice Age. Skis tend to be found in Central Asia and Europe, rather than the Americas. The thought behind this is that the snow was more compact in those areas so skis were easier to use. The people of the New World used snowshoes more often as they were easier to manage in the softer snow.
As time went on, more people inhabited Earth and cities grew, meaning there was more time for pleasure. Thus, skiing evolved into a pleasure sport. First came cross country skiing. In the 1880s, this began to shift to Alpine skiing, which had more appeal to the masses because of the adrenaline rush. Eventually, the first Winter Olympics was held in Chamoix, France in 1924 and included cross country skiing. It was only a matter of time before Alpine skiing would be included in the games and become popular all over the world.
If you ski or snowboard, you know a day on the slopes can leave you tired and sore. Its fun, but its work too! A soak in a hot tub can do wonders for your muscles before heading out again. If you don't have a hot tub, try one of our Detox Baths to soothe your muscles. Or rub a bit of Pain Be Gone on those aches so you'll be ready for the slopes again.
Do you like winter sports? Do you prefer skiing or snowboarding? Why?
Rachel Bartels
Author