You are extreme...!
Hello Friends,
I grew up in Colorado and at 8 years old started skiing. It is one of the things I am most grateful for about my childhood. It taught me to have fun, be competitive, and to be able to have courage enough to do things I would not normally try. My friends and I were constantly in the trees, hiking up ridgelines to put a turns where no one had and ripping mogul lines. My mom had a saying if a friend jumped off a cliff would you? The answer was well yes I would and I did.
I would watch Warren Miller films and my favorite thing was to hear him say two words...Scot Schmidt. Scot was an extreme skier and when you heard his name you knew he would be dropping off some huge cliff or ripping down a steep chute. My friends and I all wanted to ski like Scot, it pushed us. The thought of being an extreme skier was always on my mind and got me thinking about that in my life. What does it mean to be extreme?
My partner and I have been sponsoring a number of boys and girls to school in Cambodia through a few organizations. We started back in 2008 and have had an amazing journey watching these young people grow and become educated. Literally being taken from the garbage dump in Phnom Phen and put in a school where they would now know a different life. They will get to eat have clothes and the chance to learn. The chance to go to school was extreme. Being able to participate from near and far in these kids lives has been a joy I can't explain without actually having you get the experience on your own. If this interests you here are a few links below with organizations I support.
HOPE
Back to my story...Last year a young woman I have helped support through sponsorship in Cambodia over the years came to Colorado during Spring Break to stay with me. She had a scholarship to Davidson College in North Carolina and has since graduated cum laude. (Another story of how amazing and extraordinary she is) She has a smile that makes you want to talk to her and when you do have a chat, you realize how intelligent she is immediately. A business woman in the making, driven, adventurous and intuitive. She has such an amazing personality that a few of us have been helping with her journey. Our friends Jill and Dan live in Florida and were her main support. They are her US parents in my eyes. They are generous, loving, have her stay with them during breaks and mentor her.
She arrived in Colorado and wanted to go skiing. She had never seen snow! I had taken her to Vail the year prior and she was drawn to go back to take shot at skiing. We decided to go to Winter Park where I learned how to ski and I would be her instructor. I was not sure if I would be able to be a good instructor but thought I will just focus on fundamentals for the morning before we get on a lift.
We arrived at the mountain and suited her with a ski rental and pass. We walked over to the Gemini ski lift to start our day. Next to the lift is a small area you can hike up and work on fundamentals. We started with learning how to fall and get up. There is a better way to fall and a better way to get up, if you learn these skills your experience will be more enjoyable. Then we learned the wedge "pizza" and how to stop. I am sure by the end of the day she was over hearing me say "pizza" and "French Fries"! It is an easy visual way to teach kids the fundamentals.
Next when she felt ready we went to the lift. We talked about that in-depth so she would know how to get on and off. We went to the top and she skied off the lift like it was no problem. Our first run to the discovery chair was very smooth also. We started working on turns an she picked it up easily. After a few runs she wanted more so we went up higher. We took a green run down and she wanted something that was more of a challenge. By the end of the day she was on a blue run making it down but having some problems with the steepness. I could not believe how well she was doing and all I could think is this is extreme skiing for her.
If you are testing yourself and on the edge of your ability that is extreme! You don't have to be going down a double black diamond run to be an extreme skier you just have to be testing your ability. Walking can be extreme if you are pushing the envelope. What I love about a challenge it is based on what is extreme to you. The next level for your ability is what it is about in anything you are attempting and that is how we overcome obstacles.
I was reading a review the other day on All Trails of hike in Colorado. The person was criticizing I guess..."14er tourists" for standing on top of the mountain with there cardboard signs. His demeaning description gave the review and egotistical view of how much better he was because he is in it for the hiking and not the picture or selfie. He thought they were not real hikers or mountaineers because they had the cardboard sign.
It drives me crazy how some individuals can't enjoy someone else's accomplishments. I also know how hard it was to summit my first 14er. If you have done it and it was on the edge of your limit you are extreme. I say grab you card board sign tote it to the top and get your picture. Just take the sign down with you and don't leave it on the mountain. 😀
Whatever it is you trying to get out and do. If you feel you are taking it to the nexť level you are extreme. Your career, your health your life just keep pushing it. Go through the fear and don't worry what anyone else thinks. Go be extreme!
Matthew Tepoorten