These guys are good Teej. Yeah, but they're not from Detroit.

As my 30s have been about mountain biking, my earlier life was focused on becoming a good downhill skier.  I truly fell in love with the sport on a 'business' trip my dad took me to in Vail when I was 16.  I remember skiing the bowls, moguls and deep snow - stuff that doesn't exist in Ontario and wanting to be able to fly down it effortlessly.

10 years later, I was one of two people from my exam group of 20 to earn Level III Ski Instructor status.  It was official and on paper, I can ski effortlessly (most of the time) all over the mountain and teach others to do the same. And then, I stopped skiing.  I moved back home to Ontario where the trees, powder, bumps and back bowls I'd come to love in B.C. don't exist.  Skiing became more of a social outing than an adrenaline seeking adventure.  My attention soon turned to xc mountain biking, where I could get those same scary, fun awesome feelings of mountain skiing, but at home.

Fast forward several more years and my strong skier legs have turned to cyclist legs.  Still strong but better at turning pedals at 90rpm than doing repeated squats while resisting G-forces down the mountain.  I gave up my stiff race boots and skis this year in favour of some softer equipment.  Skiing is one of the few sports where higher end equipment will actually make you worse unless you are good enough to rock it.  I'm loving the soft skis and boots and I actually think I'm skiing better now than ever before.  So, if you're like me and no longer ski as much as you used to, or maybe your new to the sport, try equipment not for an advanced skier and see what it does to your performance.  For me, my shins at the end of this vacation are not bruised and when I'm in the trees and soft stuff I have way more control and tons more fun.

Skiing with Olympic Gold Medalist and Canadian Female Athlete of the Century 

AND current Senator, Nancy Greene.

out for a hike with Halle

p.s. the title quote has been verified as correct to appease fellow perfectionist and CEO of AWI Cycling.