Passing It On

My Dad put me on skis almost as soon as I was able to walk and sometimes I think skiing feels more natural to me than walking. It makes more sense to me anyway because of the glide aspect that is involved. Dad, I thank you for laying the groundwork for me.

I skied Eaglecrest with my daughter today and it was a real pleasure. It is fun for both of us and our contagion magnifies the other’s sense of enjoyment. It is wonderful to see how her skills are still growing at such a rapid rate because of her age, yet she has already come so far. Today I got to witness first hand her transition from plowing into a turn and her skis’ pizza shape transforming to parallel. Albeit with a wide stance, but parallel. Giant steps!

My girl has a solid skate skiing and classical base and it is good to know that she has these skills to carry forward in her life to use at will. My son is still in the earliest of beginner stages and he struggles with the basics, but I trust that his comfort level will start leaping forward when he is ready.

So it is with fishing and my daughter is just coming to the age where she will begin to get more involved with the real work part of set-netting for salmon in Bristol Bay. She has expressed a lot of interest and has already helped in the light shoulder parts of the season. Her enthusiasm for fishing mirrors the excitement she has for skiing and I look forward to many years of being out on the water with her and on the snow.

Mel