I’ve spent a lot of on airplanes in my 66 years, but I still find it exciting to fly. What I don’t enjoy is the packing, airport commute, parking, shuttle bus, security, and waiting. I’m now more than an hour early at the gate, and can feel some of the pre-departure stress starting to melt away. After all these years, I still experience the anxiety of getting there on time. There’s just too much that can go wrong, and I’m always a bit of a mess in anticipation. I’m grumpy, impatient, intolerant, and inconvenienced until I finally have settled into my seat.

Today was no exception, since I also had ski equipment to contend with, making my travel bag dangerously close to the 50 pound limit. There was no room for error, as I carefully weighed in at one of the pre-check scales ready to transfer weight from bag to bag if necessary. I got my “exact”money’s worth as a master packer. Getting rid of all that baggage, never to be seen again until arrival, was a relief.

Cumbersome skis, heavy boots, extra clothing, and lots of preparation time are the downsides of a ski trip. Exhilaration, camaraderie, and unbuckling your boots for a cocktail are the upsides. I have a three-day ski pass to use before my wife arrives for the weekend. We both hate the fact that we’re apart, but she is not a skier. She’s coming in primarily for a friend’s 65th birthday celebration.

I should probably wear the sign, “Caution: Senior Skier” for everyone’s safety. After two years away from the slopes, I’m sure that my steadiness on skis has further deteriorated. I was never a totally confident skier, having only learned the sport in my thirties. I try to always stay on two skies, never take chances, avoid moguls, and slowly cut a path to the bottom. I’m usually the last one down, getting the side-to-side “most” out of the course. If my skiing is anything like my running, I get slower every year, so flashing warning lights might be advisable.

I first skied at the Lake Geneva Playboy Club in a brown corduroy suit, with no lessons or support. The college friends I went with were all expert skiers and quickly abandoned me to the Bunny Slopes- maybe it was my outfit! I put the skis on that they loaned me, pointed them downhill, and unable to stop promptly crashed into the lift-line at the bottom. Embarrassed, I took the skis off and waited in the lounge, too young to even legally order a drink.

It wouldn’t be until 12 years later that I finally took a lesson and tried again. My fearless young son learned to ski along with me, and had much quicker success than I did. I painfully discovered that it wasn’t like water skiing. It required you to lean forward not back, and I slowly began to gain control and to use my edges to navigate. I’ve now skied in Colorado, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Vermont, Utah, Idaho, Montana, West Virginia, Oregon, and British Columbia.

Despite my experience, my body doesn’t always cooperate. Running keeps me in shape, but age has taken a toll on my legs. High altitude and seldom used thigh muscles keep me breathless and humble. Crowded slopes make me nervous and un-groomed trails seem treacherous. However, it’s still fun to do, and I’m thankful I still can. Years ago, it seemed like there were more Senior Citizen discounts that I vowed to take advantage of some day. Well, that day has come and there were no Silver Skier discounts that I could find.