On the Slopes Again

This week, Julie and I put on our waterproof pants and tightened-up uncomfortable boots for the first time this ski season.

What an amazing time we enjoyed on the slopes, with bright sunshine, groomed runs and sparse crowds.

We found ourselves shushing if not carving as though we had skied just last week rather than after a gap of almost a year since our last ski trip.

In March of 2020, the Covid-19 Pandenic had just begun.

Who would have guessed it would still be lingering over us, with policies infecting everything we do?

Overall, however, it doesn't affect skiing as much as other activities, so it is barely noticeable on the slopes.

Social distancing?

Well, if you get closer than six feet to strangers in lift lines, your skis are on top of their skis.

Wearing a mask?

I've been wearing a mask while skiing for the last few years to keep my face warm.  In bright sunshine at a mile and a half above sea level, I also need a mask for the sunscreen it provides.

The only true pain was meeting the requirement to get tested for Covid-19 no more than 72 hours before arriving at the resort.  Basically, this is the same inconvenience you'll probably face when traveling by plane or cruise ship for the next year at least, unless some kind of vaccine passport becomes available and you have had your vaccine.

Speaking of which, can you believe that half of those 200 million doses of vaccine ordered last year have already been distributed to millions of people? My good friends Mike and Linda are among those already vaccinated, giving them confidence to vacation in Cabo San Lucas as I write this.

I personally was doubtful any vaccine could be developed faster than the standard minimum of two or three years, chalking it up to hopeful rhetoric to boost the public's collective morale, but Project Warp Speed came through.  All those politicians who claimed a vaccine by the end of 2020 was a pipedream turned out to be the first in line to get "Trump's vaccine," which they claimed during campaigns they would never trust because Trump had spearheaded the "dangerous" project.

Some people, however, may have long-standing beliefs regarding health care, disease or vaccinations that make them uncomfortable.  Others may have doubts about this specific vaccination or the oft-changing Covid storyline.

I will only say that no one should let politics --- and especially not election-year politician talking points --- dictate their rationale for anything, much less their own health.  Each adult should take personal responsibility for their own health, safety and wellbeing and that of their children.

Think for yourself, and fully consider the consequences of your decisions, including your  health and the possibility of not being able to go where you want if you make a stand against restrictions and vaccinations.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand, Julie and I figured out when we would go skiing and took the mandatory tests.  If they were positive, indicating we had Covid-19, that could have created problems.  It turned out we were healthy as normal, so we headed to the resort.

Once at the resort, guests are required to be tested again within 24 hours using the resort's Covid testing.  I doubt this was a profit center, because at $120, it is less than Julie had to pay CVS ($139) under Obamacare for a similar non-symptomatic test prior to flying to Philadelphia for Thanksgiving.

Cruise ships, by the way, will also be testing throughout cruises for at least a few months, but they will not charge guests.  There also will be other health monitoring systems on board, including regular temperature readings of guests using the latest technologies, which apparently can take your temperature as you walk into a room without you even noticing.

After an unprecendeted year of healthy people being quarantined, will you be ready when your opportunity to travel arrives?

We've enjoyed fantastic skiing, but if we had just sat inside eating and staring at screens for the past year, our legs and core strength might not have been there when the opportunity to ski arrived.  If you haven't done so already, get into some regular exercise, including long walks outside, which will clear your head as well as giving you fresh air and muscle movement.