Ready, Set, Ski

Hailing from the predominantly flat state of North Dakota, I had personally never donned a pair of skis in my life. Because of this, I remain a little wary about the idea of downhill skiing, but cross country skiing just never seemed particularly appealing to me. The idea prompted images of me trekking across flat land on skis with a harsh wind in my face. But my parents, who both graduated from UND in the 1980s have oftentimes told me how much fun they had taking a cross country skiing class together, so I've always been a little curious about the idea.

Now that the Wellness Center is offering the Ski UND program, anyone who's curious can try out the sport, even checking out a full set of equipment free of charge with their UND ID. Naturally, I talked my friend, who was also new to the sport, into trying it out with me.

Because we missed the initial "Yodelayheehoo Ski Clinic" at the kickoff ceremony on Monday, we went into the situation completely clueless. We let the Wellness Center employees know we had no idea what we were doing. They offered a few basic instructions. If you are new to skiing, try to visit their "how to" sessions, as most of the Wellness Center employees are only there to check out equipment, and may be just as new to the sport as you are. Equipment rental is a rather extensive process the first time you rent from the Wellness Center, to ensure you have the right size poles, skis, and boots, but they keep all your information on hand for a smooth rental next time you come in.

A little nervous, my friend and I grabbed one of the trail maps they had available at the desk and tried to absorb as much technique as we could from the instructional posters hanging in the lobby. Warily, we trudged behind the Wellness Center to get started.

We didn't even think to ask how to attach the boots to the skis, but this is the kind of thing a pair of beginners from North Dakota has no idea about. Just as we were starting to get frustrated, we noticed a woman coming our way down the path.

To our relief, President Kelly's wife, Marcia, stopped near us and eagerly asked if she could help us. After mounting our skis and taking some quick lessons from Mrs. Kelly, we felt confident enough to embark down the trail. In ten minutes or less, she had taught us the basics to get us started and excitedly sent us on our way. Without Mrs. Kelly's help, we would have probably never had such a positive experience our first time on skis.

It's quite a workout and definitely not as easy as it looks, but it's a great way to get some exercise and experience a little more of North Dakota. Cross country skiing allows you to view Grand Forks and UND in ways you may have never seen it before, away from the hustle and bustle of classes, busy schedules, and homework.

For anyone who's curious, I'd definitely recommend the sport, but keep a few things in mind:

1. Come dressed appropriately, both for cold weather and possible falls. (Don't wear jeans like I did. It may seem impossible to fall on flat land … but it's not.)

2. Not everyone may be as fortunate to run into Mrs. Kelly on the trail, so I suggest beginners consider attending one of the Yodelayheehoo Ski Clinics, which will be held Feb. 4, 8, and 11 at 4, 4:30, and 5 p.m. at the Wellness Center.

3. Even though it's still below freezing outside, dress to sweat underneath your winter jacket. You'll feel sore in muscles you didn't know existed.