I grabbed my poles, tightened my gloves, adjusted my wool hat, and then pushed myself up the hill, to the nearest ski lift. My older brother, Tyler, had already gone ahead of me, so I was even more rushed. I entered the line and made sure that I had my ID card dangling over my neck. After the staff scanned my card, I sat on the ski lift and got ready for a 20 minute long trip up the mountain. I could see my brother almost ten ski lifts ahead, and I tried calling him. I could tell that the man I was sharing the ski lift with was getting a little annoyed with my loudness, so after a while I sat still and kept my mouth shut. I shivered. The snow was falling as hard as ever. I decided that after skiing down Olympic Trail, I would go back to the lodge and drink …show more content…
For some reason, this man was trying to throw me out of the chair lift and leave me plummet to my death. I had to find out why.
Clenching my fists, I asked, “What did I do to you?”
The man looked even angrier.
“Where is my brother? Tell me, or…” he demanded, and tugged on my oversized parka. He then looked down at the ground, nearly a hundred feet below.
I was now as confused as scared.
I looked into the man’s eyes. He didn’t look familiar; I had never encountered anyone looking like this before. It seemed that the man had enough, and was going to throw me out any second, when the ski lift started moving again. We were now a few feet away from the station. I slid on to the snow and skied away from the man as fast as I could. I looked behind me. The man was snowboarding towards me, but I was much faster. I dodged, slid, turned, and skied past people, traveling at my highest speed, when I crashed into one of the caution signs standing on the snow. I tumbled down the mountain. One of my skis had gotten caught, so I climbed up with my snow boots on, hastily put them on, and started skiing down the “expert only” trail, thinking that this would probably throw the man
The freezing wind had chilled my hand to the bone. Even as I walked into my cabin, I shivered as if there was an invisible man shaking me. My ears, fingers, toes, and noes had turned into a pale purple, only starting to change color once I had made a fire and bundled myself in blankets like ancient Egyptians would do to their deceased Pharaohs. The once powdered snow on my head had solidified into a thin layer of ice. I changed out of the soaking wet clothes I was wearing and put on new dry ones. With each layer I became more excited to go out and start snowboarding. I headed for the lift with my board and my hand. Each step was a struggle with the thick suit of snow gear I was armored in.
Joseph Campbell studied ancient greek mythology for many years. Joseph filled each stage of the journey very well. He accepted all the challenges he got and all the help he needed. He really knew how to fulfill all those stages. Like everyone goes through a heroic journey everyone has to have a story to tell. My story is very contrasty from Joseph’s because he really knew what all the stages meant. My hero's journey consists of my threshold crossing which was when I started depending on myself more than I did on others, my helpers/mentors like my parents, teachers,my sister and many more influential people in my life and my rewards were getting awards in school, having a nice family, and many friends.
I rush toward the mechanical clanking and rattling of the ski lift and collapse into the chair. Exhausted, I use this time to restore my energy. I begin to form the image of the steep route that I plan to attempt on my next run. Its nearly vertical face, large jagged rocks, and rough terrain send shivers down my spine and adrenaline into my veins. I painfully recall my previous attempt, where I did not perform the necessary technique in order to survive the run without a crash. This time,
“Here goes nothing,” I thought to myself before I skied toward the jump. I sped toward the jump remembering what Trevor had told me. I soared through the air with my neon green pants flapping in the air. As my skis touched down, I bent my knees and realized I had landed the jump. My Dad skied to Trevor and I, and I found out that my dad had recorded it so I could re-live the moment. I was super excited they had caught my success on tape! Soon after I landed the jump, it was time to leave
The Hero’s Journey is a basic template utilized by writers everywhere. Joseph Campbell, an American scholar, analyzed an abundance of myths and literature and decided that almost all of them followed a template that has around twelve steps. He would call these steps the Hero’s Journey. The steps to the Hero’s Journey are a hero is born into ordinary circumstances, call to adventure/action, refusal of call, a push to go on the journey, aid by mentor, a crossing of the threshold, the hero is tested, defeat of a villain, possible prize, hero goes home. The Hero’s Journey is more or less the same journey every time. It is a circular pattern used in stories or myths.
A few winters ago, some friends invited my family and me to go snow skiing at Paoli Peaks, Indiana. I did not know how to snow ski, and I leaped at the thought of trying this new sport. On the first morning we entered the pro shop to rent all the gear and make decisions about whether or not to take lessons or go it alone. We decided to be adventurous and go it alone—no lessons. Kent and Celeste, the friends who invited us, knew how to ski and snowboard. He assured us that he could show us the basics, and we would be on our way down the slopes. All of us, after a few minutes learning how to wedge our skis started down the family trail. Although the family trail had smaller hills and appeared safe, to me it seemed way
...I jumped on the boulder and there I stood one jump away from gaining back my popularity. Looking at the cold ice had already given me shiver. I counted to three and jumped, I had broken the ice feet first. Beneath the ice was dark and extremely cold. I wasn’t able to see anything; I was frightened that I wouldn’t find my way back. It was an unusual feeling, like time had stopped and everything was moving slow. I ran out of breath and eventually found my way back. The whole school assumed that I had died from coldness and wouldn’t come back up. After warming up, it was the new kids turn to jump. Everyone waited but he couldn’t jump he choked. I was glad and proud of myself for overcoming my anxiety. The quote by Amit Ray really inspired me and will never be forgotten: “If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.”
I had heard the weather was calling for dry powdery snow in large quantities. Knowing that I had never experienced a powder day to that point, I was skeptical about the predicted weather. My doubts however were put down as we woke up the next day to see over a foot of new powdery snow fall. As we hit the slopes I noticed instantly that the powdery surface was new to me. You couldn’t cut as sharp and the skis didn’t bite until they hit the packed snow that was a foot below. As you skied you had to concentrate more on your foot placement so that you wouldn’t cross your skis, you also had to lift the back of your skis to make the edge press down further into the powdery surface. Being exhausted on my first run and trying to get used to the new surface, I did not know if I liked the type of snow everyone talked
Dr. D is a cardiothoracic surgeon. He was my hero. He may well still be, even though he is a throw-back to the days when I was more concerned about science than symbolism.
Unsure of his exact location, cold and growing weary he started his tedious climb up what he thought was the northern side of the peak, he was unsure how he got to where he was, but his best guess was that when he was the origin of a small avalanche. His last memory before his startling awakening in his would be snowy grave was snowboarding. It had been just after lunch and he thought he would try some new terrain. He laced up his snowshoes, and proceeded to climb to the highest point of the mountain.
Dad said, “We were lousy.” He chickened out at the top of the downhill. “We had to stand up there, all cold and holding our poles close, and then just throw ourselves down. We got so stiff, and it hurt so bad.”
As I strap on my binding, I realize how simple it is to feel so happy over the smallest thing. With one foot strapped down, I skate over to the chairlift ready to head up the biggest mountain I have ever laid my eyes upon. I doubt myself if I am ready to take on this big monster but all I can hear is my dad talking about how he hopes his knee will not give out. It is our turn to get on the chairlift I cannot believe I am about to go 9,000 feet above sea level. The ride up the mountain was longer than I expect which made me even more nervous.
A blast of adrenaline charges throughout my body as I experience the initial drop. My body's weight shifts mechanically, cutting the snow in a practiced rhythm. The trail curves abruptly and I advance toward a shaded region of the mountain. Suddenly, my legs chatter violently, scraping against the concealed ice patches that pepper the trail. After overcompensating from a nearly disastrous slip, balance fails and my knees buckle helplessly. In a storm of powder snow and ski equipment, body parts collide with nature. My left hand plows forcefully into ice, cracking painfully at the wrist. For an eternity of 30 seconds, my body somersaults downward, moguls of ice toy with my head and further agonize my broken wrist. Ultimately veering into underbrush and pine trees, my cheeks burn, my broken wrist surging with pain. Standing up confused, I attempt climbing the mountain but lose another 20 feet to the force of gravity.
I have never had such an amazing and beautiful experience. I swiftly shredded through the cotton like snow, moving from right to left as I made my way to the bottom. With the view of the breathtaking mountains at my ever angle, it became very distracting, even to the point of crashing. As we reached the bottom, I was already heading towards the ski lift to give it another go. But from then on, I made sure to wear my goggles. Having the goggles on allowed me to focus on what is in front of me and not around. Throughout the day, whenever I fell down, Matilda was always there to put me on my feet again. I had such a good time that day; I was really wishing to press a rewind button and start
"No. Your going back into the coffin. See that hole?? That is where I'm going to bury you. And if you struggle, you will get killed." He said, getting very angry. I was scared I had to run. He unhooked my straps on this chair, and I ran.