Skiing with Glen, Dave, and Greg Habenicht

In 1967 I went on a skiing trip with the Habenichts. I am not sure exactly where in Michigan the hills were. However it was around a two hour drive. And the hills were great! anything from a very slow granny hill to an advanced bone crushing speed filled hill!

We all had out own skis and equipment so we loaded up Mr. Habenichts car and off we went. We arrived and checked in and paid out tow fees. Then the fun began. Greg and I started out on the beginner hill. Glen and Dave went straight away to the advanced hill.

I had already had some experience skiing at Binder Park near Battle Creek. Mom would pack us kids up and off we would go. It was not a steep hill. However it was a fun hill and a perfect hill to learn on. It was there that I learned how to control the skis. How to snowplow. How to pick up the back of the skis and point the skis in the desired direction. Binder Park did not have ski chairs. It had a ski rope that was run by an old tractor. the tractor was up on blocks and the rope ran around a modified tractor wheel. Then the ski rope would go up the hill to a pully at the top of the hill. It was primitive and it worked just fine. Mom would have to buy me new ski gloves each year as I wore them out on the ski rope. By the end of the skiing season they would be shredded by the rope.

So back to the hill we were at. Greg and I winded our way down the beginner hill at a leisurely pace. It was so fun. However after a few times down the hill we yearned for more speed. So we headed over to the intermediate hill. Much better. There were some small whoop de doos that we could jump. And the speed had increased. This was more like it! Greg and I rode the chair up and did this hill a number of times until we decided it was time to take on the advanced hill. I was not sure I wanted to but I went along with it and I was determined to at least try it!

We rode the chair up one more time from the intermediate hill and took the trail to the advanced hill. It was steep! It was fast! It had big whoop de doos! And it looked scary! Greg and I stood at the top of the hill and looked it over. We decided we would give it a try. So we both pushed of and started down the hill. Our speed increased and we managed to stay up until we reached the whoop de doos. We hit them and simultaneously we flew through the air, arms and legs flaying and we both wiped out in the snow! I remember snow being pushed up my nose, However we were unhurt and happy. We tried the hill once more with the same results. So the remainder of our skiing that day we spent on the intermediate hill. of course Glen and Dave were experts and they negotiated the advanced hill with no problems.

Then after we went down to the coffee shop to unthaw and have some hot chocolate! It was a very fun day in the cold and snow so long ago!