Let me just preface some of these pictures by stating that we had to wear a lot of layers of movable clothing, hence the frumpy, mis-matched look. Also, it was hard to photograph in the ice arena so some of the pictures are dark. And finally, the pictures are in reverse order, cuz that's just how I rollz.
First, curling ice is NOTHING like hockey or skating ice. It is not slick! They spray water on it and allow the water drops to freeze into little "pebbles" and make the ice look more like a cobblestone path than a sheet of ice. You can walk on it in regular shoes no problem. I even ran on it a few times without slipping! Before our curling class I thought that the ice was normal skating ice and that curlers had to put something grippy on their shoes to get down the ice without falling. It is the total opposite. You actually have to put a sliding thing on one of your shoes to slide on the ice, while your regular shoe has all the grip you need. Cool, right?
So here is Jon, curling! We used a stablizing thing in the left hand and had the stone in the right hand. You put all your weight on your sliding foot (the left foot with the sliding attachment), push off the "hack" (like a starting block) with your right foot, and then slide...
Here I am, in the hack, ready to go. This is one of the few attempts where I didn't fall flat on my stomach. Yeah, I fell five times...
This is a lovely view of my rear end as I learn how to slide. I'm using the broom as a stablizer before we advanced on to using the stones. Notice the little red flip-flop thing on my left foot? That's the slider.
Jon, looking sexy with his curling broom. Now if I could only get him to pick up a broom at home... :)
The ice. It's a lot longer from one end to the other than it looks like on TV. In my final attempts I was able to get the curling stone all the way to the end, but I totally missed the target, and also totally fell on my arse. Jon didn't get his stones all the way to the end. You have to push a lot harder than you would think!
Kickin' it with the broom. And pink sweatpants.
Jon, contemplating how he might curl and nap at the same time.
Eight stones.
Setting up.
Curling class #1 was a LOT of fun. Difficult, sweaty, but totally fun. My left thigh, left knee, and right ankle are all sore today (not to mention the bruises I have from falling, even if the fall wasn't very far), it was still fun! We have our second class next week and then we can join a league, if we want. I would love to join a league, but I'm not sure we can afford $35 in babysitting fees each week. We'll see what happens. The leagues kind of take a hiatus during the summer anyway, so a lot could be different by next fall. Of course, if Jon, who can't get a stone down the ice, and I, who can't keep her balance while sliding, were on the same team, it would be a very sad sight indeed. Curling!
2 comments:
You have fulfilled a lifelong dream of mine. As I am from Michigan, which is almost Canada, I feel it is within my rights to grant you Honorary Canadian Citizenship.
Um, $35 for babysitting? Is that for one night? Sheesh, who's watching your kid? Steve Jobs? ha! I kid. I thought I was pretty hilarious, though. I think you may be overpaying for childcare, though.
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