Klutz on Ice

On the AT in May

To say that I am a klutz might be a bit of an understatement.  Okay, it’s a huge understatement.  This year, I have been to the orthopedic doctor twice—once for my left knee after my first ever backpacking trip with my husband on the Appalachian Trail in May, and once after spraining my ankle doing the Warrior Dash in September.  I’m undergoing physical therapy for the ankle and they saw me for my other knee after I tripped over my husband’s laptop cord and fell, landing directly on my kneecap.  Yes, I am a klutz.

Let me back up a bit and tell you who I am.  My name is Emily and over the next 8 months or so, I’ll be blogging for all of you wonderful people.  My husband and I head to Western Japan in just over a month to work at an outdoor ministry place called Northstar Adventures.  He’ll be a snowboard guide and instructor and I’ll be working in hospitality.  I won’t be a guide or instructor because I’ve never done that.  And had it not been for my husband, I probably never would.  Before we got married, I liked hiking and such, but never had anyone to go with and definitely did not have the right kind of equipment.  However, since getting married, I have discovered that I love rock climbing and backpacking and hiking and zip lining and all sorts of outdoor things.  I’m just a klutz while I do it.  But gosh darn it, I can do it.  And there’s very little else that makes me feel confident as actually climbing a wall.  Even if I have to wear an ankle brace and a knee brace while I do it.

I’ll be honest—I’m fairly scared and nervous about learning to snowboard.  I don’t have much luck with skis.  I’ve been to ski school 3 times and no one can figure out why I can’t stop moving.  On flat ground, with my feet doing what they’re supposed to do and my weight where it balanced properly, I move.  The last time I went skiing, somewhere near 10 years ago, I walked down the mountain twice—the first time carrying one ski and the second time carrying both.  I can’t ice skate.  Or roller skate.  Or roller blade.  But my husband promises me that snowboarding is easier than skiing.  We’ll see.

Zengoro Falls–one of the places I’ll be snowshoeing to

Over the course of our time in Japan, I’ll also be learning to snow shoe and will get to rock climb outdoors for the first time.  I hope that you’ll learn from my blunders and realize that if I can make this work, you can too.  And I hope to introduce you to wonderful world of outdoor life in the Japanese Alps, one of the top destinations for snow sports in the world.  Until then, I’ve got a to do list a mile long, so back to packing I go!

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About emilycox

Emily is a 30 year old newbie to the outdoor world. She and her husband will spend 6 months in the Japanese Alps, working at an outdoor ministry lodge. While there, she'll be blogging about her experiences learning how to snowboard and snowshoe and about places to do so in Japan.

3 thoughts on “Klutz on Ice

  1. Hi,
    Our chalet company, the One Chalets, is based in Hakuba- we have great snowshoing here too. Contact me if you’re thinking of being in the area!

    Best of luck Emily!

    Eloise

    • Hey Eloise! I will definitely let you know if we are ever in that area! I can’t wait to explore more of Nagano-ken, so hopefully I will see you and your chalets soon!

  2. Hi Emily,

    I am so glad I finally found your email address. I am the check out person at Seymour Family Practice. Do you remember we talked the last time you were in and you told me you all were going on this mission trip. I hope you and your husband are doing well. How is everything going ? Take care, and may God bless you both and keep you safe.

    Debbie 🙂

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