Growing up, my dad had a “Fisherman’s Excuse Mug”. I think we bought it for him for Father’s Day or something. It detailed all the reasons why the fish didn’t bite on a given day. Weather, wrong bait, etc. And I thought this was hilarious.
It’s been a warm week, and as I looked at the forecast, as well as trail conditions last night, I realized this might be a “last chance” to get a ski in. I’m borrowing a friend’s skate skis, and wanted to give it one more go.
As I read conditions, it was difficult to make heads or tails. Birds Hill Park had been freshly groomed (a plus!) yet reports varied. Some reported “hard work to ski”, and “I put my skis away after today’s experience”. Meanwhile seasoned vets predicted improving conditions due to repeated “transformation” of the snow due to rising and falling temps.
I decided in the end to give it a try, and in the course of an hour experienced probably both the highs and lows brought by varying conditions, as the snow changed from icy to soft while I skied. The biggest factor, likely, was my own limited skill as I worked to figure out a rhythm with this new take on a familiar sport.
Regardless of your hobby, there are probably plenty of reasons to have a “bad day”, but isn’t even this part of the allure, one of the challenges that keeps us coming back?