I didn't start skiing until I was 12, a late start by today's standards. I was at Sunday River in Maine with my new friend Adam. Adam had invited me for a weekend that changed my life forever. That first day I took an all-day lesson, and then the next day, Adam, another kid and I skied by ourselves. After that I forgot about skiing until the next January.

That next January when I skied my third and fourth times, I fell in love with skiing. I only got to go six times that year but I really started loving it. All summer I watched old ski movies rented from my video store, and wished that the winter would come.

Sure enough by the time November 20th came around I was on the hastily covered slopes of Waterville Valley, finally able to let out all the excitement from last winter. The skiing stunk, but it was skiing so I didn't complain. Until it started raining, I was having a great time. Oh well, I thought, there will be other days.

Indeed there were other days, 29 of them to be exact, and I had officially become a ski-addict. All I thought about was skiing. Instead of dreaming about cars, and baseball, like other guys, I was dreaming of new skis and powdery snow all over my favorite mountain. By the time winter was over I had gotten really good. Already, I couldn't wait until next year.

When that first ski day arrived, I was at Sunday River in Maine and it was a balmy November day. Only seven trails were open but Desi, my ski buddy and I were ripping it up on our new 185 cm long skis. At the end of the day I pondered what lay ahead this winter.

Looking back I realize that this was my favorite winter. I logged 20 ski days, and had some really great experiences. A couple of days I got to ski on perfect powder at Ragged Mountain in New Hampshire and Saddleback in Maine. I got to witness the Bust 'n' Burn mogul competition at Sunday River. More important, I got to jump off the cliff in the woods at Mt. Cranmore in Jackson, New Hampshire.

The season ended and once again, as I write this, I am sitting at home wondering when winter will come, and waiting for the time when I can feel the freedom, speed, and exhilaration of skiing. l