Mike's Big Day Out

Tuesday 26th August was my big day. I had previously won a prize at DRC’s May Day earlier this year. A ski package at Cardrona Ski Field; a day lift pass, a day adaptive ski hire and a two-hour lesson with a Cardrona ski instructor as well as a volunteer from Snow Sport NZ.

I had to email Lesley Johnson at Cardrona and book in for a days skiing. Our first attempt was the 19th, but due to poor road conditions, we put it off to the next Tuesday at 1pm.
It was a 5.30 start and Debbie was there for my morning cares, breakfast and then out to my sister Clare’s, as she and Roger were taking me up to Cardrona in their four-wheel-drive. 10.30 we were on the Crown Rang and we called Lesley on my mobile, to check out were to park when we got there. 11.00 we were parked at the front doors to the ski hire.

On our way up to Cardrona we met quite a few cars coming down from the ski field which meant that either the snow was bad, or the weather was poor! As we drove closer up the road I started to smile as I knew that there was a white-out, which meant that all the skiers were heading home for the day and I wouldn’t have to wait long to get onto the chairlift, and yes, I was right!!!

We were introduced to Lisa, my ski instructor and Anton, my volunteer for the day. Lisa was from Canada and Anton was French and were both trained on disabled skiing
[Snow Sports NZ], and just how to use a Bi-Ski, my means of transport for the next two hours, Ya Hooooo….!

It took 20 minutes to be all fitted out and strapped-into the Bi-Ski and off we went, man was I on a high, a smile a mile wide that lasted for the rest of the day! A Bi-Ski is a frame similar to a go-cart that has two skis attached underneath and you sit in a bucket seat and have a roll bar at your back. You use two out-riggers, which are little skis on the ends of short elbow crutches. These are used to steer you left by pushing out and down on the left out-rigger and with a bit of speed it turns the Bi-Ski to the left. After a quick lesson on the learners slopes, it was up to the top on MacDougall’s Chairlift, or I think that’s what it said, peering through the haze at the sign? This ride was slow and very cold!

Like all sport, you have a few falls, and I sure had my fair share. I still have two sore ribs. Nevertheless, as Lisa showed me the technique is very similar to skiing using your legs. The trick was the faster you moved the easier it was to turn left, and then right, making big S’s in the snow. I had ten runs from the top to the bottom of the chairlift. On my ninth and tenth runs I had no falls, Yes! Then it was back to my wheelchair parked down in the shed. I had a wonderful day, a dream came true. But boy, were my arms tired and sorrrrrre!!!



With hugs all round, it was time to head home, but I will be back someday for another try.

Many thanks to my carer Debbie, DRC, Libby at SPARC, Lesley, Lisa & Anton at Cardrona,
my sister Clare & Rog, I had a Day of Fun I will Never Forget….

Mike Hamill