Trip to Calgary Olympic Park

8/8/2019 Trip to Calgary Olympic Park

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Trip to Calgary Olympic Park

When I was in grade 6, we had a breathtaking trip. Early in the

morning, we got a lengthy ride to the Calgary Olympic Park on a school bus,

but just before the ride, my teacher gave my class tickets. According to her,

the ticket is used to show that you are from a school and that you alreadypaid for equipment renting fees. After the bus ride, we finally arrived to

Calgary Olympic Park. Everyone was astonished on how big C.O.P. was. The

building contained a decent cafeteria and a colourful collection of art on the

pale walls. Our school sat down on the dark-coloured benches. I talked with

my friends for a while, but stopped immediately when a member of the

C.O.P. staff walked into the center of the cafeteria walked into the center of

the cafeteria.

“Can I have your attention please.” he announced.

Silence filled the room. He introduced himself and said you can choose

between learning how to snowboard or how to ski. I chose skiing because it

looked easier than snowboarding and most of my friends chose skiing. He

waited about five minute so we can decide which sport we want to learn.

After that, we went into the equipment room. It was filled with snowboarding

and skiing equipments. I picked out a pair of ski boots just about my size and

ski poles that match my height. Then I went to the check-out counter. You

have to tell them you’re a student from a school who is visiting. Then, they

will ask you for the ticket that the teacher gave you. After checking-out the

equipments, I went to the ski hill. There were three levels: beginner,

intermediate and expert. If I remember correctly, beginner level is called red

carpet, intermediate level is called silver carpet and expert level is called

gold carpet. The red carpet is at the bottom of a grand, frosty hill. The silver

carpet is in the middle and the gold carpet is at the top, which you would

have to ride the chair lift to get there.

I went to the red carpet, frightened. When I got there, I was less

terrified because I saw many people there. That means there are countless

of people who are beginners at skiing. After I could move around, I went on

the first stage. In all the stages, you have to wiggle through an obstacle

created by pylons. Except, as you go up the mountain, the pylon line will be

longer and more difficult. At first, it looked like a piece of cake. When I

started the skiing through the pylons, I thought I was about to die. I slipped,

passed many pylons and I couldn’t stop except by sticking my skiing poles

through the ground, which wasn’t the right way to stop. The instructor there



taught me how to stop without skiing poles. After I learned how to stop the

right way, I tried the stage again. It took me 3 times to get the hang of it.

The fourth time, I passed and got a dark-blue sticker on my ticket. I just got

my first sticker! I was extremely proud of myself. I skied proudly to the next

stage.

Now the stages got easier and easier because I have more experience

now. I waltzed through the red carpet. The intermediate section was a little

bit harder. Between the red carpet and the silver carpet, there was a long

ski/snowboard elevator. It’s like an elevator except its flat on the ground and

there is no handles beside the elevator to hold on to. After I finished my last

stage in the silver carpet, it time for lunch. I was so pumped that I forgot I

was hungry! After I ate my lunch, I began heading for the gold carpet.

I rode the chair lift, which is my second time riding it. It was quite an

extraordinary ride, but it was a little bit bumpy. Someone in my class evendropped his skis on the way up the frosty hill! When I was at the top of the

hill, I was trembling a little because it was really cold and because it was

really high up. I didn’t think I had enough experience to do stages so high up

the hill. I saw one of the expert stages so I skied down. The moment I started

going down, I forgot everything I learned about skiing! I went straight down

the hill. I didn’t go left and right, a snake-like pattern. At the end of the hill, I

slowed down and didn’t crash into anybody. The second time I went down, I

was determined to go to that expert stage. I went over the things I have to

do in skiing, and down I go. This time, I tripped, fell and bit my tongue. I hopeno one saw that truly, embarrassing moment. The third time I went up the

hill, I promised myself that if I didn’t make it to the stage, I would wait at the

red carpet until it was time to go. At the top of the hill, I thought of an idea,

what if I go down by my side instead? I tried that, and it worked! Step by

step, I was closer to the stage. It took some time but it was faster than taking

the ski ride. When I arrived, I was a little bit tired but that didn’t stop me

from doing the stage! There were 2 instructors at this stage, one at the top

and one at the bottom of the stage, which was way down the hill.

“Good luck!” he wished.

“Thanks.” I responded.

Before I started the stage, I thought about all the things I learned in

red carpet and silver carpet. Then, after going through everything, I zoomed

through the cones like it was nothing! Faster, faster, faster! Left, right, left

right! I finished with a perfect score! He put the sticker on my ticket.



“Time to go!” my teacher yelled.

This was an interesting day at C.O.P. that I will never forget.

Bo Peng Zhou 8A

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Trip to Calgary Olympic Park