I_DRINK_ANARCHY

I_DRINK_ANARCHY t1_je8dii5 wrote

I definitely recommend FB groups for activities you're interested in (my husband and I have made a couple friends through the kayaking and motorcycle groups we're in).

And, uh, if it's not overly dorky, I've legit made friends while traveling by playing Pokemon Go. It was a bit different before the pandemic, because everything social needed to happen relatively close to the gyms to battle and now Pokemon Go lets you do stuff from a distance. But if people are starting to congregate around the gyms again, it's a fun way to make a wide group of friends.

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I_DRINK_ANARCHY t1_j6bzwl0 wrote

Two movies that I thought were absolutely amazing, but may never watch again: Grave of Fireflies and Black Swan.

The emotional gut punch of both of them can't be overstated. If you haven't seen either, you need to, but one watch is enough. They are horrible and beautiful and hurt you so goddamn much, in two very different ways.

Honorable mentions are Requiem for a Dream and American History X, for similar reasons.

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I_DRINK_ANARCHY t1_j6bzaek wrote

Tremors is absolutely one of my favorites. It's hard to get that balance of terror and humor, but man that first one got it perfect.

I mean, I have a love for all the Temor movies, but the first one was goddamn awesome.

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I_DRINK_ANARCHY t1_j2dti9o wrote

I'll echo what someone else said, go during the week. It's a bit cheaper and will be a lot less crowded.

Don't wear super thick socks, and make sure you bring at least one extra pair. And layers! They're the best way to stay warm and make sure your outermost layer is waterproof.

I learned at Camelback, they have both general classes for groups and private lessons. I haven't done any of the private lessons yet, but the group classes were extremely helpful to begin with. Camelback also has a decent number of easy and medium runs. It's where our niece learned when she was 8 or 9 and spent the most time at.

Bear Creek also seems like a good beginner mountain. I don't know anything about their lessons, but the physical mountain isn't as huge as others, and we also took our niece there when she was still close to a beginner and she did pretty good.

Another thing to think about is getting yourself fitted at and renting from a local ski shop as opposed to the rental place at the mountain. They'll be able to give you a lot more of their time to make sure you're fitted properly, they can be less expensive than the mountain resort, and you can often rent better gear. We use D & Q Ski and Snowboard in Cherry Hill, but we've been told good things about Aistriu in Marlton by a friend who also skis. But if you don't want to go that South, I'm sure there's a ski shop somewhere closer to you.

I also recommend making sure you get a helmet. Even as a beginner who won't be doing anything crazy, you'll be better off with one. I nearly cracked my skull open on a run I was very familiar with, and a friend would have knocked herself out going up the magic carpet if she wasn't wearing hers. I'd say at minimum, half the people on the mountain wear them, so you don't have to worry about looking goofy if that's a thing for you.

Things to remember to have: balaclava/face mask or winter hat, at least two pairs of waterproof winter gloves, goggles with the correct lense for the time of day/night you're skiing, and food packed in your vehicle. Food and drink at the mountain gets really expensive, but you're not necessarily getting what you pay for, so if you can easily stop back at your car for lunch, I would.

If you aren't already, join go to REI and become a member. They have a section for their "garage sales" (returned items that are useable) and the prices are great. I see ski and snowboard gear in there all the time. What they put out for sale is entirely dependent on what people have returned, but I've had good luck. There's an REI on Route 1 just a bit North of the Quakerbridge Mall, and also on 73 in Evesham. No reason to drop an excessive amount of money on a sport you don't know if you're fully into just yet.

Good luck and welcome! Skiing is a lot of fun, hope you enjoy it.

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