One of my favorite things to do in my free time is snow skiing, and I have recently started snowboarding as well. Fortunately, there are about five ski resorts near my hometown, so there are plenty of places to ski. In order to ski, you need some basic equipment include snow skis, ski poles, ski boots, goggles, and some warm ski clothing. I purchased my equipment last year after the season was over when everything was on sale. When I go skiing, I load my skis on a ski rack on the top of my car and drive to the nearest ski resort. I usually buy a season ski pass that allows me to go skiing as often as I want. When I arrive at the ski resort, I put on my ski boots and skis and head directly for one of the ski lifts. The ski resort has a number of ski runs for beginning,intermediate, and expert skiers. Personally, I usually ski down intermediate runs that have a few moguls to test my skills. I sometimes lose my balance or control and crash on the slopes, but that is part of the fun of skiing. I always have to be careful not to run into anyone as I go down a ski run. Recently, I've decided to take up snowboarding, but it's taking a little time to get the hang of it. Snowboarding is becoming more and more popular now that it is an Olympic event.