Watching the Olympics on TV made me wonder if you really have to venture outside of Indiana in order to experience the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat.

Well, I didn't have long to wonder or far to go in order to experience what is fastly becoming a Hoosier tradition.

Yep, located in southern Indiana are a number of ski resorts.

This one is in Nashville, Indiana along State Road 46.

It's not Albertville, Calgary, or Lake Placid.

Heck, it's not even below freezing, but that's all right.

They use manmade snow here.

It lasts longer, much to the delight of thousands of Hoosiers - Already this year, we opened up middle of December.

With all the groups, youth groups, churches, and walk-ons we have, we've probably been through 10,000 beginners so far this year.

- [Narrator] Dave is the chief instructor here, and he has accepted the unenviable task of giving me my first ski lessons.

Let's see.

First we need some skis and some poles, and then we need some heart.

- That's where we're going up there today.

- Up there?

Nah.

- Come on, come on, you'll be all right.

No problem.

- [Narrator] Actually, the first thing you really need to know is how to walk on five feet of slats, and believe you me, it's not an easy task.

The next lesson is simple, elementary.

- What do you wanna learn first?

If you're flying down how that.

- Maybe how do that ski jumping in the Olympics.

I'd like to learn how to do that.

- Okay, we won't learn that first though.

- Oh, okay.

- Okay, you're flying down the hill, what's the first thing you should know?

- How to stop.

- There you go.

- That's a easy question, Dave.

Learning to ski is like learning to walk all over again and well, like all new walkers, all new skiers have two things in common.

The first thing is the fear of falling.

The next thing, well, it's just plain falling.

- Falling down is part of skiing.

It's fun to fall down.

People come out, and I'll tell you what, I ask people, I say, you've never had more fun beating yourself up in your whole life, have you?

And they just laugh and have a great time.

- [Narrator] It's really not that big of a deal.

Everybody's doing it.

By the way, falling down is easy.

- [Dave] There you go.

- [Narrator] Getting up is the hard part.

- Oh man, there you go.

All right, nothing to it.

Okay, you ready to practice here some more or you wanna go up the hill on the rope tow?

- I think I'm ready for the rope.

- All right, let's head over there.

- [Narrator] Now to the top of the training hill.

Now for my first solo flight.

Look out, Dave, you're going to make me fall.

Oh, excuse me, Dave.

- [Dave] Look out!

Keep them out, keep them out, keep them out.

You're all right.

- [Narrator] No, I'm not.

- [Dave] You're all right.

- [Narrator] No, I'm not.

After a couple of repetitions on the training hill, you kind of get the feel of things.

- [Dave] All right.

Turn right in this direction.

That's what we're looking for.

- [Narrator] I did it.

Funny thing though, you always have a feeling that the fall is never very, very far away.

As long as I looked straight down, I didn't have a problem.

When I start looking up, I start to have a problem.

- [Dave] Yeah, you wanna look right out here.

- [Narrator] Yeah.

- [Dave] Don't look out there.

- Well, Dave, I think I'm ready for the big hill.

- Well, whatever you think.

It takes a lot of practice.

We'll see what happens.

Let's go.

- [Narrator] Well, we're all set to take it to the top of the hill, although I must say nothing seems to be very easy when it comes to skiing, not even setting down.

Boy, it sure is a long way up, but it's not too high for advertisements.

That's the hill right there?

- Yeah, that's where we're going.

- Not today, Dave.

- Oh, yeah, come on.

Where you going?

Let's go.

Come on back.

(gentle music) - [Narrator] Well, I can break my neck today or I can do it tomorrow.

I choose tomorrow.

Dave was right though.

Skiing is fun, but it's hard work for the beginner.

For now, well, now I'm going home to sit in a hot tub of water and experience another Hoosier tradition.

Like most everybody else, I'll watch it on television.

(upbeat music)