On the horns of a dilemma

I suppose this is the best problem to have.  Basically, I've committed to going to two different parties two Saturdays from now in DC.  This is also a long weekend for President's Day. 



Here's the dilemma: one of my roommates is offering a hugely-discounted trip to Vermont to go skiing.  Her mom runs a ski lodge, and owns a condo.  We would not have to pay for lodging.  We would have a hugely discounted season pass.  We would get essentially-free rentals.  I'd just have to pay for flights and discounted skiing, plus food and drinks.  It would be a great bonding experience to have with my housemates, and I'm sure everything surrounding the skiing/boarding would be fun.  Flights and reduced skiing would prob cost $300 for 3 days - a great bargain, I think.



Unfortunately, I don't like snow sports (unless you count sledding).  The one time I ice skated (in high school), I severely sprained my ankle; I was on crutches for two weeks, and couldn't run in the County Championships in indoor track.  I might have even missed regionals and states that year.  The single time I went snowboarding, I face-planted enough times that I felt like I had a low-grade concussion; I was sore for days afterward.  The only time I went skiing, it took me an hour to get down a hill - other people were literally seeing me on their second trips down while I was still on my first.  It wasn't as bad as the beating I took from snowboarding, but my favorite parts of the trip were the parts when I wasn't trying to ski.



Which begs the question: is it worth it?  Why spend $300 to beat myself up and hang out with my roommates? 



I can totally understand the allure of snow sports: when you get good, it's fun to slide down a hill at high speed.  I just don't understand the expense.  Why should I make that kind of investment for a sport that doesn't involve a boat?  There's a reason poor people don't ski - the amount of money you spend just to get good enough at it to make it fun easily goes into the thousands of dollars.  Hell, 5 trips will easily run you over a thousand dollars. 



Plus, I'm supposed to be at Ina and Ada's birthday party, plus one other party. 



But, I really want to bond with my roommates.  I don't want to mis out on the inside jokes, and a good discounted chance to do something I don't get to do very often.  Who knows - maybe I'll be better this time around. 



Hmm...yeah.  I don't know what to do. 

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