Question

What does lian Dolan mean in "Carrying Your Own Skis" when she says that "skiing was work"?

Answer 1

Lian Dolan tells the story about how her mother and her mother's twin sister decided to learn how to ski, all this in the mid-sixties when going to ski didn't represent all the comfort and status it does now, back in the day going skiing was a very rudimentary sport without all the resorts we can find now to do this practice.

Therefore skiing was work means that you were not in extreme comfort and luxury at learning this sport yo we actually using all your physical skills in a rough environment.

Answer 2

Are there supposed to be options here?

But from just the line 'skiing was work", it could mean that skiing was very difficult or inconvenient.