2010-01-02 - Snowboarding

As mentioned in a previous entry I went snowboarding over the New Years weekend. It was fucking awesome. I had never been snowboarding or skiing before- so it was all new and exciting. Learning how to do something new in general is always exciting and it had been a while since I learned something as kick ass. A lot of my friends snowboard and love it- so now that I know first hand how great it is I'm really pissed I didn't try earlier.

First of all- it was an awesome weekend and a great way to spend New Years. Thanks to Travis for inviting us to stay at Sugarloaf and giving us a place to sleep/lending me a board- Tom for lending me some gear- Ryan for some beginner's lessons/watching me fall down a mountain- and Josh for pushing me to try more difficult routes.

Day one was pretty much just figuring out how to stand up- and falling down a ton. I never even got beyond the beginner trail but that's all I really needed. I figured out how to get on/off a chairlift, strap in, stand up and slowly slide down the hill on my heel-edge. Once I thought I had mastered stopping (at slow speeds) I tried going a bit faster and switching from a regular to goofy stance. All the while- periodically eating shit. I got really good at that- especially on ice. Another fun fact about the beginner trail is that it was littered with the bodies of fallen/falling children. A minefield of kids shuffling along on two foot long skis. (It's not skiis?) I retired when the lift stopped running and began self medicating with whiskey and RC Cola- yeah really.

Day two we got even more snow- perfect conditions for falling down all day. I started out on the beginner trail and after one run I decided I should try my luck with a real route. I got my lift ticket and started up for my first real run on a green trail with Josh. Got up to the top- and got ready to drop in. A little apprehensive at first but I soon realized that there was only one way down that mountain. Well- a couple ways really- with grace and skill or on my ass. This is the point where I developed my favorite technique- go as fast as possible and wipe out as hard as possible- and repeat until I reach the bottom. After a few runs I finally figured out how to turn on my toe-edge and starting linking turns. It wasn't until my last run on the green trail that I remembered what everyone had been telling me all along- bend your knees. Really- that's all there is to it. Have confidence, get low and bend your knees.

Throughout the learning process I would get to a point where I was about 85% comfortable with the route I was running- and once I stopped falling down constantly I knew it was time to move onto something else that would kick my ass. By mid-day on my first real day of snowboarding we moved on to my first blue trail- The Narrow Gauge. It was pretty steep- but the fear turned into excitement once I got ready to drop in. Half way down that first blue trail I thought 'I'm going to have to buy a board now' - then I ate shit wicked hard. Josh can attest to that. He was riding behind me and would periodically see a giant explosion of snow with me at the center of it. I'm the reason why skiers hate people on snowboards. I cleared the snow off about half of that trail by the time I was done with it.

By the end of the day I had conquered (using the term loosely) a couple of blue trails. I didn't want to stop- and definitely didn't want to go home the next day. It's a rough first couple of days and you hurt just about everywhere- but it's a good kind of hurt because you know you did something real that day. I now have an understanding and appreciation for it- and look forward to the next time I go. Thanks to everyone who contributed to my learning to snowboard- and to everyone who made it an awesome weekend.

In conclusion- don't be afraid - go fast- fall hard - and bend your knees.

2010-01-01 - Dismount a ski-lift

I went snowboarding this weekend for the first time ever. I've lived through 22 winters in Massachusetts without ever having gone snowboarding or skiing- so I figured it was about time. I won't go so far as to say I learned how to snowboard that day- but I at least learned how to get off of a ski-lift on a snowboard. Riding on a ski lift for the first time was something in itself- I don't know how more people don't fall off of those things.

For anyone who has gone snowboarding or skiing this doesn't take a whole lot of explanation- you just do it. But for everyone else, it's a pretty simple thing. Getting on the ski-lift is easy enough. The bench sort of just comes around and hits you in the back of the knees. The next part is easy too- just don't fall off.

As the chair in front of me gets to the ramp I get ready to get off. If you have the safety bar down (loser) you should put it up at this time. I kind of position my body sideways and bring my feet up. When you're riding the chairlift with a snowboard you only have your forward foot* strapped in. When you get off of the chairlift you're going to have that foot forward and press your free foot against the other binding.

When you get to the ramp the ground comes up to meet your feet. You can stand up- and balance on the back of the bench with your hand and push off. Steer clear of other people who are getting off of the lift at the same time as you- or just loitering like jackasses at the bottom of the ramp. When you get clear of the ramp area just lean back on your heels to stop like normal. Remember to press your free foot against the binding so it doesn't just slide off when you try to stop.

Before getting off of the lift it's also a good idea to let the other people know which way you're going so you don't crash into them.

*I found out from Travis that my left foot is my leading foot. To figure this out just stand in front of someone and have them push you forward. Which ever foot you catch yourself with is instinctively your leading foot.