Over last weekend and last Wednesday I went snowboarding a total of three more times. Twice at White Pass, WA and once at Snoqualmie, WA.
I guess first I should back up a bit and state that this is my first year of snowboarding or any winter sport for that matter. I've been a total of about 8 times this year and hope to get a couple more in before the season is over. I am not ashamed to say that I think I've come pretty far for this being my first year and only 8 times out. And that is what leads me to the downside of learning how to snowboard.
The first couple of times it was a bit rough trying to stay up-right and even worse trying to turn from heal edge to toe edge without eating it in the process. Eventually I was able to go farther and farther down the hill without falling. Now I have gotten to the point where I can make it down even a single diamond run without falling....sometimes not as fast as a more experienced rider but all the same I can make it down without looking like I have no right being up on the mountain. The problem I discovered in being able to not crash multiple times on the way down is that I now have no time for resting since I'm constantly upright and moving. It now seems as though my thighs are screaming at me to just fall so they can get some sort of break.
Overall though I wouldn't trade the ability to stay up for the whole ride. The feeling you get when all the conditions match up and you are just floating down the mountain almost effortlessly. You seem to find the right lines and make the right turns and find the right snow to just have this euphoric experience of surfing the white stuff.
I guess first I should back up a bit and state that this is my first year of snowboarding or any winter sport for that matter. I've been a total of about 8 times this year and hope to get a couple more in before the season is over. I am not ashamed to say that I think I've come pretty far for this being my first year and only 8 times out. And that is what leads me to the downside of learning how to snowboard.
The first couple of times it was a bit rough trying to stay up-right and even worse trying to turn from heal edge to toe edge without eating it in the process. Eventually I was able to go farther and farther down the hill without falling. Now I have gotten to the point where I can make it down even a single diamond run without falling....sometimes not as fast as a more experienced rider but all the same I can make it down without looking like I have no right being up on the mountain. The problem I discovered in being able to not crash multiple times on the way down is that I now have no time for resting since I'm constantly upright and moving. It now seems as though my thighs are screaming at me to just fall so they can get some sort of break.
Overall though I wouldn't trade the ability to stay up for the whole ride. The feeling you get when all the conditions match up and you are just floating down the mountain almost effortlessly. You seem to find the right lines and make the right turns and find the right snow to just have this euphoric experience of surfing the white stuff.
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