26/01: Boarding 101
So I’m writing this from Camp Fortune—a nearby ski hill I frequent…
Milestone: I tried snowboarding today for the first time.
It went well—I think. Following an old friend’s advice (thanks, Ken, if you read this), I did the one hour lesson thing, and was doing basic turns semi-comfortably by the end of that, and sorta sporadically linking them together…
Re how well it went: honestly, I’m not entirely sure. My coach was all about how quickly I was picking it up—from the moment I glided off the lift (first time, with relief) without wiping out or knocking anyone else over (and, tho’ this seems a suspiciously modest accomplishment, true enough, I guess, I have seen beginning boarders do both at the top of the lift, and sometimes spectacularly), through to the moment I pulled off a proper turn with edge transfer from heel to toe (and this, I can assure you, did not come as easily nor as painlessly as stepping off the lift without turtling), but I figure you never know with those guys—I’d expect building up your confidence could easily just be part of the required approach for absolute beginners looking down that hill thinking of too many ways of breaking things best not broken—
Anyway, whether or not that was really much of a showing, notes: i) it’s really nothing like skiing—I’m not sure having some experience there really could have given me any advantage over any other beginner—and while I seem to recall learning (alpine) skiing was generally pretty painless for me—probably in large part because I was doing cross-country from an early age—boarding’s been another matter entirely. Fun, sure, but fun which has been intermixed with considerably more pain than learning skiing ever was—and one knee in particular is now notifying me of its resentment over this adventure. ii) said pain notwithstanding, yes, it was seriously fun. Enough that I’ll definitely be trying it out again—tho’ there will be logistic complications—my little guy is getting up to speed on his skis now, but I still have to ski right with him when he’s out—and this involves tricks I’m only up to as yet on skis…
Anyway. Point is: Fun was had.
(Written from the hill using my chordal PSP-based beasty—which, in fact, I have now actually used from a chairlift. Though this is in fact not terribly practical, as I’ve discovered, and as you might suspect… The unit’s up to it just fine. My fingers, not so much. Typing at 20 or so below involves pain, too.)
Milestone: I tried snowboarding today for the first time.
It went well—I think. Following an old friend’s advice (thanks, Ken, if you read this), I did the one hour lesson thing, and was doing basic turns semi-comfortably by the end of that, and sorta sporadically linking them together…
Re how well it went: honestly, I’m not entirely sure. My coach was all about how quickly I was picking it up—from the moment I glided off the lift (first time, with relief) without wiping out or knocking anyone else over (and, tho’ this seems a suspiciously modest accomplishment, true enough, I guess, I have seen beginning boarders do both at the top of the lift, and sometimes spectacularly), through to the moment I pulled off a proper turn with edge transfer from heel to toe (and this, I can assure you, did not come as easily nor as painlessly as stepping off the lift without turtling), but I figure you never know with those guys—I’d expect building up your confidence could easily just be part of the required approach for absolute beginners looking down that hill thinking of too many ways of breaking things best not broken—
Anyway, whether or not that was really much of a showing, notes: i) it’s really nothing like skiing—I’m not sure having some experience there really could have given me any advantage over any other beginner—and while I seem to recall learning (alpine) skiing was generally pretty painless for me—probably in large part because I was doing cross-country from an early age—boarding’s been another matter entirely. Fun, sure, but fun which has been intermixed with considerably more pain than learning skiing ever was—and one knee in particular is now notifying me of its resentment over this adventure. ii) said pain notwithstanding, yes, it was seriously fun. Enough that I’ll definitely be trying it out again—tho’ there will be logistic complications—my little guy is getting up to speed on his skis now, but I still have to ski right with him when he’s out—and this involves tricks I’m only up to as yet on skis…
Anyway. Point is: Fun was had.
(Written from the hill using my chordal PSP-based beasty—which, in fact, I have now actually used from a chairlift. Though this is in fact not terribly practical, as I’ve discovered, and as you might suspect… The unit’s up to it just fine. My fingers, not so much. Typing at 20 or so below involves pain, too.)
