It is New Year’s Day, a day where people claim new year resolutions. I have given this months of thought for starting a blog. It has been fear that has prevented me from writing to you. However, my husband has encouraged me to just write and that is what I am going to do. I hope and aspire to write 5 days per a week. We will see about that, but your reading eyes will be my encouragement and accountability. Let us see how this goal pans out.
My husband, Denny, had an itch to go snowboarding this winter season. When we were visiting his family in Illinois he wanted to go, but the weather wasn’t agreeing with him. He decided the sport would be perfect for a new years activity.
Twas the day on New Years Eve 2011 at 5:30am that my husband and I woke up and piled in a massive white truck with our friends Joe and Jacob for a 3 1/2 hour drive to Sunrise in Show Low, AZ.
Driver Joe in his big Missy
Jacob
Snowboarding COST (*Mullah)
Now for money readers. Snowboarding is exPen-SIVE. We realized the sport is more affordable if you are willing to do the activity more than once and take the plunge on a season pass. A piece of advice from experience. Go to Ski Pro and rent your clothing, shoes and board there. Ski pro is $30 for boots and board (you save $10) and $11 for the warming bibs (pants) and jacket. Target has gloves for $12 and Sunrise has gloves for $35 (ouch!)
We get to Sunrise, buy our tickets and Denny and Joe go back to the car to return unnecessary items. I was left with Jacob and a little white frosty incline(*ewahvay) First things first reader, this is my first time snowboarding eVeR.
Step 1: Put the boots on
The day before, ski pro demonstrated for me on how to put the boots on. I felt like a 4 year old having my daddy tie my shoes. Those booties are difficult to squeeze your feet into.
Step 2: Attach the boots to the board
I spent several minutes trying to get my boots strapped to the board. The bonding between the board and my boots required many slips on my part and running away from me attempts on the boards part.
Step 3: Know what your getting yourself into
At the base of the little inclined we started at was the emergency station. A few minutes before taking my first glide on the slopes was a teenage boy that was strapped to an injury board. And following that picture was Denny explaining that snowboarding was the cause of partially tearing his acl. This news was not comforting but I wasn’t going to throw away the money we spent so far nor the fact that snow boarding was on my bucket list.
Step 4: Get on and off a ski lift
I am naive you will come to know but I didn’t realize how high the ski lift was from the ground. The bench you sit on has no bar to strap you in. One false move and your lift kill. While riding that snail train you have one foot strapped into the board and one foot supporting the entire board while being suspended in the air.
Getting on a ski lift isn’t difficult but the getting off is tricky. The lift just continues in one solid fluid motion. The bench dives toward even level ground and with one flamingo leg you glide safety to the outskirts of the lift. (*ERRNN, wrong) A newbie snowboarder somehow tumbles to a landing of some sort in the midst of twisting random body parts oddly (like my abdominal sides).
Step 5: Snowboard miraculously for the first time
I tried to explain to Denny when we got to the top there was a bunny hill to the right of sunrise by the lodge. He said he didn’t see it and I should have spoken sooner. Ladies and gents, once your at the top from the lift the only way down is snowboarding or walking. (Yikes)
It took about an hour for Denny to figure out how to teach me and five minutes to explain how to snowboard. First, Denny tried to teach me snow plowing backwards (I’m not sure what the actual name is?) but that tactic was really slow. The second, was Denny holding my hands while I I rocked my weight side-to-side with my board horizontally.
Step 6: Fly Solo
As a first time snowboarder I through happenings rode the green easy trails. The green trails did not seem to always be easy. The narrow stretches seemed unnerving; as a beginner I didn’t know how to turn my board. By the end of the day I learned how to at a gradual speed turn right but if the mountain wasn’t in my favor it didn’t work. I had selective turning abilities.
The best tearing it up happened when the mountain was wide (about 300km) and a gradual incline. Those few moments were pure glee, I was doing something amazing and surprising myself while also a mixed emotion of fear (which resulted in me falling because the speed was too much for my taste). FEAR is the killer of this sport. I have a new appreciation for snow athletes. This sport is the hardest I have come across in my short life.
Step 7: Beef it
I tumbled many a time. One tumble was my feet getting kicked up over my head and my human instincts clawing at the snow for a grip till I stopped.
Another fall was an attempt to stop or slow my speed down but accidentally powdering myself like a snow woman.
The last hardest fall was me sliding toward a cliff and trying to steer my board the opposite direction but tumbling three times and landing on my butt/ tail bone. (*ouch) The last fall I walked it.
Many times during the snow adventure I was frustrated and motivated on getting down the mountain. Even with those emotions, because this activity was so different I enjoyed the overall experience. It was also my first time being warm in snow because of proper attire.
Step 8: Recover
When I got to the base of the mountain I realized I lost my pink scarf. First timers, don’t wear a scarf.
I got to the base and sat for awhile with Jacob while Joe and Denny did a final board. After sitting I was super thirsty. I ate some snow on the top but was still dry. I stepped in the lodge and dragged my feet up the stairs for the fountain of quench. I slowly moved while feeling the urge to hurl any moment. I was super dehydrated.
First time snowboarders what do you do to stay hydrated? I saw some carrying backpacks but thought to myself that would throw off my balance and hurt when falling.
Snowboarding for the newbie includes: no water, food or bathroom. HMMM…
We ended the excursion at JB’s for dinner. The waitress asked us what we did today to look so tired. Joe replied, “We fell down a mountain.” And that is what I did, with learning and some successful moments.
Today, New Year’s Day, I’m really sore. What will second day soreness look like?
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