Learning how to Snowboard
Well, I said I'd update my blog when something more intereting happened. It's taken a week, but enough interesting things have happened to warrent a blog entry...
On Friday and Saturday, I took some snowboard lesson. I've had a couple of snowboard sessions before, but I'd declared that I'd be learning how to snowboard on these days, so I did...
On Friday, I took a Once or Twice lesson, with 1 full-paying guests and 2 Friends of Sunshine. I spent the morning switching from falling on my butt to falling on my knees, but after lunch we explored some more of the mountain and I finally got to grips with turning. I was still falling over, but less frequently and I made a couple of runs without falling over once...
The problem appears to be initiating a turn, normally onto my toes, then facing down the mountain and leaning back. This makes it impossible to continue the turn, and you end up pointing down the fall line with ever-increasing speed before bailing onto your knees and grinding to a halt. Occasionally, trying to put the knees down resulted in the board going onto its edge, and me carving a huge turn down the hill, completely out of control. I very nearly took a skier out doing this...
Saturday, I had the disadvantage of starting off with very painful knees and an aching backside. Also, my first run was a disaster; I'd reverted back to the stage I was at during the first part of the previous lesson. But, in a class with only 1 other person, I soon regained my confidence and was starting to turn properly again. I finally got the hang of it in the last run before lunch.
In the afternoon, we were able just to cruise around the gentle slopes of Sunshine, practicing what we'd learnt. It was fantastic to be able to do it at last! I still had the occasional fall, and we mostly stuck to Green runs, but it was fantastic!
The lessons were a fantastic insight into the snowboarding products I sell, but what's more, I'd never experienced the 'all you can eat buffet lunch' I'd been telling the guests about with great enthusiasm.
There's so much great food there, and no waiting around to queue or order the food. And you need it all after a hard morning's tuition...
My instructors were fantastic too, I can appreciate how valuable lessons are when you're learning a new skill on the snow, and understand why people who decide "I can teach myself, where is the easy slope?" get so fustrated and give up.
But I'm definately a skier at heart...
On Friday and Saturday, I took some snowboard lesson. I've had a couple of snowboard sessions before, but I'd declared that I'd be learning how to snowboard on these days, so I did...
On Friday, I took a Once or Twice lesson, with 1 full-paying guests and 2 Friends of Sunshine. I spent the morning switching from falling on my butt to falling on my knees, but after lunch we explored some more of the mountain and I finally got to grips with turning. I was still falling over, but less frequently and I made a couple of runs without falling over once...
The problem appears to be initiating a turn, normally onto my toes, then facing down the mountain and leaning back. This makes it impossible to continue the turn, and you end up pointing down the fall line with ever-increasing speed before bailing onto your knees and grinding to a halt. Occasionally, trying to put the knees down resulted in the board going onto its edge, and me carving a huge turn down the hill, completely out of control. I very nearly took a skier out doing this...
Saturday, I had the disadvantage of starting off with very painful knees and an aching backside. Also, my first run was a disaster; I'd reverted back to the stage I was at during the first part of the previous lesson. But, in a class with only 1 other person, I soon regained my confidence and was starting to turn properly again. I finally got the hang of it in the last run before lunch.
In the afternoon, we were able just to cruise around the gentle slopes of Sunshine, practicing what we'd learnt. It was fantastic to be able to do it at last! I still had the occasional fall, and we mostly stuck to Green runs, but it was fantastic!
The lessons were a fantastic insight into the snowboarding products I sell, but what's more, I'd never experienced the 'all you can eat buffet lunch' I'd been telling the guests about with great enthusiasm.
There's so much great food there, and no waiting around to queue or order the food. And you need it all after a hard morning's tuition...
My instructors were fantastic too, I can appreciate how valuable lessons are when you're learning a new skill on the snow, and understand why people who decide "I can teach myself, where is the easy slope?" get so fustrated and give up.
But I'm definately a skier at heart...
posted by Colin at
8:15 pm
2 Comments:
Ha! Now you know what it was like for me starting boarding!! I am definatly hiring a board next Christmas if we go on holiday so we can board together!
By
Anonymous, At
19 January 2008 at 01:20
Holiday next Christmas....OK. Thats a really generous offer from your brother LOL!
By
Anonymous, At
22 January 2008 at 10:59
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