Just got back from a weekend in Killington, Vermont, where I went snowboarding for the first time since California. Overall, I’d say it went pretty well — I was looking great on the green trails, pretty good on most of the blues, and pretty challenged on the steep/bumpy blues. Black diamonds are still WAY over my head. But I survived, no permanent injuries, just overall achy.
My greatest wipeout — I was going what seemed like about 80 mph, and just after thinking “Hey, I can’t believe I’m going so fast, and yet I’m still in control!” I was on my toeside edge, and somehow caught my heelside edge on something — I fell onto my back, head facing downhill, and slid for about 30 yards. My goggles were way uphill, and passing skiers tried to grab them with their poles and bring them down to me. Finally got them back and limped on down the mountain, my ego bruised nearly about as much as my ass.
Most embarassing moment — At the end of the first day, I was so tired, and I couldn’t hold an edge to save my life, so the board was flat on the snow, and therefore, free to rotate. I was on a green trail, just wanting to get to the bottom and be done for the day. So I’m on this traverse — not steep or anything, and I just bite it in the middle of the trail. Nobody around, no obstacles, just fall down. So I just laid there for a second to catch my breath. Then, I hear some stirring in the woods, and these 4 punk snowboarders come out of the woods, and as they come by me, they say, “Lame.” I’m not 100% sure, but I think they were talking about me and my unimpressive abilities. If I could have chased them and kicked them down the mountain I would have, but I was powerless against their taunts.
Anyway, it was a fun weekend. We need to get a Pyslent ski trip together sometime.