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Story Time...

I would like to hear some stories of everyone’s first time boarding, whether it was this season or 15 years ago. Here is mine.

It was one beautiful spring day in the Sierras, circa 1996. My dad took my sister (Tara) and I to Boreal for our first snowboard experience. I had skied for 4 years, but now I was going to switch over to the dark side (as my dad would say). Back then Boreal had some free beginners lifts for anyone to use, and offered a 2 for 1 discount on a rental/lesson/lift combo. For the first half of the day we went for it on our own, but soon learned we didn't have a clue. My Dad even gave boarding a shot, but it was short lasted, bellying up to the bar by about 11am.

So, Tara and I took to the slopes, we had a lesson around 1pm, learned how to skate, then were unleashed on the mountain to terrorize unsuspecting skiers. By the end of the day I was ready for some challenge. I should ride Accelerator to the top. But how, my ticket was limited to beginner lifts only. After careful consideration, I mustered up the courage to sneak on. Nervous I would get caught; I kept my eyes down and quickly skated up to the front of the line. 4 chairs to go, 3...,2...,almost there,1...finally I was there. Up Accelerator I went, with a great feeling of relief. I really was becoming a boarder, already defying the rules.

OK, so I am at the top. Now what? I remember looking down from the top, thinking this is the steepest hillever; I am never going to make it down. Luckily Boreal stays open at night, so I have plenty of time. I slowly make my way down, and I do mean slowly. "Maybe I should have learned how to heelside turn, before I did this" I think to myself, "nah, go for it." I turn on gas, and pickup some speed, but I still do not know how to stop. Luckily for me there was a skier in my way. After a catastrophic collision I am stopped, and the skier is tangled up with me. This gentleman of about 35 years would understand that it's my first time, right? Not so, he had a few choice words for me, and told me he would place his pole in a very uncomfortable spot. I quickly got up, apologized, and fled for my life. All of the sudden I could snowboard better than ever.

I finally get to the bottom of the hill after about 45 minutes. I look back up at my accomplishment. I conquered Boreal, yeah! As I walk back to the lodge I smiled and decided I am a snowboarder now. My dad, Tara, and I all loaded up in our Dodge minivan, with the faux woodgrain siding and headed back home, where mom had some slow-cooked chili waiting.

I never skier again after that. My brand new Kastle 185cm's sat in the corner collecting dust from that day on. I bought a used '93 Nitro board, painted it with some sweet racing stripes, and joined the "collective addiction".

OK, there is my first time story. Anyone else care to share? Later,

first run...

i was using my uncle's craig kelly w/ bindings that had three straps. i remember that set up being super heavy, and i was the only person with such massive bindings in the lift line. we rode the chair lift up, which was my first time ever doing that, then just went for it. i fell getting off the lift, i fell straping in, i fell like a million times on the way down. but from that first run, i was hooked, and now 10 years later i can't wait for my next turn.

monday i'll be riding hood and thinking about that first day.

First Fall into addiction

Me and snow got along pretty good. If it wasn't skiing, I was sledding, if not that i'd figure how to get a mountain bike to stay upright while going downhill in the snow, or just doing donuts in the snow. Anywho. Skiing had lost its fun, so during a ski trip to Bromley with a bunch of homies, i decided to give snowboarding a shot. We get there, and take the lift to the top of the mountain and my buddies head toward the blues forgetting this is my first time snowboarding. I don't say anything because I can do intermediate trails. I've don them thousands of times before.

*BRAIN* that was on skies dumbass */BRAIN*

Even still, I'm a skateboarder what can be so hard....

*brain*

the ground

*/brain*

That first run was the longest run I've ever taken down a mountain, my legs were on fire by the middle of the mountain. By the time i hit the bottom, and i do mean hit, my legs were an inferno of muscle burn. After that i kept it on the greens, and let me friends go their own way. By mid-day i linked some turns, and by the end of the day i had made it down the mountain by carving(at the time thats what i thought was carving) without falling.

The next week I was reminded of my first snowboarding experience, but the pain never felt so good. And from that one experience, the addiction began, and hasn't stopped. My skateboard can keep me sane during the summer, but I can't wait for the first snowfall again.

My first time...

Winchester Country Club, outside of Boston, December 1988. I was in 7th grade and rode the fairways with my friends Sean and Kevin. I had seen the sport in Thrasher and Sean had a few copys of Transworld at the time. I rode a Burton elite set up goofy (i ride regs). Almost 20 years later I can still remeber the first time I linked a few turns. By far the best thing I have ever done. For the last 20 winters, Snowboarding has ruled my life. I have had the chance to ride all over N America, I moved out to Colorado 6 years ago, and although I was never a sponsered pro, I don't pay for my equipment and I spend almost 100 days a year still enjoying myself in the snow with my friends. Thank you to all the riders out there for showing me the way. My style is my own, my memories are my own, but I love to share this sport with all my frioends and still get the chills watching somebody learn how to turn. THANKS EVERYBODY FOR MAKING THIS SPORT SUCH A HUGE PART OF MY LIFE.