UTMC

Went for the very first time on Monday, ditched work and drove up to a local mountain with couple friends.
Now after 30 hours I can say with some certainty that I did not break my ribs, although last night it was a 50/50 and even this morning still was not entirely sure, but now based on my prior experience I'm pretty sure they are just bruised, so that makes my very first snowboarding experience 100% success!

It rained on Friday, in the 50's over the weekend and then it all froze Sunday night, by Monday morning slopes were rock solid.
This being my first time on the board I fell, a lot, hard... some of those falls were quite spectacular and some were even captured on a cell phone cam!

Today I can barely move, my upper body is a mess and I can't wait to get back out there!!

Sounds about right. Most everyone agrees that the first 3 days or so are pure agony, zero joy. After that you pick it up pretty rapidly. Seems to not matter whether one was an accomplished skier or not, everyone pays the entry fee. Be especially on guard for broken wrists the next couple times out, I think that's the most common learning injury. DON'T give up though, it's sooo worth it. After becoming competent your first day out with fresh powder to play in will be a sublime experience.

Snowboarded on some steep-as-fuck mountain in Colorado for the first time, after recovering from altitude sickness a couple days before. Threw out my shoulder really bad. "You can surf," they said. "You should snowboard, it'll be fun," they said. Flopping into a mountainside at 30mph or something is not fun.

I'd do it again.

Fuck snowboarding.

I wasted a perfectly good day on the slopes many seasons back stubbornly trying to get one of those fuckers to work for me. Lesson learned, skis for me.

-Rench

Speaking of pain I'm window shopping online for a new skateboard... 43 year old bones & a 22 year old brain, I'm like the bad idea champion.

This one's been calling me by name for a while, it's a big 'ol thing 11" x 34" with a 16" or 17" wheelbase:

I used to skateboard, yet to figure out how it relates to snowboarding...

MATPOC wrote:I used to skateboard, yet to figure out how it relates to snowboarding...

Yeah, in pactical application ability in one does not translate any ability to the other. However, the y are closely related in their ability to transmit undesireable neurochemical signals from one's extremities up one's spine into the brain. They are peculiar from other activities that transmit these signals in that certain individuals who participate in them seem to have an inability to learn to avoid these undesireable signals.

can't figure out how to embed so heres a link to my adventure and one of many falls

http://youtu.be/z7tH-h9uWTA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I don't think I've seen anyone (self included) doing any better than that on their first day, so bravo! You actually look pretty relaxed, you'll pick it up quick. I literally cringed watching that each time your leading edge approached being perpendicular to your direction of travel just remembering the experience of catching an edge and WHAM!! I know it feels like that (and the fear of that) happening will never go away but it will. Hang in there & be doubly careful while getting comfy with toe-side turns, when you catch your heel edge it's a whole other level of surprise - concussion could be pretty easy, you can't really catch yourself. I don't generally wear a helmet but I do think it'd be wise at least for a limited time getting through that.

I'm still not sure if the ribs are broken... last time it got progressively worse for a week before getting better, this time it was almost getting better till it got pretty bad, sleeping HURTS, lot's of activities hurt and even if I go to a doctor and find out weather they are broken or not it will still hurt. Since I no longer have medical coverage I'm not going to shell out few hundred bucks for an inconclusive answer, meanwhile snowboarding is on hold till I feel a little better. Also news of Schumacher incident combined with a prospect of catching back edge while doing toe-side turn makes me wanna wear a helmet. Better helmet, my Dirt bike lid should do?

I was equally feeling inadequate and subsequently very sore when i learned to wakeboard... sports involving the word "board" are fun, but i have to say i still prefer things that move under internal combustion power. you cant turn off gravity.

Fuck'n a man, grow a pair and get some skis. Knuckle dragging snowboarders ruin it for the truly talented skiiers. Gawdamn mogul ruining motherfuckers, grow up and be civilized by getting rid of your sad single plank ways and let both legs dictate the outcome. Sheesh, such followers!