I have just done a snowboard programme with 'Ski Le Gap' a company that has designed a programme for Gap Year students allowing them to ski/snowboard and party non stop for a full three months. This was brilliant except for one major flaw.
Too many damned skiers!!
As a snowboarder I feel it is necessary to correct a few of skiers favourite snowboarder banter. Firstly we are not gays on trays, most of us are not gay and our trays are carefully designed pieces of technical genius that allow us to perform feats that most skiers are secretly jealous of. Secondly skiers are correct in saying that we sit down a lot, but have you ever tried to stand up on a snowboard on the top of a mountain? It is comparable to riding a bike ridiculously slowly, plus you skiers have poles to help you balance on your easy to balance skies. Which brings me neatly on to my next point - I have seen a lot of skiers use their poles as weapons which I believe is unfair as we do not have any, which is probably why you see so many snowboarders flying right into skiers, were just trying to even the balance if you get my drift. However I believe that we are in unanimous agreement that the mono-ski has absolutely no place on the mountain what so ever.
I feel better after that. I feel it necessary to mention a few words on Ski Le Gap. Like I said it is a three month intensive instructors course and at the end of it you come out with an instructors qualification, not only that you come back with an address book of friends and for me probably the best three months of my life. While I didn't reach 'park junky' status, wearing trousers down by my knees and having bandanas hanging all over the place and being able to pull a cab nine with out so much of a care, I did get my Canadian Association of Snowboarders Instructors (CASI) level 2 which felt even better than passing my driving test and means I can teach people how to snowboard virtually anywhere in the world.
One of the great things about snowboarding is experimenting and trying new things and pushing your limits to improve your riding. My friend is a typical example of this (you know who you are). He decided to go for the biggest kicker in the park (at the time), I agreed and went first and crashed, as expected but nothing spectacular. My friend then went, he flew off the jump ended up parallel to the ground in the air completing a 270 degree spin before neatly face planting into the down slope cracking his brand new goggles he had bought just two hours earlier!
Nice!
Not to say I haven't had my fare share of embarrassing moments either such as the time I went to Whistler and decided I wanted to learn handplants. My first attempt resulted in me flying out the quarter pipe in a super man position narrowly missing every tree until I hit the ground! The point I suppose I am trying to make is that there is no better teacher than professor face-plant and snowboarding is all about fun and pushing yourself to do things you wouldn't normally do. My friend and I became more than comfortable hitting that kicker in the end and I nearly grasped the art of hand planting before the fun stopped and I had to go home.
However a balanced snowboarding life would not be complete without a good dose of aprés ski, a chance to share your embarrassing attempts at certain feats with everyone else around. At most resorts especially Tremblant and Whistler/Blackcomb where I spent my winter there is no shortage of places to party, eat, drink and have a good time. The great thing about going out in Canada is that you don't have to worry about getting your head kicked in, every one is 'super' friendly and at ski resorts are just there to have a good time. So in summary, go snowboarding its good for you and don't be afraid to take a lesson or two from professor face-plant every once in a while.
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