Spent most of Friday night watching YouTube snowboarding instructions. Then out on the slope Saturday morning. First "runs" just sliding backwards and forwards or skidding down the slope with a good dose of gentle falling over. Avoided going over the steep drop just at the side of where I was practicing and after about 30 mins could get from top to bottom without falling off and just about point in the direction I wanted to go. Next two runs I managed to get some air thanks to going a bit too fast and not being able to avoid the remains of a badly mutilated snowman at the bottom of the slope! (The landings were not very successful though)

Then feeling a bit cocky the next run had me on my back good style. Just lay in the snow thinking I must have broken all my arse bones - jeez frozen ground is hard.

By this time surfing son had managed to drag himself out of his pit and had come out for a go. Told me that were I was practicing was a shit spot anyway so we went up the valley a couple of hundred metres to a much wider, longer and more forgiving slope of fresh crisp virgin powder snow. After two practice runs he then managed easy top to bottom runs with nice smooth carving turns either side of the slope.

After dinner I had another go but the thought of another smack was not helping my progress.

The experience has at least decided I am defo not booking any snow based winter hols!

Hehe - yeah - it can be painfull to learn without proper lessons.
I 1st learned by repeatedly throwing myself down Rossendale dry ski slope. It was a good few years ago now, but I remember being horrified at the end of my 1st day - when i got home & looked in the mirror, the whole of both my bum cheeks had the worst bruising I have ever seen all over them! I couldn't sit down for about a week afterwards!
It's certainly a great way of hospitalising yourself! I didn't tell you this when you came for coffee, but over the years i've broken my wrist twice, 3 ribs, 1 elbow, dislocated my coccyx (never do this - it is f*cking agony for 2 months!) and given myself amnseia for 4 hours, which was a very odd experience! Stupid sport. Stick to the water!

Thing is I can hurt myself enough windsurfing and thats landing on water which does tend to cushion the impacts. I think if I carry on with the snowboarding I could rack up a similar injury list as well.

Shawn wrote:
when i got home & looked in the mirror, the whole of both my bum cheeks had the worst bruising I have ever seen all over them! I couldn't sit down for about a week afterwards!

Shawn - enough of the kitesurfing initiation stories, what about your experience with snowboarding?

Haha!

stu wrote:
Shawn wrote:
when i got home & looked in the mirror, the whole of both my bum cheeks had the worst bruising I have ever seen all over them! I couldn't sit down for about a week afterwards!

Shawn - enough of the kitesurfing initiation stories, what about your experience with snowboarding?

Haha!