The board v ski debate ...

So ... 6 days into life as a snowboarder and:

I've totally kicked a diamond black's, moguled ass today
I've spent the whole day on intermediate to expert slopes at my second resort of the trip, Breckenridge
I've hit my head on the mountain for the first time
I've slid 20 metres down the slope after my feet flipped over my head

So, all in all, I feel I'm suitably qualified to offer some views on the titled just in case anyone else is thinking the same! All I can hope is that none of the expert boarders (and I mean experts who hike up mountains to be able to board and get their kicks!) staying in my hostel (the unbelievable Fireside Inn) read this and smirk. Ah well. They're a cool, chilled out breed that I hope one day to join! Hang on! I'm in already after today! See. I now wear a lid!















You'll just about be able to see that we had blizzard conditions this afternooon and at one point I was hurtling forwards seeing about 1 metre in front of my feet. 'Hmmmm ... nice ...'

So back to my opinions about boarding v skiing. Boarding is a way freer experience because you're not carrying those poles and spending every second on the slopes concerned that you'll cross your skis and go A over T! All you have to do is wave your arms about to keep your balance. And the 'catch a front edge' in boarding is a bit of a myth - for me anyway. I think I've done it just once. Providing you can trick your head and tell it to lean down a 1 in 10 slope you tend to always be in control. And when you do fall, providing you tackle steep slopes, you're actually quite close to the ground. Fall 'backwards' and you only travel a yard or two before the slope catches you. It's not strictly backwards as I'm sure the Vanster would point out but that's the easiest way to explain it. The board itself is a pretty stable object to ride. When there's this much snow around (I've just heard 30 inches predicted for the next day or two!) it cuts through the snow and keeps you bolt upright, provided, (Americanism slipped in there!) your weight is on your leading foot ( I ride normal not daffy) and you keep a tension in your legs that knackers them come mid-afternoon. And I think it's generally a lot easier than skiing. I'd love to research skiiers and boarders and see who have better sporty genes and are more co-ordinated. I bet it's the skiiers. I'm riding terrain that I'd have no right to do afer the equivalent time on skis. But you give it back when it comes to the flat sections. You really have to learn fast how to let a board run. Otherwise it can drive you insane and did on my first day. You also need to pick your mountain.

And I'll shift for a second and mention Breckenridge. I'm finding it nowhere near as good as Copper for me. It's just flat. It's big and has great, long, rolling runs where you could traverse around all day long. But I've realised that I love the 'shoot, I'm falling, no I'm not, I've made it' experience. And I found it only today on my fourth peak at Peak 10 (they're numbered 7 to 10). They do have an amazing high section of diamond blacks at around 12,000 feet above the tree line that I must tackle before I leave here! They're not as hard as they sound. Breckenridge was an old mining town and I visited their neat, little museum on Main Street. More learning about where I am! It's an old mining town and the population, after the rush, dropped to about 100. Here it is the other day when we had a rare break in the clouds (it's between my left shoulder and that tree ... OK ... cack photograph from a kindly boarder).















But despite all the technical cack about snowboarding the main thing is it's just more fun for me. Or sweeter as I now say recurringly. But you really can't take youself too seriously when doing it. The micro-culture that makes it up has the best use of the English language I've ever heard. This following line is 100% true. I heard it from the public announcer when I stopped at Copper for a break and watched a bit of the half-pipe competition during the 2008 US Open Championships (see, I came at a great time huh?).

He said 'And, you know, you won't survive in this competition if you can't pump a tranny' ... gumph ... what have I let myself in for ...

For a quick finish here's the beautiful Fireside Inn in Breckenridge run by the wonderfully British Andy and Nikki. Another amazingly warm welcome (apart from the mystery snorer last night but I don't think they can do anything about that). I love it's bright blue colour and the tea/coffeee/cake they serve at 4:00pm after a hard day on the mountain. A different than I'm used to form of apres ski. But so much better for the liver than recounting stories with Robbie Jackson et al! The dormitory is the Organ Loft and it's the window beneath the eves including balcony viewing of the slopes!















Enough for now 'cos I'm sat in the O2 Lounge in Breckenridge and if this snow keeps up I might not make the 300m walk home! Top altitude news today that I forgot to mention. I'm taking what looks suspiciously like a Gill placebo called 'Altitude Adjustment' and it did the trick. 'A complex mixture of homeopathic substances' they claim. 'A subtle blend of sawdust and superglue' it looks like ...