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| Sqamish from Above |
My time home in Squamish after nationals was invigorating. Not only did I get quality time in my house but I also was able to ride my favourite mountain, Whistler Blackcomb and pick up some new techniques on riding.
Being back in my own bed was heaven; I even call that bed the coffin because you could spend the rest of your life in it. The feeling of my own effects around me was comforting after the long journey of traveling for competition. When I am on the road I hardly think about how much I miss my room in my home, but when I return I definitely appreciate my belongings and their placement.
Aside from enjoying my house I also spent time tidying my garage and the small things that always need tending to after I have been away. I also must admit that I cleared most of the Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles WII game, love my video games!
Heading up to Whistler was beautiful too. There, it was still a winter wonderland with fresh snow right to the village. I met up with my great friend and snowboard tuner Yohann Sheetz to take some peak to creek runs. In spite of it being spring it was cold there maybe minus five to minus ten. That first day my legs and feet were burning from the long runs, my feet were used to six minute pipe laps and we were riding twenty-five to thirty-five minute runs! But it was awesome to get some last powder days in before the end of the season.
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| Whistler Blackcomb |
I finally had the opportunity to get together with Olympian and Whistler local Crispin Lipscomb to learn new edging and stance techniques on my snowboard. I felt it was necessary to get back to some fundamentals; at times you can take leaps ahead by going back a few spaces.
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| Crispin Lipscomb |
One always feels a bit awkward when trying new things, and so did I, but I was pumped to be learning new ways to use the full potential of my snowboard. Crispin had a lot of great pointers to improve my carving, and I had a blast putting them to use.
I cursed thought the on snow techniques, but needed more practice to refine it off features. Riding some mellow small park and rails was so enjoyable; we only took one run though the full sized half pipe. I loved learning these new things about my sport and applying them.
The continual learning of snowboarding is one of the most alluring aspects of snowboarding. The three days with Crispin were fun and they now leave me with new concepts to think about and utilize in my half pipe riding.
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| Summit County |
Home is always the favourite trip during the year, but now it was time to go back to Summit County, Colorado,
So far it has been a great riding trip, getting back some old tricks and I even won a quarter pipe contest in Breckenridge. The time ahead will be short but intense and I will achieve great accomplishments from it…but I am looking forward to heading back to Squamish after :)
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