Is It Time to Hang Up My Snowboard?
I'm not a particularly young guy. But, I'm not that old, either. I'm 51.
I grew up skiing in New England. We took family vacations to Black Mountain, Attitash, and Wild Cat. It was lot's of good family fun and some of the best memories growing up.
Now I have 4 of my own kids. And we vacation at Breckenridge, Peek n' Peak, and other mountains. Good family fun and the source of many awesome memories.
I switched from skiing to snowboarding 17 years ago. I haven't skied since. I love snowboarding. I'm no expert, but I'm decent and I can (mostly) keep up with my teenage sons and daughters. I may hit a box or two in the park, but nothing crazy. That's how I keep up.
But I'm reaching "that age", where I'm beginning to wonder how much longer I can do this. If you're a snowboarder, you know it can be a violent sport. Falls can happen fast and typically have an abrupt ending when you hit the ground hard. And I'm not saying skiing isn't inherently dangerous, too. Or that you can experience some violent crashes on skiis. No doubt, that can happen to anyone on either a board or skis. But let's presume I'm already managing my pace and terrain down to a comfortable level... My experience is that while many ski crashes are tumbles, snowboard crashes are anything but. Wham! Face or back of head hits ground. Rinse and repeat.
What I Think I Look Like...
So while I think I'm hauling ass and being the cool dad, looking like this:
What I'm really doing and looking like is closer to this:
Is My Snowboarding Career Ending Soon?
Probably. I suspect I have another few seasons in me before I hang up the board and go back to skis. I'm going to want a more stable platform and enjoy a more peaceful experience. With proper choice of speed and terrain, I think I can enjoy a more serene experience on two skis than on one board. Do you agree?
In the meantime, I'll continue to do what I can to keep myself safe. I wear a helmet, snowboard gloves with wrist guards built in, padded shorts with tailbone and hip padding, and a snowboard jacket with integrated armor. Overkill? Likely. But hey, I'm 51 and pushing just to keep up with my kids for another few seasons...
4 Responses
Jim
Stoney – 74 years old! I salute you, my good man. That is impressive. I hope you had a good opening weekend this weekend. Stay safe.
Stoney
Jim, Take it from me that age is just a number! Some days I come home from a day of boarding and am stiff and sore but looking forward to
" tomorrow" The Mountain opens here in Smithers tomorrow( Nov. 24) and am excited to be back on my board! Oh! by the way I’m 74 yrs.old.
Denise
Come join me on skis! I still ride the bumps and go in and out of trees… yes I wear a helmet. ?
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Douglas
January 08, 2018
You’re going to snowboard for another 20 years!