Season 24-25: Day 3

I switched to snowboard today. I started off over in Spruce Peak on the green terrains to carve. I didn’t quite get to where I wanted to be yet, but I did see a thin line in the snow. I inserted the shin guards in between the shell and the liner of my booths to help with the heel turns. Unfortunately, they kept sliding out; therefore, I stopped using them.

I must confess, I don’t like strapping up my binding every single time I get at the top of the lift. Some resorts, such as Mount Snow and Whitetail, have a bench at the top of the lifts so snowboarders can strap on easier. I am old and I have a gut. In addition, my jacket is tight; therefore, either standing up or sitting on the snow to strap on isn’t fun. By 11:30 am, I was getting tired strapping on my binding. I am thinking of click-in bindings. I would have to buy a new pair of boots. The combo would just be so expensive.

Around noon, I went over to Mansfield to take some blue runs since I was not hungry yet. As I approached the double-black trails, I was not sure if I should give them a run. The double-black trails at Stowe are no joke. I skied once last spring and I could barely survive the big moguls. Then my adrenaline kicked in and I decided to take a shot. The moguls weren’t too bad this time. The snow was also soft; therefore, it was not so bad. I actually enjoyed the run.

I went back inside for a quick lunch and then headed back to the double-black trails again. I could do a few quick turns. When I didn’t feel comfortable, I just slide down. My legs burned and I took many breaks. After that, I wanted to revisit the black diamond trail I liked last spring. This time, there were moguls from top to bottom. My legs were giving out. My toes started to hurt. It turned out that I strapped my bindings a bit too tight. I couldn’t make anymore turns. I had to do the falling leaf all the way down. Even then I had to take many breaks.

I hate to admit it, but I am feeling old. My body can’t take the challenging terrains anymore. I need to take it easy. I will be back t skiing tomorrow.