is
so much less
transitive
than skiing.
It's less aggressive.
It's easier.
(dirty little secret similar to the internet is free)
No more "attacking the hill."
Riding is more like dancing.
I'm convinced
a properly braced
dummy could be pointed and released from the top
of most mountains and
given a good board
and a little luck
get to the bottom
standing up.
Which is not to say
MISHAPS
as documented by the intrepid
PHOTOGRAPHER
don't occur,
of course..
BUT HERE'S
What it's all about
boreal Ridge
looking west
Sunset
In the Tibetan tradition there is the story of Milarepa, the mystic whose powers of concentration were such he could fly about the Himalayas on a magic carpet...that sums it up...the feeling...of actually gliding, warm and dry, a silent eye through the snowy woods is to be as happy as
an eye
can be.
A poem
GETTING TO KNOW
GRAVITY
AN ESSAY
GRAVITY is more of a palpable player when boarding than skiing because unstrapping and hobbling takes a lot of energy. And it doesn't look good. And it causes acid reflux. And it can be dangerous (see below). So you prefer not to stop anywhere you can't go again with a thought.
GRAVITY is a tank of gas: you fill it up on the lift and you're out when you stop. If you happen to stop in deep snow, (heavy wet deep snow is the worst but fluffy light powder will kill you just the same) well then you must dig down, unbuckle, extricate yourself and your board and then devise a strategy to get the two of you going again.
GRAVITY and I got to know each other very well one day in a lovely meadow at the bottom of an enticing small cliff at the foot of Squaw Valley's Cornice II chair. That snowy meadow isn't large but it's very flat and it happened to have a lot of snow that day. It was almost my personal La Brea tarpit when I ran out of gravity only yards short of the liftline. And within earshot of everyone on the lift. Was that ever ignoble. I think it took me 45 minutes to get out trying everything short of calling for help.
Ah but what would beauty be without mortality?
Every dip through the trees is a bracing calculation of gravity and angles and snow-depth and quality. Unequivocating decisions - like are we going above or below that tree? - are signed and sealed every second, once and forever at high speed.
DEFINITELY
Focuses
the
snowboarding
please.
