Snowboarding isn't just for kids

...but maybe it should be. I spent this past weekend in Tahoe with G, KB, and her BF. We had a great time. Chatted and rocked out on our drive up there--it was simply gorgeous. The forests were amazing and the cabin we rented in South Lake Tahoe was adorable.



I mean, it's totally the wave of the future--microhousing. Anyway, it was well appointed and we had a fabulous first night. Then came the great snowboarding debacle of 2006. Here's a pic before my class.



See how eager and innocent I look? Well, no more. Perhaps it had something to do with my age, but the Burton Learn to Ride program really didn't live up to its overwhelming endorsement on About.com.

I did well enough in the class, and managed to get on and off of the lift okay. But in the class we only went side to side down one run, stopping on each side of the hill. We barely got to turns before the class was over. Right after my lesson I had lunch, and was full of unbridled enthusiasm.

Then came the long afternoon of beating after beating. Lots and lots of falling, in slightly icy conditions. Both of my knees were completely purple. And still I kept on. That is, until after becoming rather tired and sloppy, I took two nasty knocks to the head and started seeing stars. That's pretty much when I knew I was done.

Sunday night as I examined my aches, pains and bruising (including a large triangle shaped bruise around my buttbone) I decided that I just couldn't snowboard another day.

Sunday I skied better than I had in my life, and had a great time of it. Perhaps it was all of the pillowy soft powder which made falling no big deal. Perhaps it was that I could actually get down hills without falling. All I know is that I can ski.

I guess my ridiculous dreams of doing the snowboard cross event are pretty much over. Still, next time I go I'm going to try it again...who knows...maybe it'll take the second time around.