Pinch me

» 22 Mar 2006, 4:32pm in personal - 3 comments

Ordinarily if I'd have ever told you that I was sad to see winter coming to and end, it would mean I was being sarcastic, I was drunk, or you'd met my bizzarro. Unbelievably, though, I am about to say something that for the past 30 years I would never have even thought about saying... I'M GOING TO MISS WINTER.

Of course, this is the result of one thing and one thing only: snowboarding. I've finally found something about winter I truly love. While I've only been six times, I already know that it's something I want to do for the rest of my able-bodied life. No longer will I despise the onset of bitterly cold weather, or a healthy dumping of snow on the city. No, these things now mean so much more than just frozen ears and traffic accidents - they mean that within a couple of hours, I can be blazing down the trails at a local ski hill, or that in the approaching season, I'll be seeking out bigger, faster, better destinations to lay down tracks in the fresh snow.

I envy Aaron just a little bit more now, for moving to Vancouver. So close to some of the best riding in North America (a la Whistler/Blackcomb). Aaron, you can count on having at least one visitor next winter!

I'm also very excited that a new Ride No. 4 161cm snowboard is on its way to my address right now! I'll still need to get some bindings and boots, and likely won't even get to ride it this season, but I can stare at it throughout the summer and dream of carving up some trails come winter 06/07.

Kristin and I went to the Gatineau area of Québec (we stayed in Wakefield) and checked out Mont Ste. Marie while we were there. At 1250' of vertical, it's 500' taller than Ontario's highest hill, Blue Mountain, so it seemed pretty big to me. While it didn't have a lot of good steep runs for Kristin, there were a few blacks that were really good for me and it was a great step forward for my learning. If you're planning on heading up that way and need a place to stay, I can recommend a great little B&B in Wakefield called Auberge de Mon Petit Chum. Our hosts Dawn and Jennifer were great, very knowledgeable about the area and well connected with the locals, and the accommodations were terrific and inexpensive.

That's all the fits for now, more soon (famous last words).

3 comments:

  • jimmehk: i hate (never) to say i told you so....i knew you'd love it and ofcourse, selfishly i'm very glad you do. plus you're a natural...Blacks...and you've only been 6 times :)
  • b: Whistler/Blackcomb rocks, you should look into hitting the glacier in the summer, always a good time and a way to get thru the no boarding dryspell. I remember going to Mt. Ste. Anne, good place but at the time they didn't allow snowboarding at all.. that's how long I have been riding.
  • rob: That's a great idea, I didn't know that was an option. Is riding the glacier like riding a regular ski hill?

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