The End of Winter: A Love Story

I had not been on a snowboard since December of 2005 at Blue Mountain, and for me this had been a very depressing fact. In the years between, I had my shiny blue board ready to go, but I just couldn't manage to get close enough to a snow covered mountain during ski season. In the Fall of 2009 I knew that this had to change. I looked at my snowboard sitting idly in the corner of our guest room and it stared back longingly. All it wanted to do was get out of the house and get onto some white, fluffy, powdery snow. As you can guess, it did not take much convincing for me to want to do the same. I dusted off my old Burton step-in bindings, checked out my old boots and realized that they no longer fit. I fired up my laptop and went online to see where I could get a new pair of step-in boots. As it turned out, step-ins were no longer something that Burton makes so I needed to start fresh.
Our story continues this past December, where I found at Burton store in Orlando some outrageously low prices on 2009 boots and bindings. This would really be my saving grace and the kick start I needed to get back on my board. I picked me up some camouflage boots and chromed out bindings and I was set to return triumphantly to my board and fix it up for the season. At this point I was set, now all I had to do was find a suitable weekend to get out there and ride.

The day finally come on January 17th, 2010 at Gunstock Mountain in NH. My snowboard, the snow, and I were finally reunited. I didn't realize how much I had been missing out until I got back on that board! The five years absence seemed like no time at all and I was feeling as comfortable as ever. The added fun of teaching Jeanne some of the finer points of skiing (which I admittedly haven't done since age 12) really made my first day back a great one.
This would be just one of many days that I would spend on the snow this winter and spring. We enjoyed mountains in 3 different states including Gunstock and Loon Mountains in New Hampshire, Mount Wachusett in Massachusetts, and our last weekend of the season at Stratton in Vermont. I was happy as ever shredding down the mountains, Jeanne has really gotten the hang of skiing, and overall it really was just a great season out on the slopes.
As I sit out on my back deck over looking the ocean and enjoying some beautiful spring weather, I can't help but think about the great times we had on the snow this winter and really am starting to miss them already. I guess it is that time of year to put the board and skis to bed until next season... only 8 months until December!

Oh wait! I just read that Mammoth Mtn. in California is open until July 4th since they had a total of 41 feet of snow this winter! Encore? I'll have to clear this with Jeanne first!