Edcase

Well, now I have built up a decent digital camera set up and a new mountainbike set up, I need another ridiculously expensive hobby to make sure I never get my finances sorted /buy a house / get married etc.

So, I have taken up snowboarding.

My friend is renting a chalet in Chamonix from December until next summer (and possibly indefinitely) and so we are going away from Boxing Day until the sixth of January.

So yesterday I spent the entire day at one of those 'learn to board in a day' gigs at Tamworth snow dome.

Having been a keen skateboarder in my youth, I was hoping I would pick it up pretty quickly, and lo and behold that proved to be the case, and I was going from the very top, linking turns and even trying out riding switch before lunchtime, which left me the entire afternoon away from the rest of the group to have a play.

By the end of the day I was doing 2ft ollies and getting up some serious speed, although not without some amusing lapses in concentration / overconfidence / lack of skill and experience moments.

As you can probably tell, I am now completely hooked and cannot wait until New Year when I don't have to stop and go back to the top every 100 metres

My partner finally managed to drag me off at 6 p.m. after almost eight hours (apart from 2 hrs for lunch) on the slope, and then spent about an hour lusting after the array of boots, boards, bindings and clothing in the shop.

And so begins another round of magazine and Internet research, testing and finally purchasing.

Anybody considering learning I can't recommend the Tamworth 1-day course highly enough. Even the food was good.

Any accomplished snowboarders on here? Anybody know of any 04 bargains going on???

JackClark

I love to Snowboard. I'm much calmer now prefering long cruisey/technical runs over snow parks and building jumps. Chamonix is fantastic, try to get a guide for a day or an afternoon, the off piste is amazing.

Edcase

Jack,

Totally agree. Although I will definitely learn some 'moves' just to keep things interesting.

106rallye

Chamonix is a pretty extreme resort for your first! supposed to be very good tho, the company I am working for this winter has a good bar there called La Terrasse.

get some off piste lessions NOT from the ESF! much easier to pick up off piste on a board, make sure the company you use is reputable and everyone has a transever, shovel and probe AND knows how to use them! as you like photography thought I would include a couple of photos! Not taken by me unfortunatley but my mate! most of mine are drunken nights of apres ski! but I think they are









Enjoy!

Andy

Adam M

don't take up the french style of snowboarding which is all about looking where you want to go, it forces you to twist your hips and puts strain on the sciatic (spelling?) nerve.

It is poor form.

best way to turn takes some practice and comes with years and is merely about weight transfer on both feet from toes to heels whilst keeping body perpendicular to direction fo travel, use yours eyes and head to look where you are going, don't whatever you do turn your whole body else you will think that si the correct way to turn and it will plague you later on in snowboarding life.

LOL @ ollies, much easier on a snowboard than a skateboard.

Don't believe it if people tell you a resort is a difficult place to start etc etc. Its all about fear, once you realsie it doesn't hurt much when you fall you will get much much better.

Always remember, if you aren't falling over, you aren't trying hard enough.


adam (30 weeks a snowboarder and still hating skiiers )

106rallye

LOL glad you put the wink in there!

The only reason you hate skiiers is because they go faster and look more stylish

nope the only people to hate on the mountains are the ESF and snowbladers

Andy

Edcase

Thanks for the tips chaps, definitely going to get a few more indoor trips in before we go away.

Planning on just buying the essential clothing first, and possibly renting gear when we get out there, although knowing me I will get the boot, board and binding too

Andrew Dixon

Give my mates Stef or Andy at Slide a call if you're thinking of buying any gear. I''m sure they'll be happy to give you plenty of friendly, unbiased advice and quite probably cut you a good deal.

Welcome to the world of snowboarding!

Edcase

nice site, may well drop em a line.