"Okay, my hair's frozen."

These words came from my mouth today, as i went snowboarding at Mountain High with friends from class. First-time experience, and quite the fun learning endeavor.

My friends are experienced, but were cool with starting on an easier slope so that i could learn, but the 'easy riders' lift was inaccessible, so we went down the nearest available lift. Little did i know that i was learning on a slope that contained a black diamond, which i just happened to inadvertently choose to try.

so i fell.
again.
again.
again.

will spare details of physical pain, largely spread throughout lower body, with some nech aches, but the words i heard were 'you're lucky that the snow's such great powder today.' i take it ice would have led to a concussion, quite plausible when i think of the times i caught an edge and thought, while falling forward, 'okay, i'm about to take another whack in the back from my tied-to-legs snowboard.'

many were the times i felt the ice and snow all over me, especially the ice in the gloves and on my hat, as well as the iceberg-hairstyle that i took on for a few hours. standing up, getting my balance, and staying on my feet while going down a snow-encrusted mountain while navigating the board had a much higher difficulty rating than virtually all daily situations (with the exceptions coming in accompaniment with what is commonly known as a hang-over).

but, damn, i had fun. the first run was quite the beating, but the moments where i thought i got it were adrena-rushes, setting the stage for the second run, where the fall factor was reduced drastically (partially due to the closing of that lift which forced a move to a mostly-blue, or intermediate, slope, partially due to the boarder 'getting it.' Shocked yet pumped, i rode downhill, learning the heel technique and beginning to control my balance, feathering right and left. even the losses of control went better, with several falls somehow averted. i still took a beating, still got my ass kicked, still had those post-fall moments of sitting in the show, feet in front, where the dominant thought was 'okay, get up.' and got up and kept going. the rise to a standing position was a bit quicker this round, with less down time and more complete motions (rather than the multiplicity of 'cannonballs' i went into on the first round.)

the third lift would have been the chance to learn the 'toe technique,' where we face the top of the mountain, backs downhill. however, inclement weather, in this case out-of-control winds, kept james and i at the bottom of the mountain with the chairlift shut down after dave, howard, and carlene boarded. frustrating to have the day on the slopes end so early, with nothing open after 11, but cool in that we can go back later in the season and finish the day. even cooler: we got vouchers not just from the resort, but also from the equipment rental place.

i'll be back.
we'll be back.
rock and roll.