Got down the mountain late this evening, just in time to have a nice hot bath with coconut bubbles (they’re so cocoNUTTY!) and epsom salts. Yeah, I’m sore. But not as sore as I thought I’d be, which is good. Thank you, yoga! When I was pouring in the epsom salts, a HUGE chunk fell in. I decided that this was probably not a bad thing. It also made me quite buoyant. Also, I needed a shower, due to my rather intense case of toque/helmet-head.

Me, in a helmet, on a slope.

I stayed in this morning, because I had some work to do. This did not seem like the best use of my time at a cabin on a mountain, what with my new-found love of sliding down said mountainside, strapped to a board.

I got as much done as I could, given that I needed some approvals before I could really move forward very much (that and the internet was spotty). Then, all alone, I decided I should do some yoga, which I began after texting Adam to ask how much fun he was having. He replied that he was having very much fun and I should join him. So join him I did.

I got my rental gear like a pro, swapping a wrist guard because having a left and a right seemed more useful than the two rights I’d been given.

I slid down to the bottom, feeling pretty pleased that I hadn’t forgotten everything from the day before. I also tested my theory that, despite my experiences with surfing and life in general, I was strangely a goofy-foot on a snowboard. The evidence I compiled through my empirical studies (read: flailing and bailing after hurtling goofy-foot forward, losing control and catching my toe-edge, resulting in the instantaneous explosion of me rolling down the slope), demonstrates that, in fact, I am not a goofy-foot. Solved that mystery pretty durned quick.

I also practiced boarding on my toe-edge, because anything with a toe-edge is not where I really excel. This is not my favourite. I’m not sure why, but I do have a sneaking suspicion that it’s because sliding down a mountain backwards is not altogether a moment in which I feel as though I’m the boss of me.

I practiced my linked turns, which aren’t really linked, because of my aforementioned toe-edge issues. Heel turns? No prob. All over it. If that were a competition, I’d probably win, against some 6 year olds. Toe-edge turns? Not so much. I have sorted out why I have yet to successfully negotiate a toe-edge turn (thus linking my turns, you see). Here is my hypothesis:

1. As soon as I turn my board to prepare for my toe-edge turn, my speed picks up, pretty much immediately reaching mach 4.
2. At this speed, I am not entirely certain that, were I to put my weight on my toe-edge, I would not fall backwards, endangering everyone around me, and most importantly, endangering myself, in the process.

So, clearly I need a little practice. Next time up, I’m taking another lesson to practice. I’d be level 2, said Liz, my amazing instructor. Level 2, you guys. Not too shabby.

Also, Mount Washington is really beautiful. See here:

My feet, on my sweet rental gear. See how pretty Mount Washington is?