Seasons End

4,488 miles driven

22 days on mountain

140 lift rides

174,780 vertical feet (logged)

Not my biggest season, but big enough. Snowboarding has become a bit more than just a fun hobby that I enjoy. It is that, but it’s also more of a soul-feeding way to disconnect from work and distraction and connect friends, myself through mountain top meditation, with God and with nature. If I’m being honest, the doses of adrenaline probably play a role too in why I keep going back. I’m not typically “thrill seeking” in the sense of pushing the envelope further and further until disaster strikes. I tend to respect the limits. (Not a great time to mention my max speed on a snowboard… 58mph). Nonetheless, adrenaline and dopamine combine when you’re turning over smooth groomers or fresh powder. I always watch for the rollers and side hits to add some spice to the glide. A quick ollie to pop off a couple feet into the air over these features and for a moment I don’t fee like I’m 42 with sore knees. At age 18… sure, push the limits. Launch of massive kickers and see how high and far you can go while pulling off a sick mute grab. If you don’t land it… you get a broken shoulder, wear a sling for 6 weeks, get our of some schoolwork, and you’re back before you know it. At age 42… the recovery isn’t fun.

Before the season wrapped up, I had hoped to make it up to Breckenridge for pond skimming day. I made sure to squeeze in there with my camera to get some shots of the #yolo crowd skimming across freezing cold, slushy water. Not many make it across. A few do. Glad I was able to capture a few glory shots!

Here’s to riding out another season and hoping for many more.