Snowboarding or skiing?

"Dean" wrote in message
...
Joe Ramirez wrote:

I'm planning to learn either snowboarding or skiing and would like a
little
advice from enthusiasts about which sport to choose. I'm 42 and have no
previous experience with snow sports.

Joe, I'm 48. I started boarding at age 47. I have no plans to stop. I did
not
downhill ski before starting to snowboard. I'm usually the oldest person
on a
board in my area, and often the only adult. I never wanted to ski.
Boarding
looked like too much fun to not try it.

My sentiments exactly!

Thanks,

Joe Ramirez

"Baka Dasai" wrote in message
news:slrnbvifrc.6nk.idontreadthis@yahoobb220004112 021.bbtec.net...

The answer? Do snowboarding. You know you want to.

No denials here.

Thanks,

Joe Ramirez

"Sharkie" wrote in message
om...
"Joe Ramirez" wrote in message
...
Is it possible to "just go straight" on a snowboard? Or is constant back
and
forth turning required to descend a slope?

It is possible but not recommended. You can get by going flat on
a relatively moderate inclined slopes (beginner areas), but on
more advanced terrain your speed will increase to a point where
going flat is dangerous. You can easily get thrown off to the side
by uneven snow surface and catch the downhill edge. This will slam
you down hard. Being slightly on the edge, on the other hand, gives
you the control you want at all time. And once you learn how to carve
you will WANT TO turn, since carving turns are a pure pleasure to perform.
You simply lean over the edge, and let the board turn for you (hence
the shape of the board). You will feel like one with the mountain.
Truly great experience.

Now I'm really looking forward to it!

Thanks,

Joe Ramirez

Sharkie wrote:

In addtion, learning to board involves (requires?) falling. Much, much
falling.
If you learn on your own, yes. But snowboard instruction has developed
a lot over the years, and the emphasis now is to minimize the falling
when learning (and yes, I am an instructor).

That depends not only on the instructor. Look at
http://www.wilde60.de/bilder/snowboard/ostern/ostern_page-13.html
to see how you can look after two days *with* an instructor.

Thank god, it's not me on this picture.

--
Satisfy your thirst for life!
NP: Kosheen - Demonstrate

"Jürgen Schmadlak" wrote in message
...
Joe Ramirez wrote:

Now, in 2. season, I come down the hill on my board as well as I
came down on ski 15 years ago. I will never go back to ski.
This is probably the most important consideration for me. Starting at a
relatively late age, and with limited time to spend on the slopes, I
want to
able to achieve reasonable proficiency quickly enough to be able to
enjoy
it. I don't want to spend years working at something each winter without
ever becoming more than an advanced beginner or low intermediate.

But remember: for a beginner skiing is easier. To enjoy it without
*pain* in every part of the body you need more time with the board
then you need with skiers.

And most important, don't try to learn it by yourself. Take a
lesson, two or three days is a good choice.

And pads can be a good idea. Bum and knee pads can go a long way in removing
some of the pain of the first few days.

"Joe Ramirez" wrote in message
Another such vote. May I ask why? What converted you from skiing to
snowboarding?

I do both but would say if you are only going to try one, then go for skiing
and get your son to do boarding. With a background similar to mine (skating
etc but not surfing/skateboarding) you will find skiing much easier to pick
up and a LOT less painful. If you go for boarding then your son will leave
you for dust within a few days, on skis you may be able to enjoy at least
some of your holidays together.
I only started boarding last season and although I do enjoy it very much, I
still get hurt every day out. Skiing is just more natural for me but then
I've been skiing on and off since I was a child.
So if you can, then do both. I'm off again in 3 weeks and I'll be taking my
board and hiring skis so I can ski with my brother for half the day and
board with my beginner freinds the other half. Also my children are just
learning boarding and I want to have a massive adjantage over them before
they walk all over me )
Your son on the other hand should definately go for boarding, he'll pick it
up quicker, bounce back from crashes much quicker and perhaps most
importantly of all.....the chicks dig it )

--
David Brown )
http://kitemap.co.uk/stack

"Joe Ramirez" wrote in message
...

Is it possible to "just go straight" on a snowboard? Or is constant back
and
forth turning required to descend a slope?

Yeah, it's possible (with a bit of practice). What isn't possible is to get
going if the ground is flat. Skiiers have poles, and can push themselves
along. Boarders have to unstrap one foot and do a kind of Quasimodo
impression...

So it's best to get some speed up before hitting a flat bit so that you can
ride across it. But I wouldn't worry about that too much just yet - you
won't be hitting flat traverses in your first few days.

"Christoph" wrote in message
how is that possible? not to allow it? isn´t this discrimination? an
interesting point...

I wouldn't have thought they could stop you boarding unless they own the
land but they could certainly stop you from using 'their' lifts.

--
David Brown )
http://kitemap.co.uk/stack

"David Brown \)" wrote in
:

"Christoph" wrote in message
how is that possible? not to allow it? isn´t this discrimination? an
interesting point...

I wouldn't have thought they could stop you boarding unless they own
the land but they could certainly stop you from using 'their' lifts.


Sadly:

http://www.alta.com/noboard.html

http://www.skitaos.org/MOUNTAIN/index.php (bottom of page)

http://www.deervalley.com/ (bottom of page)

http://makeashorterlink.com/?L16F419F6 (2nd paragraph)

Mad River Glen really erks me - I want to go there to telemark, which
it's famous for, but I'm not going to make a trip all the way from the
UK if I can't take my board as well.

AC.

Mad River Glen really erks me - I want to go there to telemark, which
it's famous for, but I'm not going to make a trip all the way from the
UK if I can't take my board as well.

Go Tele at Mad River and then board at any one of the many other resorts
in the area... Vermont is a *very* small state with dozens of resorts in
it!

Mike T