Snowboarding: It’s Like Biking but More Expensive

I have to say that after snowboarding again after a year since last season, I have learned about the sport itself. One good thing is that I still remember how to move and navigate somewhat. It’s always good when you’re taking a pause from learning something and when you pick it up again, you just continue where you left off. It’s not like doing it again for the first time. So I am proud that I still know now to turn and stop on command, for the most part. My turns are what beginners do, zig-zag back and forth. I remembered to dig my heels in to stop. I also noticed that this time around, I became very reliant on my heels for navigation.

Fresh White Powder

I haven’t quite grasped both the concept using your toes to board. One reason must be that I use my heels to dig into the snow and stop. So I always feel like I have my feet on the brakes when I need to stop. You definitely need to be able to dig your heels into the snow when you need to slow down to control your speed. Also when you need to stop and take a breather. I feel comfortable and confident that I can just stop and stand or sit for awhile and take a rest. It’s like running and needed to stop and rest sometimes, well for most people. I can running for at least an hour without stopping, but that’s just me. >=D Anyway, my first boarding of this season and I feel that stuff has sunk and stuck in from last year. After falling off and just dropping to the ground from the ski lifts and doing, thankfully, far less tumbles from last year, there is a distinct parallel that I want to draw with snowboard and biking.

Here Comes the Drawn Parallel: Snowboarding is Just Expensive Biking

Before anyone bites my head off, give me a chance to explain my stance. I will not do a comparison between snowboard and biking.

Let’s see what snowboard and biking have in common:

1. The thrill is mainly going downhill, not uphilll. Am I right? Going uphill is like when you’re on a roller coaster heading toward the peak at the top before you dive head first into the valley. The rush and feeling of wind and adrenaline. I got it.
2. It’s a constant cycle of going uphill and downhill. Lather, rinse and repeat. We continue to follow this pattern until the cows come home. Nothing wrong here but it’s just that.
3. You fall sometimes, bruises heal and you get back up and move on. Going downhill can hurt. If you survive a crash, you know that you just get up and do it again.
4. You have to go to special places to do these things, namely a mountain. Canyons and hill are good too but no flat lands. Flat is boring says I.

What are the differences now?

1. Snowboarding is more expensive because of the ski lift tickets. About $80 for a full day since snowboards don’t have mechanical pedals like bikes do. Bikes save money since you can either just pedal or walk the bike up the mountain.
2. Snowboarding places, at least in Orange County are few and far from home. You got Mountain High in Wrightwood, which about a 1.5 hour drive one way or 2 hours one way to big bear. Sorry to say, but here in the OC, snow playgrounds are far and in between. You thought that the ski lift tickets were expensive. Check you gas meter when you come back home from a boarding trip. Mountain biking trails are plentiful in the OC. Many are free too!
3. Snowboard don’t come with brakes like a bike does, so expect to fall more when learning. This one’s painful, you gotta learn quickly how to slow and stop on a board because your feet are your brakes. Nothing to squeeze like on a bike.
4. When you’re on a flat slope, you need to push yourself forward to get sliding down again when boarding. Otherwise you’re just stuck in a spot. At least on a bike you can pedal on flat land.
5. Boarding forces you go on a ski lift or gondola, bikes you can just pedal of walk your bike up. I don’t mind walking my bike uphills, I actually love it. You’re pushing something heavy up a hill. Men love this stuff, we’re strong. Do I need to mention the possibly falling that occurs when ejecting from a ski lift? Doesn’t happen a bike since you don’t have a board stuck to your feet. Just saying.

After this compare and contrast, I have a conclusion to make. Snowboarding has made me appreciate biking a lot more. With biking I can actually travel to far places, I don’t need to go up the same hill to just repeat it all over again, I can stop completely when I want to, there are many mountain biking trails to ride and it’s cheaper. I feel that even though I enjoy snowboarding, I am a biker at heart. <3