Colorado Snowboarding

14.

That's the number of trips I've made to Colorado this year. Not to mention the fact that I lived out there for 5 months last year.

0.

That's the number of times I've gone skiing or snowboarding while out there, and it's almost criminal since I was only about 3 hours away from good skiing last winter. So this winter I decided to correct this grievance and fly out for my last meeting of the year a few days early, stay in a cheap little motel, and hit the slopes.

But first, a few shots from the flight out there, because as you get closer and closer to the airport, the terrain gets more and more spectacular. On a clear winter day, this is what you see as you approach- more and more snow, and then a dry river bed, and then those gorgeous mountains.




And here's what it looks like to drive through those mountains (taken at around 9,000 feet) to Winter Park.



And here's what I look like trying to snowboard for the first time without taking lessons, because I arrived too late to get into the beginners' class. I spent a great deal of time on the beginner slopes with my rear end either in the snow or straight up in the air (for balance, of course).






But eventually I got the hang of it, after figuring out that I ride goofy (left foot back). It really didn't surprise me to learn that since I ice skate left-footed, as well. I then graduated to the slope where you hold the tow rope to pull you up.

And after a few runs down it, I was completely wiped out for the day.


The entire ski village is actually a gondola ride up from the rest of the resort, so I snapped a few photos on the way down. The little red cars on the cable are the other gondolas.