Try Something NEW

Trying to stick with my new years resolution of trying new activities... I mentioned to my friend Julie that I'd like to try snowboarding.

In high school, I often joked with friends about graduating and attending college in Colorado just so we could snowboard... because it looks like so much fun!! Since I now live in the great white north, where winter lasts 6 months out of the year, I figured this would be the time and place to give it a try and see if my perception of the activity is correct.

There is a ski resort at Mount Alyeska in the city of Girdwood -- about 45 minutes south of Anchorage. Me, Julie, Clif (her husband), and our friend James carpooled to the resort this morning and signed up for a beginners class. Clif grew up skiing, and Julie has tried snowboarding before, but James and I were both newbies. We had our own instructor and she was very helpful with teaching the basics. The class lasted two hours and by time it was over, we had learned everything about the movements of snowboarding and were going down the bunny slopes strapped in and on our own.

By time the class ended, all of us were starving so we took a break for lunch. Clif mentioned how he planned on signing up for another class (level 2) but honestly, I was a little skeptical. My shins were already hurting from the boots / being strapped in. But all of us signed up for round two. And they took us to a bigger area that was steeper than the first slopes.

We stayed at Alyeska until about 5, but I called it quits before then. I had been told by others that snowboarding the first few times will make you really sore. They weren't kidding. I had muscles aching that I didn't even know existed until now. Haha. I consider myself an athletic person (even though I sometimes slack off for a few months at a time)... but let me tell ya! I'm doped up on vitamin I (ibuprofen) and resting for the next few days. See photos below!

1st Time Snowboarding