Saturday Night Snowboarding at Afton

When I dug the jacket out of my gear bag, the attached ticket said March 2005. I knew it had been a while, but 4 years? - I guess it could be: I remember thinking I didn't go snowboarding this year, more than once. I will go this year for sure - more than once too. Today I did. Got my board ground, waxed and sharpened at the Alt first thing this morning - the guy said; it'll be fast and those edges are sharp - Be careful! It's just like riding a bike, I'm telling myself. It's just like riding a bike... And it was. By the third run I was about 80% back, later on I was tearing it up, launched into the air 4 times on one great run. I'd forgotten the adrenaline rush that flying down the hill is - and carving huge-wide turns like surfing on snow. So fun. It was a beautiful crisp night down in the Afton valley and morning-bed-warm inside my layered clothes; with the easy step-in bindings and the never-ending ipod it soon became a continuous circle of thrills and satisfaction.

Now, late night, my eyes feel like they are continuously filling with sand. My mind is satisfied, my body is tired. I think I'll be going again this year.