2021 Gumbo final - Book - Page 222
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nolan
“I’ve been snowboarding for about eight years. My family has a timeshare in
Breckenridge, Colorado so we go up there every few years. The very first place
that I learned to snowboard was called Mountain High in California where I’m
originally from. Ever since then, I’ve travelled around the country going to places
in Colorado, places all over California and Montana, and so on. Snowboarding is
so unique in that it’s all on you. It’s super calming the whole time. All you have to
focus on is yourself, your turning and just going down the mountain! You don’t
have to worry about anything else. The mountains usually open up around eight or
nine depending where you go. I’ll wake up early, get breakfast, and head out to the
mountain. I’ll ride the lift up and spend the whole day there. After that, I’ll just hang
out at the hot tub and eat dinner. I’d say I’m high intermediate to early advanced
with my skill level. I’ve done a couple of double-black diamonds, but they’re very
hard. I don’t enjoy them because they’re too difficult to have fun on. The harder
blues and earlier blacks are the ones that I have the most fun snowboarding on. I
can do some jumps and tricks but it’s very easy to get injured. My thing is just being
in control, going fast, and making good carves. I actually injured my shoulder last
year on a ski trip. I caught my toe edge going down a steep run. Since your feet
are locked in on the board, I just fell forward and smashed my shoulder. I’m going
to have to get surgery for it. Last January, I went out to Montana with one of my
buddies and we went snowboarding there. I plan on going to do that again, and
we’re going to go to Big Sky, which is the second biggest ski resort. I’m very excited
if it all works out sometime this winter!”