Canada Rocks [6/52] by Ryan

This week I prepared for my first snowboarding trip out to the mountains in almost 3 years. I'm amazed it's been that long but the last couple years i've just been so tied up with school and life that I never made time for the old Burton Snowboard from 1997.

Yes, in 1997 I was in grade 7 and 12 years old when I bought this snowboard setup for ~$650. Over 12 years later, I'm still riding the same board, boots and bindings. It all still fits. The only issue I seem to have is with SINKING. I was about 60lbs lighter back in those days and it was quite easy for me to ride the powder. Now I sink right in and endo right over into the snow. Great. 

It's still a really fun board to ride and easy to turn and do tricks on. I love this snowboard.

The trip took us out to Kicking Horse which is a nice little (BIG) ski hill near Golden, B.C. It's about a 4 hour drive and I met up with my friends in Golden around 8pm to have some supper whlie we watched the opening ceremony of the olympics out in Vancouver about 7-8 hours away.  It was mezmorizing and we sat there amazed as what looked to be whales, swam through the water in BC Place and spouted water up in to the stadium air. It was great to watch even though there were a few technical issues with hydrolics and the flame.

Back at our condo we had a patio with a hottub that got MUCH use over the course of the weekend. It was great to come back from a day of boarding and have a beer while soaking in the hot tub. Not to mention the amazing food and great friends.

I taught one of the girls how to snowboard that morning and she was carving within the first hour of teaching. I can't wait to teach Krysta to snowboard someday when she calls Canada her home, or we go for a few runs in the Swiss Alps. THAT would be fun.

I miss her, but while I'm out snowboarding in the mountains, she'll be 40,000ft in the air and landing in Brisbane for her first time back in Australia where she sent me a few messages from the internet cafe she used to frequent when she lived there for 11 months. Some great  memories had from that distance :)

This shot was taking at the top of the gondola looking over the back of the mountain into the next valley. I would love to live somewhere with a view like this. Maybe someday, but until then, I'll keep dreaming.