That wonderful time of year!

When you head out in the morning to school and find the air to be crisp and your windshield frozen over, then you know it can mean one thing and one thing only...snowboarding! When my wife met me, I had long hair that covered my eyes and ears and I had just finished being an instructor at one of the local resorts. I had injured my knee and had to finish the season early, which was sad, but looking back I must say it was the best job I have held in my life. Six days a week for five months straight I was on that beautiful mountain teaching everyone and everything how to board.

I learned many lessons during my time on the mountain. Dogs can get down the mountain just as fast as I can. Yelling "avalanche" is never to be taken lightly. Robert Redford can hold his own on a pair of straight skis, even with his face lift. Kids can fall hard and walk it off two minutes later. I on the other hand, while young at heart, do not possess the same rehabilitation abilities. But most importantly I learned that if you're not falling fairly often then you're not risking enough.

With the resorts beginning to open now here in Utah, I am beginning to get excited again for the wonderful season that potentially lays ahead, assuming the snow gods want to bless us in abundance. Sydney gets a little worried about me this time of year for good reasons including my safety, health and most importantly the order of my priorities. I assured her that she comes before everything and that is why she will just have to come with me on my snowboarding adventures. It must be stated that at the end of the season last year, Syd was a force to be reckoned with on the mountain. Not only could she keep up with my long-seasoned friends, she was trying jumps and tricks.

Here's to a great season about to begin this Friday.
*Sorry for the poor quality of compressed video files, but they are better than nothing.