So what is there to say about week two? Well let’s start with the sudden comprehension that this is not a holiday. THIS IS WEEK TWO OF ELEVEN WEEKS BABY!!!! I don’t remember entering the lottery, but I still feel like I’ve won the jackpot. The second week of our epic season began with being introduced to our instructors for the week. It was awesome to gain a different prospective of our riding from Josh, as well as experience his teaching style. The crew from the week before was still together which proved an excellent building block for learning how to give feedback to one another, which would become a key skill in our arsenal of tools for teaching snowboarding. The weekend had provided an opportunity to reflect on the feedback given by our previous instructor, and to make amendments to our riding to comply with the level 1 CASI standard of riding. Monday also had a particularly special surprise in store, and that was the incredible sight of a full fridge.
Tuesday morning provided a sight that was slightly more amazing than that of the fridge…only slightly, and that was the beautiful view of a bluebird day. The views were absolutely outstanding, to any snow junkie like me, this was like looking at the Mona Lisa, but 1000 times radder and you don’t have to queue to see it. We made our way out with Josh and up the Alpine t bar for a unique experience. For today was not a day where we were riding up the Alpine T Bar on our own, but in fact in pairs! So that was a unique bonding experience for me and housemate Pete! I tried to capture this beautiful bonding moment, however my GoPro died as I was taking the picture…Stupid technology. However, back to the view. O.M.G. The snow ghosts (trees covered in snow so that they look like ghosts…clever eh) provided a unique foreground to the wonders of the mountains in the background. Again camera was dead, it’s a sore subject so I’ll stop that train of thought right there. During the day we developed our own feedback capabilities by learning the PTT method, ‘Positive, To, Try’, a method that we would use ourselves in the coming week. The day was finished off with a sick run down Serwa’s where I was able to experiment with 180’s and shiftys, which was pretty rad. Over the time I have been here that run has developed into my favourite run. The home run for the day with a winding trail through the forest filled with rollers and sharp corners. Imagine Snow-Cross surrounded by trees. Pretty sick huh?!
I’m sure I will soon be able to copy and paste the events of Wednesday as Wednesday means one thing and one thing only. Wings. No one’s living and letting die for you Paul McCartney fans, but I talk about the wonderful creation that is chicken wings. Keep it on the down low, but we had a crack at Session’s wings this week. Please don’t tell SAM’S. Please. It’s one thing to cheat on your home pub, but another to get caught. But alas, the crew returned to our beloved SAM’S where we shared a few more pitchers. It really is quite funny the people you meet up here and get to realise how much of a small world it is. I really didn’t expect to bump into someone completely random 7,428 km away from home and it turn out that we used to work at the same summer camp and have a whole heap of mutual friends. Crazy eh?! Oh and I nearly forgot to mention but Becky managed to front flip a tree today. (Don’t worry il make it sound like you were planning on doing it Becky, no one has to know) This week saw a deeper development of our understanding of the quick ride system to introduce beginners to snowboarding, which was really cool because we were in fact starting this a week ahead of schedule. It’s pretty sick to experience this learning curve that accompanies learning teaching methods like this, because it really breaks down riding, which I have personally found really useful when critiquing our own riding. The ability to be able to correct our own riding using this process is the first step to us being able to evaluate and improve others riding when it comes to us giving our own lessons.
It had been a few days since I first rode my new board, and I decided that she deserved a name. So obviously she had to be named after a Canadian, so fittingly named her after the beautiful and very talented Celine Dion. (plus she was the first Canadian that popped into my head!) So I treated Celine to a wax on Thursday evening, and trust me it was very hard not to whack on the Craig David in the background, after all she is the new love of my life!!
Friday on the mountain meant only one thing, for it has been passed down by elders long passed, and I quote from the shred bible: “On the fifth day of the week his most raddful doth saidth FRIDAY IS JIB DAY”. (Taken from the book of Rad, Chapter 3 Verse 2) 180’s, tripods, pretzels, it was an insane day. The events of the following evening I will try and summarise in one phrase. “REF, REFEREE”. South African Carl proved to know a lot about the Canadian tradition of Ice Hockey with his constant heckling of the referee as well as their captain Madison Bowey…who he insisted was in fact called David Bowey. Also we learned something else about hockey games with NBS, not only are we the loudest bunch there, but in fact, the bus rides to the hockey with the crew are just as good as the hockey game itself. GO ROCKETS GO.
The after hockey party also revealed that the gang are a very talented bunch. Ravi, Sam and myself started ‘dance off’ and ‘round off’ club in the garage, and challenged Becky and Rosie to constant dance and round off…off’s. Obviously team snowpines won. Oh yeah and it has to be mentioned. Axel is by far the best dancer on the NBS crew. I woke up the next day answering the door to the hot tub repair man, completely forgetting that my face was still covered in eyeliner in the style of a cat. When Rosie realised that there were people walking around our house party with cats drawn on their faces, she insisted that we join the cat crew.
Saturday was pretty chill, Ant’s persuasive methods once again drew us out to SAM’s and we partied well into the night, with games of Mine and Ten being played where if you mentioned either of those words you instantly had to drop and do some push ups. Sunday was a beautiful day so I was drawn to going for a ride with Jez. Yes Jez that ski’s, but thankfully he was out on his board today, which I rode, realised my bindings were far inferior, and with the last day of discount from the shops on gear being today, I convinced myself that Celine needed some new bindings. Thanks Jez! So tomorrow is Australia day, with celebrations beginning tonight, so I’m sure next week will provide some interesting tales of Big Whites majority…
Stay Rad
Jaymez