Klutz - First timer report

[Chanks]

Skiboards are a blast...I'll admit a growing sense of fear as I drove up the mountain. I'm a big guy (6'7" 280lbs) with very little balance and sense of coordination so this felt pretty out there for me. I've also not tried any other snow sports other than boarding 11 years ago and that was a painful, miserable day of being totally out of control the entire time. No good.

My first time on skiboards (yesterday) was altogether different. I found single turns and stops to be completely natural. With a little practice over an hour or so I was stringing together multiple turns and switching edges on relatively flat terrain (green). It was an hour and a half before my first fall on some slightly steeper terrain. My brain didn't like how my body felt when I pointed the skis straight down the hill during a turn on the steep section of this run...so my brain threw my butt on the ground. After a few more turns again this seemed to begin working itself out. I just need to practice more.

Can anyone help me understand what the other learning blocks are along the way. I'm turning and increasing the degree of slope already. What else needs attention for improvement?

Thanks to Greco for taking some time to chat with me late last week about some of the "how to" of riding. I'm hooked and buying a season pass this weekend.

Chanks

[Greco]

i'm glad you had a great time chris. i knew you would. don't worry so much about progressing to new stuff right now, just keep practicing the basics (stopping, turning, going faster) until you get them cold and can handle any blue run on the mountain without worry.

-g

[PureVenom]

Very good...welcome to the sport chris. I'm sure you will enjoy it as much as we all do. Just keep at it like Greco said with the basics and you will find yourself ripping the slope in no time ready to advance to the next level. Enjoy!!! and welcome once again.....and tell all your friends about skiboarding.

[Chanks]

Thank you guys for the encouragement...can't wait to get back up there...it was all ice yesterday but they got 2 feet last night (why am I at work?). I can't think about anything else now.

I'm riding new snojam 90s with the extreme II bindings but wonder already if I should spend the $185 for the spruce risers. Can someone offer insight about the value of the upgrade relative to the cost in terms of safety and convenience. Also can someone tell me how the brakes work?

Thank you,
Chanks

[PureVenom]

Just starting out I wouldnt even worry about releasables until you start doing sick air then maybe but.....The brakes on releasables is smple. They are down until you click into them.As you step in the brakes go up.If you come out of them they come down.The snow jams are an excellent starter set of boards.As you advance then worry about different boards and bindings....Enjoy chris

[Jonny W]

your a big guy with long legs i wouldn't worry about getting releasables.
welcome to the sport. keep rippin.
easy
jonny