Second Day of Lessons (Snowboarding) at Powderhorn

Stuck on the side of HWY 65.

Me praying to the awesomest Renae.

Roby riding the rails at Powderhorn. Check out the crash at the end.

Well it seems that the Byrd/Fuller family can't do anything without a touch of flare. So the plan was for Roby and the kids to meet Renae and I at the house Sunday morning at 7am. Roby got there and we transferred everything over to Renae's car and off we were to Powderhorn. But when I got onto the highway (like right as I'm going up the on-ramp) the car kinda surges/drains and the battery and brake light come on. I (verbally) was like huh, the battery and brake light came on, no one seemed to pay much attention other than Renae saying "I wonder if it's the alternator." In hindsight I should have turned around at the next exit and we should have taken Roby's truck, but no we proceeded forward to POWDERHORN. Pretty soon before hitting the canyon I noticed the car seemed to be losing it's power steering, again verbally said, huh the car seems to be losing its power steering. There were several hypothesis as to why this might be occurring, but blindly we drove on. As we exited onto 65 Highway up to POWDERHORN (it helps if you say capitalized words in a deep manly voice, it gives the touch of flare needed) I said man the car is getting really hard to turn around the corners, more hypothesis, but onward we went. We just passed the turn off for Colbran when the ABS and Oil light came on, and at that point I announced that we were losing power, MAJ TOM WE HAVE A PROBLEM, no speed indicator, power draining, slowing going up the hill, people behind us flipping us off (not really), I get pulled over to an optimal spot (it's really were the car wouldn't go any further) and we're dead, flying blind, no power, can't even pull the keys out of the ignition dead.

HOLY COW, now what! So Renae proceeds to contact the insurance company so they can send a tow truck. Roby has to pee, it's like 5 degrees outside on the open road, he he he. Then Kaleb has to pee. I'm trying to call Powderhorn to tell the situation so I don't lose my lift ticket and Katie and Kaleb are reserved for lessons as well. Renae asks if Roby will check the battery, so he pops the lid, and pulls on what looks like a black snake (but it isn't) it's a busted in half, shredded if you will fan belt. Great. So the tow truck comes (nice guy from Pro-Tow) loads all five of us in his truck, loads the car, and we are headed back to Junction. Time is now 0937. Tow truck drops Roby and I off at the house to get his truck and takes Renae, Katie, and Kaleb to Waggner's Garage. Funny thing happened on the way to the garage! So when Roby and I hop out of the truck the tow truck driver asks Renae if Roby was her husband and I was her mother-in-law, what the frick.

So needless to say 1030am and we transfer everything over to Roby's truck and do a shoot and scoot through Wendy's drive through (ordering through the back window, because Roby's front windows don't work, lol). We arrive at POWDERHORN around 1130, 30 min before my class resumes it's afternoon lessons. So Renae takes the kids and starts getting them dressed, I'm pulling on my clothes, find some of my classmates to tell them I'm here, and put my boots on, with 5 minutes to spare, yeah. My instructor Bob said I didn't know if you were going to make it or not. Then he said strap in where headed up the lift. Bob was like I'll ride with you....what do you mean I say....on the lift he says....shit I say I have enough trouble with just me on the lift.....but off we go with me in my new padded shorts (highly recommended for those prone to falling). I wipe out getting off the lift, of course. But I'm with my class having fun. Bob tells the rest of the class to take a couple of runs that he is going to catch me up to speed. So we work on toe to heel and heel to toe. I'm getting it better (like Clayton said I would) I actually make 2-3 turns together the first time down, yeah.

We ride back up on the lift together, I wipe out yet again. More practicing of turns. I'm getting it, I'm getting it. Lots of high fives' with Bob, then some lady on skis wipes out hard and Bob goes to check on her, she's hurt. So I scooch down to help with her, then Darren (ortho PA in my class) comes and helps. They call ski patrol to take her down. Renae and I ride down together. I connect 3-4 turns in a row. Man when your not falling down this is fun. I see Roby fly past me a couple of times.

Renae rides the lift with me this time. I wipe out, again. Then she and Roby wait to take pictures of the kids getting off the lift, while I head down. I'm getting better each time I ride down. During one fall, I see Bob walking up towards me. He just wanted to give me my grade card, says I'm a level 3, I tell him he is smoking crack. He said next week I'll be riding the greens without falling, WHATEVER.

THINGS LEARNED BETWEEN LESSON ONE AND LESSON TWO

Lesson two doesn't hurt nearly as much as lesson one, you will get better. Always take something to drink with you, you will get dehydrated. Padded shorts are the best thing since sliced bread. Leaning into the hill doesn't make you go faster it helps you remain in control of your board. Keeping your weight over your front leg actually keeps the board from flying out from under you. Never take three days consecutive lessons it will make your experience worse, spread them out it gives your body time to recover (It took three full days for me to be able to walk normal after my first lesson). Helmet is a pretty important piece of equipment, I would have had three concussions now if I hadn't had it on.

Pain after lesson two! Not to bad actually, I didn't even have to take any meds last night. My right bicep is a little soar because I reached out with my right arm when I fell and I think I pulled it. But doing pretty good.

I think I'm going to like snowboarding.

Katie and Kaleb did awesome yet again this week. I think they will be in lessons one more week then Renae and Roby are going to take them up the greens. Kaleb is a level 2-3 and Katie is a level 1-2.