Missed the Boat

[Chubz]

I would imagine among the pool of skill and mindsets that exist in this server that a microcasm exists that reflects my daily guteral (sp?) feelings. Most everyday I wrestle with the notion that I should have moved west as a younger man in '87. To push my limits on a board.

I wouldnt have expected to be the Flying Tomato of the day but could have held my own in exploring different avenues of the sport, backcountry, drops, etc. Who knows, maybe getting the attention of some builder who felt like sponsoring a cat that didnt live on spins and inverts, but non-typoical exploration (Tom Burt).

I now ring the bell at 38 with a level of excitement that rises, if temperatures stay below freezing here in PA and we dont get rain. I cant imagine living in an environment that daily pukes are realistic and suffocation by powder is an acceptable and plausible means of death.

I have a great life here in PA, at the same time I kick myself for not following dreams.

Pathetically, I live through films and Warren Mller and my local riding, but every time I watch, I ask myself if I could have been there. Who knows, I charge when I ride and push my own personal limits. It's never good enough.

Not that it would have made a difference, but those calls to a builder from VT in his garage in the early 80's to order boards for my high school classmates, may have been my link. Little did I know, now I work in profession that is like chewing rocks, unsatisfactory.

Just wondering if anyone else ever felt like they missed the boat.

[ecnalubma]

Yeah, I wonder too. Back in the day I had the chance to train with an outrageous coach back on the east coast and I blew it off to go to Colorado.( kind of a wierd switch but.....) I did pretty well in some local races for a guy sponsored by 12 hr shifts at Wendys, but I do wonder what was possible if I had gotten some guidance. Now that I have kids my biggest fear is being the slopeside little league dad that drives his kids into careers as compuer programmers.

[NateW]

Hey now. I'm a computer programmer.

It may not be glamorous work but it pays for snowboards and season passes! :lol:

I know what Chubz means about Warren Miller flicks... there was a time when I not only aspired to reach that level, but thought I could do it. I started skiing in 4th grade, started snowboarding in 88 and picked it up quickly... But it wasn't until after college that I started getting more than 10 days a year on snow, and I think I missed the window of opportunity by quite a bit.

It's gotten worse in the last few years, now when I go up boarding, there's all these high-school age kids who grew up with terrain parks. When I was that age, my friends and were getting in trouble with ski patrol for getting air off the occasional natural hits or little cliffs, and today there's all these kids who grew up riding whole runs full of nicely groomed jumps that we never even dreamed of. So they're doing stuff I never even dreamed of. I've been trying to figure out what a rodeo is for 5 years, watching them in slo-mo and everything, and I still don't get it.

But snowboarding is still fun, so I ain't really complaining. Much.

[Phil]

Before we got married, my wife and I thought that we were going to move west. After we tied the knot, she realized that it was too far from her family. I did not think it was too far at the time, but now I am glad to be within four hours of her fam and mine.

I really have no regrets. As I write, I am getting ready to go to work - this time of the season, I am on snow 6 days a week doing what I love. I don't feel like I am missing anything by being at a small PA mountain. O.K., maybe I am missing something steep. B.C. is really lacking in steeps.

After working with Dianne Roffe at SRT for a few years, I realized that it has nothing to do with the mountain - it is what you make of it.

$.02 from another PA rider.

[tex1230]

That's why I moved to California in '88

But almost every day my wife and I ask each other why we moved East. We'll be heading back out west soon enough...(if you call sometime in the next 10 years soon)

Chubz,

If you hate your job and your family situation is flexible, Just get out there. No reason to stick in a job that you hate. Life is too short.

[MUD]

I was thinking the same thing just the other day. I have quite a few friends that went on to be rather famous sponsored riders and was thinking, we were all about the same level at that time.

Then I thought back. I made the decisions I did for one reason or another.

Missed the boat? Maybe, but it wasn't my boat, mine was the next one.:D

[photodad2001]

Same here. But, there's still plenty of time to move to Florida and beat the retirement rush!!!

[crucible]

I consider myself fortunate that I decided to move to British Columbia in 1987, when I was still single, snowboarding was in its infancy, and the ski hills were still on the fence about whether to allow snowbaording on their slopes.

People would give me good natured grief about my board, and I spent a lot of time in the backcountry because it was the only option other than ski hills.

21 years later of 50-75 days of snowboarding a season, definitely no regrets.

[Bobby Buggs]

Dude, I am stuck here in Ma because of my Family business. I cant move it because all of the customers are here in Mass and CT. As someone else said, if you can move than Do it, you can always move back if you need to. If I were to sell my Pest business and do Evil full time I would move to Colorado or Wyoming. Not as much for the snow but for the beauty and change in culture.

[Trenchman]

Florida...the devil you say.

I moved to Colorado in 95 and found I couldn't afford to live in the mountains so I moved back to northern Michigan. Now I am in a position that I feel my wife and I could get good jobs in a ski town and want to try it again. If the housing market here would just turn around so we could get a little more out of our home we would be on our way. If I'm lucky maybe I will find a job that lays me off every winter (please don't wake me...I'm dreaming) and I could spend all winter on the slopes!.....Florida...too hot in the summer and who would want to got there in the winter when you could goto Aspen!

[photodad2001]

The heat is great for worn, tired, joints!!! Lay on the beach and let the sun melt away your arthritic knees. Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!

[Fastskiguy]

Nothing wrong with being an "enthusiast" vs a "professional" snow sports guy. Lots of people live on the margins of financial destruction trying to snowboard all winter and you can probably get on snow a couple of times a week and maybe a trip or two to "real mountains", right? That's not too bad! You don't have to hope for a low paying ski industry job, and you're only freakin' 38! It's not impossible you could become the rider you always wanted now!

The big question is what will you want to have done by age 59....then do it!

[Gecko]

actually my wife and I have been thinking about it though it won't be for 5-10 years. I spent most of my life traveling, I grew up Navy then joined the Navy and did it again. I moved west the first time to chase the SoCal life, now I wonder what it was I wanted from it, I got my wife but neither of us want to live in Cali. If we go west again we'll probably stop in New Mexico, maybe Albuquerque or Santa Fe...I've always dreamed of becoming a ditch regular and the snowboarding is good as well.

[powell1.8]

I dream of moving West daily, and I have ever since my first trip out that way. It's going to happen, it just a matter of when. I know I'm stuck here in MN for at least nine more years, but after that I out of here.

NO EXCUSES!!!!

[David Glynn]

Chubz, You may have missed a boat but not THE boat. Get your ass on the next one. Make a plan ,set a goal, do it on the spur of the moment but do it.

The first time I came to T-ride I hitched here from Iowa with my brother for a week of skiing. We came into town in a 50's Austin-Healy with the top down skies poles and packs bristling above the windshield, within 2 seconds I knew I was moving here. The next fall I was back for good.

I had enough money saved for a down payment on a corner lot with an old house on it or a winter of total ski bumming. I went for the ski bumming. The house would be worth about 3 mill now if I left it untouched. Did I miss the boat? Not in my view.

In Greg Stumps Blizzard of Ahhhs after we did a shot of jumping the cornice into Mammoth Greg need a sherpa so I volunteered for the first session. When my time to ski came his batteries were dead. The next day my friend Scottie Kennett became famous ;I had to work............ Oh well. Maybe I missed that one but so what? Scottie is two lockers down from me in ski school and we are still skiing T-Ride.

One time at the Bird a friend and I were skiing the gad 2 chair and Glen Plake was setting up with Warren Milller to do a shot. Well it was blue bird and the snow was epic and they took so much time setting up their shot that 5 runs later we had skied every line that they were hoping to film. Glen missed the boat that day. Being famous requiers too much standing around don't you think?

Dude you are only 38 that is still so young! Get out here and start living the dream.

It's not the fame it's the motion. You don't need to be a rock star to validate

your abilities and love for snowboarding. Don't worry whether you should have turned left when you turned right. Just make sure you are turning.

Remember it's the joy of the movement.

[Chubz]

Too many anchors

My Dad is still here and my relationship with him is too tight for me to head west and he has no intentions of moving unless he inherits one of his close friend's 10,000 acre ranch outside of Bozeman. Keeping the fingers crossed.

Occupation keeps me anchored to a certain degree. I get to work from home wih super flexible hours and get to see my two boys and wife everyday throughout the day, not off at the office or a project that would have schitty hours. Only thing I have missed so far is my youngest crawling for the first time. I have been witness to most firsts for my kids. Priceless.

I was just pondering the notion of heading out at 18, not now. I know I can do that if I so choose, but it would come with some sacrifices that I am not willing to make at this point. It would be selfish on my part anyway. My wife doesnt ride or ski and boys are getting to the age.

I am sure that Glenn Plake has more than enough days that he wasnt waiting at the top of a run for cameras. He had to be doing something to get good enough for cameras to be pointed at him.

Someday I will get to a ski town and not be in the Crayon Capitol of the World, Crayola. Just ponder from time to time.

[Rob Stevens]

Too many anchors

I was just pondering the notion of heading out at 18, not now. I know I can do that if I so choose, but it would come with some sacrifices that I am not willing to make at this point. It would be selfish on my part anyway.

Well then, I guess you did miss that boat.

I was in steerage class on that boat myself, though and while it was a great trip, I made sacrifices to be there.

If it makes you a little bitter to think you lost out, just remember: Your family is not to blame, but it's hard to be cool about it sometimes when you're in a regretful mood.

I say get on the P90X program and buy a dirt bike. Cornering on dirt is just as fun.

[DiveBomber]

Chubz, You may have missed a boat but not THE boat. Get your ass on the next one. Make a plan ,set a goal, do it on the spur of the moment but do it.

The first time I came to T-ride I hitched here from Iowa with my brother for a week of skiing. We came into town in a 50's Austin-Healy with the top down skies poles and packs bristling above the windshield, within 2 seconds I knew I was moving here. The next fall I was back for good.

I had enough money saved for a down payment on a corner lot with an old house on it or a winter of total ski bumming. I went for the ski bumming. The house would be worth about 3 mill now if I left it untouched. Did I miss the boat? Not in my view.

In Greg Stumps Blizzard of Ahhhs after we did a shot of jumping the cornice into Mammoth Greg need a sherpa so I volunteered for the first session. When my time to ski came his batteries were dead. The next day my friend Scottie Kennett became famous ;I had to work............ Oh well. Maybe I missed that one but so what? Scottie is two lockers down from me in ski school and we are still skiing T-Ride.

One time at the Bird a friend and I were skiing the gad 2 chair and Glen Plake was setting up with Warren Milller to do a shot. Well it was blue bird and the snow was epic and they took so much time setting up their shot that 5 runs later we had skied every line that they were hoping to film. Glen missed the boat that day. Being famous requiers too much standing around don't you think?

Dude you are only 38 that is still so young! Get out here and start living the dream.

It's not the fame it's the motion. You don't need to be a rock star to validate

your abilities and love for snowboarding. Don't worry whether you should have turned left when you turned right. Just make sure you are turning.

Remember it's the joy of the movement.

did they base that movie Apen extreme on you??;)

[Chubz]

Yea

I would never hold it against the family, they didnt come until after I had 12 years to move west. I had the time , but never pulled the trigger. They are the best and keep me chugging along everyday smiling and laughing.

If anything they will be an opportunity to ride and ski with someone else. I have basically been riding solo since early 80's. But fortunate now I jave one other carver at my moutain that I ride with on the weekends which keeps it fresh.

I'm all about getting back on a dirt bike, but thefunds wouldnot be approved by my house governeing body.

P90x, sitting on my desk waiting to be kicked off, but waiting until I get back from ECES. A close friend of mine started it a couple weeks ago and he was hobbling just a bit. I'm in decent shape but saving the 90 for when I get back.

[photodad2001]

I started snowboarding in Highschool with a close group of friends. I'd been a skater long before so my first time strapping in consisted of lining myself up with the biggest jump I could find or build and hope the board would go straight long enough for me to launch and do whatever grab I had in mind. I had launched, landed and ridden away from about every type of grab you can list plus a few 180's before I even learned how to turn the board. (priorities. I learned to turn the second time I went snowboarding) Once I got turning down, me and my friends continued translating everything we were doing on our skateboards to the snow. By our 2nd year riding we were doing things we WISHED we could do on our skateboards on the snow.

Each year we'd get the latest snowboard videos as a goal of what we were going to learn this year. After a few years Burton's "Chill" posed quite a chanllenge, and with the exception of Mike Jacoby's "J-tear air" and Craig Kelly's 720's we went through the video and had performed everything else in there. Of course we don't have many cliffs at our ski resorts here in Ohio, but we took some lofty roof top drops. We had all got store sponsors and thought we were going to go all the way to pro. We might have but we couldn't get to enough competitions. We didn't have the money to travel and we were all still in highschool.

Now we come to the nitty gritty of my story. We also all had parents that weren't going to lift a finger to help. Rob's parents at least didn't mind that he did it, at least he was out of the house and sober. Doug's parents thought it was a fad like the rubicks cube and parachute pants. Now my parent's on the other hand, at the beginning had a complete hatred of all that was snowboarding. It was the cause of everything that was not currently going the way they wanted in my life. Was I failing school? No, but I'd have done better if it wasn't for "that stupid snowboard". Was I getting in trouble? Not as much as my friends, but it was still because of "that stupid snowboard". Of course you're going to get pulled over by the cops, you have a snowboard on top of your car!!! Of course my brother the soccer player had money spent left and right with select teams, equipment, 2 trips to Europe (I hear they have some sweet snowboarding over there) and one to Russia.

Now my parents are grandparents and have recently, and for the first time, came to the local hill to see their granddaughter snowboard. My daughter said to my dad, "did you sit by the big fireplace when you came up to watch dad snowboard?" My dad out of embarassment said "...yes." I didn't say anything. But I'm not going to let the boat sail for my daughter so if she wants to follow snowboarding we may have a move out west planned in the upcoming future. Or if she wants to be a concert pianist we may be heading to New York. Whatever boat comes to dock we'll be on it.

[David Glynn]

did they base that movie Apen extreme on you??;)

No, but that made me laugh!:lol: My first private lesson makes me think of that movie.

Actually I can relate more to the movie "Hot Dog". I swear everything that happened in that movie was not far from the mark of our experiences on the pro mogul tour years ago.

Chubz it sounds like you have a great life with your family. You may have missed one boat but you have caught a much better one. I was there for almost all the firsts of my kids also and wouldn't change it for anything. What a great ride life with family is! I can still remember the day my son started walking!!

You rule!