# First ride ever, my experiences !



## snowblaze (Nov 12, 2013)

Alright ! This is my first experience on a snowboard ever !

I invited my friend to go snowboard at our local mountain, he already had his equipment but I had to rent it. The boots were awfully worn out and the board wasnt wide enough. The bindings were missing some angle (?). But as a beginner, I did not noticed it.

I asked my friend who was going to teach me the sport, to teach me the very basic : how to skate and glide. He insisted we go on the chairlift and practice up there... I did not agree at first but I guess I trusted him so we went up there. As I tried to get out of the chairlift, I fell down because my rear foot was touching the ground outside of the board. Then he made me practice how to brake with only one binding attached. Did not succeed well but carried on. I did not say a word because I was afraid he was going to be bored as hell trying to teach me.

Then I attached both feet, had a hard time getting up the first time but found a trick. I tried to glide going down the hill back first facing the top of the mountain by shifting my weight from my heels to my toes and succeeded ! I had a hard time to apply an equal pressure to both my toes, seemed like I couldn't do it. Then he made me glide sideways (like a normal glide) and asked me to gently brake but I kept falling because I couldn't understand how to apply the pressure on my heels while rotating my body.

I still had a blast, I loved being out in the cold windy weather (-10 celcius) with a friend. Today I felt like s&%t, my whole body felt like it went thought the second world war. All of my muscles hurts, especially in the upper legs area, under the butt, and I have a huge blister on both my heels because of the worn boots, they had some plastic sticking out inside.

From now on, I'm going to chat with an instructor and have private lessons. I'm also going to buy a full K2 kit so no more bruises. I also think I did pretty well on my first ever try but I feel like an idiot when I see all of the other snowboarders gliding past me like professionals, can't wait to be at that level.

What do you think I should do ? Any tips on weight balance ?

Thanks (sorry for my bad english) :laugh:


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## SnowDragon (Apr 23, 2012)

I think you should take lessons from a CASI-certified instructor.
Thank your friend for his efforts, but professional instruction will get you enjoying riding faster.
You may wish to get your own boots, but hold off on any other equipment just yet.

Finally, padded shorts will ease the pain in the butt.

Good luck!

Btw, your English is quite good.
Where in Quebec do you ride?


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

Definitely take a lesson or two with an actual instructor. Just because you know how to ride doesn't mean you know how to teach someone else how to ride. If someone can at least ride decently as in make turns, I can offer them some tips, but a pure beginner I've got nothing. I found that out when my wife decided to learn to ride. Everything she was doing was just fucked up and wrong. She wasn't doing enough right for me to even begin to tell her how to fix it. :laugh:


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## snowblaze (Nov 12, 2013)

GreyDragon said:


> Where in Quebec do you ride?


Mont-Saint-Sauveur, in the Laurentians.

I might try Mt-Tremblant when I'll be more comfortable riding. A friend of mine is dying to try the magnificent slopes in Mt-Tremblant, he's right thought it's a stunning view from up there. You can have a free ride from the resort to the casino in these aerial tramways they call it and the Mt-Tremblant village is the perfect place to have a lunch break but it's quite expensive.


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## Lamps (Sep 3, 2011)

snowblaze said:


> Mont-Saint-Sauveur, in the Laurentians.
> 
> I might try Mt-Tremblant when I'll be more comfortable riding. A friend of mine is dying to try the magnificent slopes in Mt-Tremblant, he's right thought it's a stunning view from up there. You can have a free ride from the resort to the casino in these aerial tramways they call it and the Mt-Tremblant village is the perfect place to have a lunch break but it's quite expensive.


Tremblant has some nice long easy green runs, good for beginners.


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

glad to hear you still want to ride after your friend was eager to teach you but didn't have the skill set to get you out there safely 

I think this will be money well spent. While your in class your buddy can ride solo, then he can come back and help or just encourage you while you practice what you were shown by your instructor. Then hopefully if all went well take some green runs together. 

What also might work, take a bunch or 1/2 hour of green runs together. Then encourage your buddy to hit the park, or blacks or what ever he wants to ride. Then come back and meet you back on the green runs you are practicing on. This will let him get in some fun runs then come back and ride with his buddy, you.
This has worked well for me when I have ridden with guys much better than me and the other way. When I'm much better than some buddies. 

Just some thoughts to help ya :thumbsup:


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## snowblaze (Nov 12, 2013)

slyder said:


> Just some thoughts to help ya :thumbsup:


Thanks, that's what I was looking for 

Got appointment with private instructor next Thursday !


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## Deacon (Mar 2, 2013)

GreyDragon said:


> I think you should take lessons from a CASI-certified instructor.
> Thank your friend for his efforts, but professional instruction will get you enjoying riding faster.
> *You may wish to get your own boots, but hold off on any other equipment just yet.*
> 
> ...


I second the boots. Buy some good boots, the board and bindings aren't as critical yet.


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## snowblaze (Nov 12, 2013)

The Deacon said:


> I second the boots. Buy some good boots, the board and bindings aren't as critical yet.


Just bought K2 Gauge Boots, they are so comfy !

But there was a huge sale going on and I bought a K2 Brigade Wide and K2 Sonic Bindings for almost nothing. :blink: (full gear set listed in my user profile)

For less than 400$ I'm ready for my next lesson !


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## Deacon (Mar 2, 2013)

snowblaze said:


> Just bought K2 Gauge Boots, they are so comfy !
> 
> But there was a huge sale going on and I bought a K2 Brigade Wide and K2 Sonic Bindings for almost nothing. :blink:
> 
> For less than 400$ I'm ready for my next lesson !


What size boots do you wear? How do you know you need a wide board?


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## snowblaze (Nov 12, 2013)

The Deacon said:


> What size boots do you wear? How do you know you need a wide board?


I wear size 13, so I got size 12 boots ! The salesman told me to get a wide board because of my height and weight (I'm tall and fat :laugh.

I hope I did not make any mistakes there !


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## Deacon (Mar 2, 2013)

snowblaze said:


> I wear size 13, so I got size 12 boots ! The salesman told me to get a wide board because of my height and weight (I'm tall and fat :laugh.
> 
> I hope I did not make any mistakes there !


Well, a wide is ok, but NOT because of height or weight (weight determines board length, height determines nothing). Width is based on foot size and, to a lesser extent, binding angles. I made the same mistake when I bought my first board, only for me it really WAS a mistake, since I only wear a 10-10.5. You're going to enjoy riding much, MUCH more with your own kit and your lessons! Welcome aboard!!:thumbsup:


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## snowblaze (Nov 12, 2013)

The Deacon said:


> Welcome aboard!!:thumbsup:


Oh, thanks! We got fresh snow a few days ago, cannot wait for Thursday !


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