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Story by Tim Jones
Photo by Dennis Welsh/Loon Mountain

I'm far from alone. Snowboarding is by far the fastest-growing segment of what used to be called the ski industry. The sport didn't exist in 1980 -- by 1993, nearly 2.2 million riders were shredding the slopes. Rental shops report hot business in boards, and ski schools are looking to hire snowboard instructors because the ones they have are busy almost all the time.

The demographics of snowboarding are fascinating. According to figures in Snowboarding Business magazine, 82% of riders are male, 18% female (with some of the kids, it's a little hard to tell). The average age of snowboard riders is 23.3 years. Only .3% are over 65 or under seven years old. The big numbers are in the 13 to 17 age group (30.7%) and in the 18 to 24 age group (46.7%.) Where do I fit in? Among the elite, of course. I'm almost 44 years old, and only 3.2% of riders are in the 35 to 44 age group. Next year, it gets even better for me, as only .6% of participants are 45 to 54.

So what's it like? I can think of a number of ways to describe my first experience on a snowboard. Terror comes to mind, so does elation, and fun! The terror was that fear that all beginners feel when they try something new. I see it all the time in students I introduce to skiing, but I was surprised to see it in myself. I've been skiing since I was little, but snowboarding is different.

Fortunately, the terror was short-lived. I was working with a good, patient, professional instructor who knew enough to take me step-by-step, building skill on skill in easy increments. We started on the flat, with only the front foot buckled into the snowboard's binding, learning first how to simply move with a large board strapped to one foot. Next, still on the flat, I learned how to put the weight on the front foot and sort of kick the back of the board with the back foot into the direction I wanted to go.

Then we started sliding, first on easy slopes with a flat spot below to stop me if things got out of hand. In skiing, you are facing down the hill and tuning left or right. On a snowboard, you have one foot forward, are facing more or less across the hill and turn "toe side" or "heel side." For me, heel side was much easier. I panicked the first slide and fell -- terror -- but quickly got back up and learned how to make easy direction changes (you can't really call them turns).

Within 15 or 20 minutes, I was sweating from the effort, my muscles were sore from the tension, and I was riding the Mighty Dog beginner rope tow, sideslipping and making easy turns down the gentle slope in shaky control with growing confidence. I was enjoying myself! What terror?

Bob threw a monkey wrench into the works when he announced that it was time to try the chair lift. "OMIGOD!!!" I thought. "I'M NOT READY!" But I was.

Yes, I fell a couple of times. OK, more than a couple of times. But I was going slow, the snow was soft, and nothing hurt. And I made it all the way down with no real mishap. Talk about elation! I've been skiing so long that the feeling of total gratification -- that I dared to try something new and succeeded -- is rare for me. This time, I was all smiles and high-fives. Snowboarding is fun!

On the next run, I became a victim of my own enthusiasm. I was feeling very comfortable with heel-side turns and sideslips and was working mostly on my toe-side turns and side slips. As they got easier, I started picking up a little speed. Somehow, while trying a toe-side sideslip, I leaned a little too far back, caught the heelside edge, and found myself very swiftly sitting on the snow. Unfortunately the snow right there was very solid.

That's why I'm bruised today, but still smiling. A couple of aspirin took away the soreness, but nothing can take away that feeling of having tried something new and succeeded. Spring skiing is underway. We've still got plenty of time, plenty of snow. You can bet I'll be riding some of that soft snow on a snowboard.