The First Injury of the Season

Well, it had to happen eventually. Atfer an entire three and a half months with no worries whatsoever I finally managed to pick up my first injuries of the season.

I'd spent the day doing laps of the park, going over some of the kickers as mentioned in my last entry, riding some of the hips, charging the boardercross course and generally having a good time! It all happened mid way through the park on the first of the kickers. I'd successdusly negotiated the hips, perhaps going slightly higher off them than I had done in the past, at least that's what it felt like. So this had given me some extra confidence, meaning that I was ready to go for my first inverted 540, which I almost made, but not quite. Wait a minute, Rich'll be reading this, so I suppose I'd better actually tell te truth!

When it came to the first of the kickers, I tried to go with a little more speed to ensure that I cleared the knuckle, which I did more or less. Unfortunately though I leaned back a little to far, then skidded out on the toe edge. All this would have been fine until my board dug in a couple of times as I slid down the landing. I noticed the jarring, but it didn't hurt straight away. It wasn't until I was setting up for the next kicker that I realised my ankles were buggered!

Actually, they're not really buggered, they're both just slightly sprained, but it's enough to stop me snowboarding today! It's actually a bit uncomfortable, as it's difficult to know how to limp if both ankles are hurting. Luckily I came prepared, with various support items from last time I hurt my ankle! These are busy supporting me, and hopefully I should be up and boarding soon. In fact I'm working tomorrow so I'm gonna have to be back in force to ride to the lift anyway. Plus, it's the "Lifty Olympics" tomorrow night after work, so I'm hoping to be able to compete in some of these events. It sounds like there'll be some fun events, as well as a rail park that they're gonna set up. I think some of the lifties are pretty awesome on rails, so they'll be giving lessons out to us rail rookies! But even so, don't be surprised if I write again soon with even more injuries!

Apart from the ankles, everything is good. The sun is shining, I'm wearing shorts to walk into town, and from what I've heard it's pretty definite that I'll have a job here for the spring and summer, which is good. I've been busy skating around the hills of the village, and have been having a great time doing it, apart from one slam involving a kerb and some gravel. Still, no harm done that time though!

Had an awesome BBQ the other day for Mel and Julie's birthday. They'd arranged to use. this small hut on the edge of Green Lake, with a bonfire outside, with punch, and beer, and marshmallows to be roasted over the bonfire. Plus a lessoh in how nice Canadians can be! Walking down towards the site (Which is on the edge of a road to a hotel) down the long wooded drive, a huge Audi with an executive looking couple inside, pulled up, asking "Are you going to the hotel?" Expecting them to ask for directions or something, we said yes, only for him to tell us to hop in so he could give us a lift! I don't think I could see that happening in the middle of some woods in the UK, a business man picking up two less than smartly dressed young men, carrying crates of beer in his top of the range Audi!

Anyway, I definately have photo's of me in my uniform and of my short hair cut, so I'll try and figure out how to put them on the gallery now that we have to use internet cafe's to do so!

Still plenty of photo ops are coming now, with general summerness invading the valley, the aforementioned Lifty Olympics, Loo making the trip over from the good ole UK to come see us (Thanks Loo!), including a trip for me to Vancouver, and the forthcoming Telus World Snowboarding Open, it should be awesome!