Friday 11 June 2010

Snowboarding At My Local Slope

My local ski slope is quite a fun place to hang out for me and my teenage friends. We find that it’s a good way to keep ourselves amused. You see in my local area when you are under 21 their really is nothing else to do. You see me and my friends can’t go out drinking and nor do we have any particular desire to hang out at the local tennis court, that is why we were looking for something to do that was knew, exciting and more suited to our need for extreme entertainment!

So we went down the local ski slope and asked some questions about what kind of thing goes on and basically tried to get a grasp for how much it was going to cost to get started. The lady was really helpful and seemed to be really encouraging. She explained that we would not need a snowboard, snowboarding boots or even snowboarding skills to get started. We were really pleased to here it, so basically asked if we just went on the slope or if we needed some kind of tuition first. The lady explained that we would definitely need some kind of tuition first, and explained that for $15 an hour we could get a group lesson. This was kind of what we were looking for, as the idea was to do this as a group and we felt that if we all done it together It would be more of a laugh. So we basically booked a lesson, and the lady explained that we had to pay a deposit because the slope had to arrange it with the instructor. She explained that we would get lessons for around 5-10 hours and then she thought that we would be good enough to come down the slope on our own and try things out. This was the kind of thing that I was looking to do, because we wanted more than merely to learn. We wanted to pick up the basic skills that were required and then come down on our own and have a laugh at the slope.

So we went to the lessons and they worked out great. They were really fun for everyone involved. It turned out that it wasn’t just us at the lessons, but the other girls and boys who went to the lessons were all really easy to get on with and everyone got on well. Nobody had been to snowboarding lessons before so we were all kind of in the same boat so to speak. The teacher went over really basic stuff at first, and to be honest I did not pay too much attention because I was more concerned with actually going out their and starting to ski for real. The guy who was our teacher was really approachable and that just made it so much easier for everyone. We were able to ask all the questions we wanted, and he seemed to pick up when someone was having problems and when we understood things. He then explained after around 30 min’s that we were ready to hit the slopes, and you can be sure that we were ready, I was practically desperate to hit the slopes and get started. At first, he asked us to go down the beginner slope which is basically a slope that is for people who are just starting to learn. The gradient is much less and that makes it so much easier to get going, because if you build up to much speed and you do not know how to stop then that could cause real problems for a beginner.

Snowboarding Activities

If you are considering doing some snowboarding activities then I simply must tell you about the kind snow boarding activities that I have tried in the past, and the kind of activities that I intend to try In the future. The fact is that when I first tried snow boarding I had only been skiing a couple of times, so I was really a newbie that was looking to have a little bit of fun and experience some snowboarding activities for the first time.

Me and my friends all decided to go out their and see what kind of fun we were able to have on the slopes, and we sure did have heaps of fun and in fact far more than I would ever have imagined. We went out their, and because we had a rough idea how to ski we were far more cocky than we should have been but that did not stop us from having the most fun in our lives. The slope was very quiet, which just made it so much better. They way you move on a snowboard just makes you feel so much more in control, however you feel like you are taking more risk. When you are skiing it is just that little bit too comfortable at times, but the fact is that you never actually notice it until you give it a try. It really does not surprise me that people are choosing to give up skiing and are taking up snow boarding in its place, lets be honest you cant actually jump on ski’s. So OK, it is possible but you could hardly suggest that they are custom built for doing Ollie’s. That is why I have to tell, you that when I done my first jump on a snowboard and successfully landed it, I was sure to give it a try again, in the future.

Me and my friends all decided that the most fun thing that we could do was have a race down the slope, and this what we done. I was actually very nervous, as I was very anxious to win, but I knew if the worst came to the worst then I could always say that I tried my best, and trying my best is certainly what I done. Over the next minutes as we went done one of the most daring runs on one of our first times I was sure that I was going to win. That is not to say that I was, I could have hit a tree, or took a wrong turn and in the end I done the later. I lost and I was gutted, but the exhilaration just meant that I wanted to do more. I proposed doing it again, and everybody was up for it. It was the fact that when we done the first run, we had managed to grab some “Air-time” and I can assure you if you think that is good on ski’s you have experienced nothing yet.

The main problem with doing this run was that we were failing to abide by the rules of the slope with aggressive turning and twisting. The last run my friend Alan actually pushed Collin into a tree for a laugh. Although most people would not see this as being fun, it was the kind of think that happened based on excitement and I have to tell you that this snow boarding day has to be one the best days of sport that I have ever experienced, and even when I go skiing and snow boarding these days I often think back to the stuff we got up to that day on the slopes. I have to say that skiing just doesn’t seem to compare to snow boarding and it really does not surprise me to see people migrating from snow boarding to skiing at all. The thing is though we really should not compare them, I suppose they are both good in their own way.

Snowboarding Accidents

Snowboarding accidents happen every single day and the reasons for this vary from person to person, and from accident to accident. Despite this, one thing remains prominent. Of those accidents, many of them could have been stopped with appropriate care and attention from the snowboarders involved. This is why we have to realise that snowboarding is a dangerous sport, and therefore health and safety should always remain an issue to any snowboarder.

The first thing that any snowboarder has to remember is to wear appropriate protective head wear. Protective head wear may not look as cool, or even be as warm as a hat, but when it comes to going down the slopes wearing one could save your life. In 2003 15 people suffered fatal head injuries whilst snowboarding. This number could have been reduced to 0 if those 15 people had chosen wear a helmet whilst snowboarding. When people go snowboarding and do not wear a helmet, they do not take precautions based on this, and are still happy to attempt stunts such as jumps, slaloms which involve dodging trees, and other activities that could not be recommended. People have to remember that snowboarding is in the top 10 most dangerous sports, and I would call on the authorities within the sport to drive even further towards excellence in health and safety.

My brother is a keen snowboarder and recently broke his leg whilst snowboarding. Although this was not his fault, many of the complications that went along with the injury could have been avoided with due care and attention. This includes the fact he was stranded on a slope for over 4 hours before he was noticed by a boarder who was then able to go and get help. But how could this have been avoided. Firstly he should not have chosen to hit the slopes on his own. Through doing this problems arise automatically, if you do have to go snowboarding on your own then make sure you tell people that you are away. I would also call on snowboarding facilities to keep better records of who is on the slope, and for what time. This could certainly help with many issues.

I would secondly advice and call for people to carry mobile phones with them when they go snowboarding. Even, a mobile phone on its own may not be enough if you do not have a signal or do not have any battery left in your phone. This is why I advise that you ensure that your battery is full at all times, and that you also take appropriate care to ensure that you have a replacement SIM card. If you have a replacement SIM card that works on your phone you may be doubling the chances of you being able to contact someone if you phone does not work. This is why people also choose to carry a torch, a flare or an air horn. All of these can work in alerting people to a situation as long as they are near where you currently are.

Health and safety are prominent issues in snowboarding and that is why we all, have to be careful that we abide by them. Through choosing to take simple measure we can all choose to snowboard, and enjoy ourselves at the same time. Do not make yourself another statistic.

My Snowboarding Hotel

I always loved snowboarding for as long as I can remember. I love the way that snow boarding is a sport that is filled with excitement and personality. I also loved the way that snow boarding was seen as a kind of extreme sport. It made me feel almost proud of myself that I was associated with this status. When I firstly hit the slopes and tried snowboarding it was actually a very new sport at the time, and had not even nearly been in the Olympics.

However, as the trend increased the slopes started to change its ratio of skiing to snowboarding. That is why I wanted to start a business that could benefit from this; I decided on starting a hotel in France that was actually targeting the snowboarders rather than the skiers. You see, the snow boarder and the skier are two very different kind of holiday maker. A snow boarder is more likely to be interested in having a great time, and socialising with younger people, whilst a skier may be away as part of a family vacation.

However, I realised that my business was going to be a risky venture because at the same time as I started it, I was scared that snowboarding might not take off in the way that it has. I mean – did you know that know 22% of winter sports competitors are snowboarders? That is an amazing statistic and one that really indicates the kind of thing that I am talking about. Snow boarding is a massive sport, and I actually do not think there has been any other sport in the history of the world that has seen such success in such a short period of time.

I should say the success of my hotel has been enormous, because I have been warm and comforting to the snowboarders, showing knowledge on the slopes and snowboarding in general. I am able to tell them what I would do, and give them some hot tips that have been passed on to me from hundreds and hundreds of snow boarders through my hotel.

One of the things that I love the most is the way that everyone is always having a good time, and that can reflect on my mood. When everyone in the hotel is enjoying themselves and having a good time, it is easier for me to sit back and have a good time as well. It really is that simple.

I am always asked by the snowboarders if I go on the slopes myself, and I always have to say no, almost appearing like I am a kind of half-interested snowboarder. I almost feel my head dropping as I say it. However, the reason for this is that nowadays, I honestly very rarely have any spare time, and it is the sad part of having my own business. My wife always offers to cover, but when she does I always see it as a great opportunity to go down the bank, or do something like catch up with the paper work.

When I think about how busy I am I always just stop and think about how lucky I am to have a successful business, and a comfortable living – however my passion for snowboarding that gave me the kick start to get the business underway has now gone.

My Snow Boarding Business

I have my own snow boarding business and I have had this for around 1 year now. I used to be a management consultant before I decided to take the plunge and went for a business of my own. Before I done this I was very nervous and really had no idea about the level of results that I was going to attain. The fact of the matter is that around 20% of businesses fail in their first year, and I did not want to be one of those business owners that were left having no results, and a heap of debt to handle.

Luckily enough my business has been successful so far, and this has largely been down to operating in an area of high demand, where I am the only supplier in my area. You see, there are two local ski slopes and both of them have a lot of visitors each week, so I was aware that their was a demand in my local area for snow boarding equipment and skiing equipment. At first, I started off selling snow boarding equipment but I realised that I should start selling skiing equipment as well and this is a decision that I am glad to have made. Since I have started selling skiing equipment my sales have increased by 60%.

I now have four members of staff that I pay a good wage, and that are very loyal to my company. You see, the great thing is that all of them have an interest in snow boarding and skiing and this really comes through in the way they are able to help my customers make informed purchases.

I have a deal with the local ski slopes that when someone is a member of their slope they get a 10% discount on all purchases. This is something that I considered for a number of reasons. The first thing is that I didn’t want either of them starting their own shop on their premise, and I felt that through offering them something free they would be less likely to try and eat into my profits. I also felt that through doing this they would feel that the potential to enter into my market was less lucrative. I also have deals with them where I give them very cheap rates on their stocks, and in actual fact I make zero profit from the sales that I make to them. This gives them the impression that I have substantially better profit margins than they could attain, and puts them off competing.

Another way that I have had a certain level of success is through my online store. I had a website designed through which I sell all my lines to a global marketplace. Online I am competing with a lot of other websites that sell similar stuff to myself, but I am aiming to increase my websites position in the search engines, and by doing so I am hoping that I will be able to decrease my operating costs and increase my market reach. Already I am showing up at number 14 in google for snowboarding equipment and I am hoping to be on the first page for certain terms at some point this year. The thing is that when you have a high position in the search engines you can be sure to close a certain number of sales with no marketing outlay. There is also the issue that once you close a single sale with a customer they are more likely to return in future when they require further products that you sell within your range. I have also started to sell wholesale through a separate website and this has helped me in two ways. I am starting to increase my sales volume however at the same time I am decreasing my cost per unit to purchase through buying on a bigger scale. This is something that is offering my business growth potential, however my primary aim is to increase sales through my website at the moment.

My Favourite Hobby: Snow Boarding

Since moving into the suburbs, I have developed a new hobby: snow boarding. Snow boarding is great fun, and the reason I got started is because I used to go surfing when I lived by the beach, and when I moved away from the coast I had to find something new to satisfy my fix for extreme, white-knuckle sport. When I moved to my new college, everyone was talking about snow boarding, and a lot of my peers considered snow boarding an excellent hobby. When they asked if I wanted to attend, I was more than happy to come along and take part.

The next thing I knew I was at the slopes, and I had to let everyone know that I had absolutely no experience of the sport whatsoever. They appeared to understand, and everyone was really helpful when it came to explaining how to get started. In fact, there were so many people trying to teach me what to do, I actually found that I would rather just one person would teach me at a time. The next thing I knew, I was going down the slope, and had no idea how to break appropriately, or how to turn. OK, so I'll admit that getting tuition from a bunch of teenagers was hardly the best idea, but it ensured that I didn’t hold back on anything, and I certainly got off to a flying start. The fact is that you realise it is mostly just common sense, and the thrills that you get are amazing. When you are going down a slope at 30 miles an hour and you do not have to put in any effort to accelerate: that is like flying.

The fact is that I also enjoy snow boarding because it is a great social activity for everyone to enjoy. I had just moved to a new area, and snow boarding really gave me an opportunity to get to know people, and is actually the reason why I am friends with the people that I hang around with at the moment. After visiting the slopes a few times, my new friends and I have discovered more common ground, so now we enjoy other activities together, along with the occasional visit to the slopes of course! I’d recommend snowboarding as a great hobby for anyone, particularly those with a passion for extreme sports, or anyone with a sense of adventure. And it’s really great when you actually get involved - there’s a whole culture attached to it.

Some of my friends suggested taking up skiing, but this is something I think I'll avoid. It is almost like trying to compare a car and a motor bike. A car maybe burns less gas, it may be safer and may even turn corners with more precision, but what would you rather travel in for sheer thrills? Skiing just looks boring compared to snow boarding and the more I get into snow boarding the more my opinion is re-affirmed.

I am glad that I moved away, and I am glad that I managed to find a sport that I enjoy more than surfing. I am hoping to start entering into competitions soon, however I have a lot of catching up to do with my new friends first!

How to Buy a Snowboard

Buying a Snowboard isn't as trouble-free as it used to be. There are approximately 20 various types of Snowboards. With so many enormous choices, the snowboarder in the present day needs to be knowledgeable, so I put this list together in hopes that How to Buy a Snowboard will be an exciting and pleasurable experience.

There are many different types of snowboards available today. Here are the most common types of snowboards: Freeride boards, Freestyle boards, Backcountry boards, Park/Pipe boards, Kids boards, Women’s boards, Boardercross boards and Signature series boards. As you can see you, you have your work cut out for you in making a decision on what board to buy.

Snowboard buying necessitates a few central questions to be answered, but you’ll be encouraged in knowing that you, by now, have the answers. Your, height weight, riding style and foot size are the chief features that will classify the suitable width, shape, stiffness and height of the board you’ll buy.

Although there are other factors to be taken into consideration, a few of the ones you should be familiar about is your riding ability and riding style. The riding style you have a preference for will lend a hand in determining the sort of board you ought to buy. There are a lot of diverse opinions on the countless riding styles there are but I am going to split them up into three main categories of riding styles.

All Mountain and Freeride style-a freeride or all mountain snowboarder make use of the whole mountain. You enjoy catching air, carving and basically all riding aspects. This is the essence of snowboarding. While a clichéd expression in snowboarding, freeride is still the best way to portray the majority of snowboarders. These riders take pleasure in the whole thing about snowboarding: the imagination that can only be understood sliding the half-pipe, the astounding feel of carving a turn on slopes, the sense of flight you get at lift-off from the big-air jump, and the feel of freedom one gets sliding on new snow. It is still inconceivably first-rate fun on spruced slopes. For next in line we will present the following.

Freestyle or Technical riding- involves mostly jumps, trick riding, rail sliding, grabs, jibbing, spins and tearing it up. Technical freestyle riding is usually set up in the parks or near the halfpipe. For a beginning snowboarder, freestyle and technical boards are the best choice. This style is well-liked among the younger snowboarders. Many of today's technical freestyle riders come to snowboarding with an understanding as a BMX, in-line skater, skateboarder, or other action sports conditions. While the gear specific to this category of rider excels in park and pipe riding, it can also be very adaptable across the whole mountain at less than full-speed. We now will move on to the last category.

Carve/Alpine style-pulls together speed and deep turning and make the most of everything the mountain has to put forward. Alpine riders are repeatedly transitioning from one turn into the next. It is all about hard carving and high speed. Expert skiers who decide to learn snowboarding tend to like the performance of carving boards, although stiffer flex and narrower width can make them intolerant for beginners. These types of riders are recognizable out of the crowd; they are always seen laying a trench in the snow with each turn. These riders "use" a snowboards edge like no others, while using authoritative body movements and gravity as their friend, alpine riders enjoy the sport only when they are attached to the snow.

In conclusion, these are the basics of How to Buy a Snowboard. All the most important issues have been enclosed and hopefully the buying process will be simpler for you.

However please keep in mind that whatever you choose to buy, remember that it is your choice and that nobody has a right to influence you at all.