what's this climbing business all about?

Forget climbing! There's still some snowsports left to take care of this season!

While perhaps some of you have been craving the instant Spring/Summer mish-mash that Global Warming has so fortunately provided us, I've been thinking I wouldn't mind a good snow. Not that I've become a major snowsport afficionado becuase that would require -- god forbid, an active lifestyle -- but I have been up to the mountains 3 times this season and that's a lot considering I went 0 times last year and once in '02 and 0 times again in '01 because I spent it all on the snowboard!

Anyway, this little anecdotal run-on goes along the lines of "set a goal and claw, clamber, and/or carouse your way to it somehow..."

I decided somewhere in between buying a snowboard and thanking my Mom for the embarassing helmet that my goal was to mount my snowboard and take it off some sweet jumps. Surprisingly enough, I'm actually doing it!

Keep in mind I didn't actually believe Id' get some serious air, but it didn't occur to me to stop trying either. I suppose that didn't leave me much, but snowboarding has taught me one thing -- sometimes if you remove all other options, the only thing left is to succeed... and bruise your ass trying.

Now you may be thinking to yourself "How did Virgil convince a donkey to go off jumps?" and if you are, I'd say this "What? You're not going to even ask how I got one in the first place?"

Okay, nevermind. All I'm saying is that 5+ feet up and 10+ feet forward feels AWESOME and it's fascinating to discover that succeeding is sometimes just a matter of trying -- over and over again -- and driving 3 hours each way -- and paying $36 dollars -- and feeling sore the next day -- and eating ketchup packets because you remembered everything... except food. Things like that, I bet the climber in all of us can attest to

... the success part anyway, probably not the ketchup packets. Maybe only I can attest to that...

- Virg