Hittin' The Slopes

I went out to a nearby ski/snowboard hill today for a few hours of downhill enjoyment. I think I snowboarded once last year and maybe once the winter before -- I haven't skied in probably about 8 years.

It's interesting to think about the shift in popularity between skiing and snowboarding. I wasn't into it when snowboards first graced the hills, but I did start snowboard in the mid-to-late-90s, so pretty early in the game.

Back then, I think snowboarders really had a unique way of dressing compared with their skiing counterparts. The attire popular with boarders has definitely thrived and expanded, and based on what I saw today has made the transition back to the skiing youth. Without their equipment visible, I think one would actually have a difficult time distinguishing between many of the young skiers and snowboarders I saw today.

I don't mean to imply that it matters. The difference in appearance used to be used to criticize snowboarders, so perhaps it's an indication of social progress that that which was previously stigmatized is now popularized.

It's also telling that the section of the ski hill that used to be a sort of 'bunny hill' for beginners is now a snowboard park with many rails and jumps.

Fortunately, the temperature was rather agreeable today. It was a bit cloudy and hovered around freezing for most of the day. It could have been better, but certainly could have been worse.