A couple of weeks ago I went to South Lake Tahoe, and it wasn’t snowing, but it was cold. Snowboard season is in the air; I can smell it, and it’s sweeter than one of grandma’s fresh-baked apple pies.

I look forward to the first day I get to hit the slopes like a third grader looks forward to Christmas morning. It’s excitement, it’s knowing that something special is waiting for me, and on those days where the stress of school, work, relationships, and all the other stresses of everyday life seem unbearable, it’s a release.

There’s nothing else like it. What other sport can relax you, thrill you, make you feel unstoppable for a fraction in time, and then send you home so exhausted that all you want to do is pass out so you can have the strength to do it again the next day? None that I can claim to have experienced. Snowboarding is the ultimate sport; it can provide leisure, or it can provide competitive energy that sets goals and standards that cause one to strive, in addictive fashion, to take their ability to the next level.

For me, it’s leisure. It’s best to go with friends, but once on the mountain it’s more about an individual quest for relaxation. I release my stress by hitting the mountain, breathing in the icy air of the Sierra and gliding down the slopes, catching a little bit of air off the jumps and carving through trees. The chill of the snow numbs my senses for a brief enough moment that my body can manage whatever uncomfortable position that the structure of my board, along with the landscape of the mountain, folds me into. At least for that short second. Then I head back up the lift, where all I see are snow-capped trees, and from some resorts such as Northstar, a view of crystal-clear Lake Tahoe that puts most postcards to shame. That’s what I call euphoria.

Even falling down feels good. Believe me, I know; I do it a lot. I don’t claim to be a good snowboarder, I just love it. Taking in a snow facial isn’t appealing to most, but the initial impact caused by a botched jump or catching a rail is actually fun. You slide through the snow as if it were a “slip-n’-slide” in your backyard, and the strawberry burns don’t present themselves until they hit the hot water of the shower; that is, back in reality.

Snowboarding makes things better, even girls. I want a girl who snowboards. For the girls who can’t understand this thought, it’s the equivalent of finding a guy who’s a good dancer. You don’t have to have it, but wouldn’t it be nice? Isn’t it a turn-on? And if the girl is a better boarder than I am…all the better.

So now it is time to get prepared. Boreal is already open, but that’s not right for my first day. I’m not up for machine-made snow just yet. I want the powder. I want it fresh, and I want it now. The first day is coming.

It’s one of the few days that I want to set my alarm early. It’s not just a day of playing a sport; it’s an anticipated event. I already have the day planned: get up early, eat a quick breakfast, get to the resort, and forget about everything else. No eating, breaks are limited, and when the day’s over, it’s time to hit Chevy’s for endless rounds of margaritas and the biggest burrito they’ve got. Want to come?

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