I tried snowboarding once when I was in about the 5th grade. I had never snowboarded or skied before, but on a whim, my family decided to give it a shot. I strapped on a board, slid a little, fell, and proceeded to walk down the mountain and call it a day.
Fast forward some 15 years later and I find myself in the same position. This time, standing on top of Newton Mountain, strapping on a snowboard, ready to throw my untrained body down a mountain.
There’s something about this place, both Nome itself and Alaska in general, that makes you believe you can do anything. Whether it’s become an EMT, star in a play, or learn to snowboard, many of us volunteers this year have found ourselves doing things we might not have tried down in the lower 48.
And there’s something about learning to snowboard outside of the confines of a resort that makes you think you’re better then you are. There’s something about a sunny day surrounded by friends that makes you believe you can actually shred like you’ve been doing it for years.
Although I regret learning to snowboard just as the snow is melting, the bruises and injured tailbone remind me I gave it my best shot, and had a blast trying it.