A New Breed of Aviational Produce...

Shaun White. Ever heard of him? If you haven't yet, you SURE will once the Olympics kick off in about a month. Anyone who knows anything about snowboarding (or even skateboarding) has heard of Shaun - aka "THE FLYING TOMATO" (the boy has some crazzzzzzy red hair and man, he can fly.)

But this post isn't about Shaun. Or the Olympics. Or even tomatoes.

This post is about me. "THE FLYING BANANA."

Let me s'plain;
I like to snowboard. I like it a lot. I've been doing it for a couple years and while I am nothing compared to an Olympian and am fairly decent at staying upright and making my way down a snowy slope (but not of any diamond flavor...).

For the past couple years of my boarding I have rented, or borrowed from someone I know, but I have yet to have my own board. I have all the gear but never actually got to the point of having a board.

Snowboards are ex-pen-sive. Good ones, say a Burton, K2 or Lamar, cost something like $200- $500+. Last year a spent a lot of time looking around, trying to find one that was a good board, good price, good look and good height for me. Plus, I am really picky. I wanted something like red, black and flaming, without it looking satanic... sadly that board didn't exist. I almost settled for a totally different board later in the season, but I ended up talking myself out of it. Maybe next year...

Today I lucked out. I stopped into a store, called Savers, that a frequent that sells used stuff (like...everything.) and over in the used ski area something of a familiar shape caught my eye.

A yellowy/orange snowboard.

So I go over, just to check it out. I take it down. It is a 155 cm...more or less the right height for me (tad longer, but...). Kinda a vintage-y mustard-y random color of yellow. Stripey-type of design.
It is a light-weight, "flycore", very flexy board (a guy's build, but still light and narrow enough for a small chick like myself).

I'm looking at it. $49.99, says the sticker. Good price. The thing is used- you can tell- but it has working bindings and it is in decent condition for some one amateurish like me.

I am looking at it some more. The bindings (things you stick your boots in) say Burton. Burton as is the number 1 maker of boards, Burton.

I look closer. WHOA, the BOARD says Burton. I flip it over. The bottom, which is white, lime green and black, also says Burton.

I am standing there, holding a used Burton board, complete with bindings, that is 50 bucks.
I fiddled with the bindings a little more, gave it a good look over, called my dad, showed my sister (who said "it looks like a banana............................. YOU CAN BE THE FLYING BANANA!), and KNEW that board was coming home with me. And it did. I am extremely excited.

I have a board. I have a Burton board. Total package new approximately (with bindings) $500 or more.
The bindings need some tweaking to get them fit to my boots, but other than that I am all set to go. It is even set in the right stance! (a stance is the way you go down the mountain. Either Regular- left foot forward, or Goofy- right foot forward. I used to be goofy, but then started to go regular after some lessons.)

I am not sure what the model is called or anything; I tried googling it but couldn't find anything, but it is definitely a older make.

... but I like it. Normally I am not much of a yellow person, I actually don't own like...anything...yellow. But on the board it is cool. It a weird shade, almost 70's feeling, that I haven't ever seen before (current boards tend to go with a trend of neon obnoxiousness) and it even has stripes! And since it is a guy's board it isn't like hot pink and floral. I am very against such things.

I like it. I like it a lot a lot. So does my wallet. Happy New Year to ME!

Now I just need a mountain.