Jeremy Jones rides a “lasboard” in his backyard after a January storm shut down Truckee for several days. A Turkish relic, this board is descended directly from the first boarders in the world, who have been practicing this rudimentary form of snowboarding for hundreds of years. Jeremy brought it back from a visit to Turkey about eight years ago (which was featured in Issue 7.3 of this journal) and still breaks it out on occasion to feel the simple joy of sliding sideways on snow. Photo: Andrew Miller 1/10/17—TRUCKEE, CA BACK TO THE BASICS Cold, large, soft snowflakes float gently to the ground. They have been doing this for the better part of a week. My family lies beside me sleeping peacefully on a rug under the glow of a fire. I am content, happy and at peace in a way I have rarely felt. Today’s tracks, laid steps from here, are erased like they never happened. We are pinned at home from all the snow. The power is out, town is shut down and the roads are impassable. Days are fading together. Tomorrow I will repeat today’s move-ments. I will shovel my way out of the front door, grab a simple piece of wood shaped for sliding on snow, slog my way to the top of the hill beside my house, lay my board down, drop in and make the best turn of my life—a floating, quiet, gentle pow turn. The snow will tickle my face, a slight bounce at the exit of the turn will project me to the next turn, over and over again until I reach the flats and stop gliding. Up the bootpack I will go for a new line. When I am tired, thirsty and hungry, I will walk home. The simplicity of the last few days has given me perspective. The more the complexities of life slip away, the hap-pier I become. It’s a simple, achievable happiness. Hallelujah! 046 THE SNOWBOARDER’S JOURNAL
The Snowboarder's Journal frequency 15.3 : Page 46
