River, and Snow, and Kids, OH MY!

RIVER
I started "riverboarding" around 2001. It wasn't so much riverboarding, as it was go to Wal-Mart and find the funniest pool toy you can and take it down the river. I only recommend that for experienced whitewater folk though...those things POP and they're horrible in general! It was either a blow up whale, alligator, boogie board, or a customer PFD that we'd use to float on. My friends and I had no idea that riverboarding was an actual sport, and you could buy an actual board....I think.

I was SO excited in 2004 when I got an actual riverboard! I had control, I was balanced, and I'd get launched off huge waves. Sweet! The first time I took it out on the river, my friend Earl busted his chin open, jumping off a rock above the play spot at Ender Waves on the Lower New. He caught the surf, but I felt awful as we were putting butterfly bandages across his chin. :( A day in the life of a riverboarder, eh?

My goal is to get on more rivers, bigger water, and also hit up some waterfalls! WeEeEe! I'd also like to get more people into riverboarding, or get them to at least try it out. I used to dabble in a kayak, I even taught some classes, but once I got a taste of riverboarding, I was hooked. Instead of feeling like you're just riding on the river, you feel like you're a part of the river. It's a hard feeling to explain, but when that water is all around you, and you can feel the current, not with a paddle, but with your entire body, there's nothing better!


SNOW
Airboarding is another sport I am now hopelessly addicted to. If you know me, you know I love to go fast! Which is something I really couldn't do with much control on skis or a snowboard, but I hop on an airboard and whoosh, peace out! ; ) If you've never tried it you definitely need to check out the Face Level site for the list of resorts that offer it. They're few and far between, but we're very appreciative for the ones that are cool enough to allow boarders on their slopes!


KIDS
My main hobby though, is my kids! They are a little young yet to get into this stuff too much, but I'll take Bay, my four year old, out on the lake and some small rivers. The only problem is we need to make a tandem board b/c the kid's almost as big as me (ok, that's a stretch) and his feet get in the way! He's 4 1/2 and is 45" tall...as of a month or so ago, and he's probably grown since then! ; ) But he LOVES the H2O and will probably be an awesome boarder when he gets a bit older. I can start teaching him to read water now, he knows what a wave is, and get super excited when he sees them. Heck, he even gets excited when we drive over a river. He starts shouting, "Look Mommy, a river, see...wow...cool!." I can' wait! Talan (almost 2) on the other hand is not as outgoing yet, but I'm working on him! lol

OH MY!
What's in store for me? Hmmm. Good question. There are other face level sports I am interested in pursuing, it's just a matter of time, and mostly money. I'd love to learn to bodysurf gracefully. Right now it's more of a, "oops, I missed the wave", or "ahhh, I just got worked!" I'm also going to get scuba certified soon. My mom has been asking me to do it for years, since she's been certified since 1984! Sorry mom...'84 wasn't THAT long ago ; ) I'd also LOVE LOVE LOVE to get into wingsuit flying. We'll see how things play out. I'm always looking for an adrenaline rush!