"Just ride"

Clear about my objectives for today's class I explain to Donnie (DEFrost), in detail, exactly what areas of my riding I need to improve on.

"I'm too extended whilst riding on my toe edge and often get a lot of chatter on frozen patches of snow which means I lose some of the control and despite a flex in my legs I struggle to keep low when transitioning into..."

"Ian." DEFrost cuts me off, "Just ride."

And with these simple words, I start to genuinely enjoy snowboarding. Without minimising everything to an exact science, trying to maximise the efficiency of my alignment and setting unrealistic targets it becomes far more liberating and fun. OK, so my alignment probably isn't perfect and all my bad habits may have reappeared, but I relax enough to ride switch better than ever before.

At someone's recommendation, I visit a pub at the end of Main Street to sample some of their prize-winning beers. The attitude towards binge drinking in Frisco is refreshingly different to that in the UK and this is exemplified by the disappointment (and even contempt) shown by the bar staff as the, already somewhat inebriated, customers further along the bar order themselves another round of shots.

"Another beer, Ian?"

"Erm...no thanks."

The four weeks here in Colorado have gone surprisingly quickly, but I'm feeling about ready to return home for Christmas, shortly followed by the next leg of my trip...Michigan.