Jon?...Doh!

There are just over 100 people on the ‘nonstop’ course, 48 of whom are snowboarders. The snowboarders are broken up, according to experience, into six groups of 8 and instructors rotate each week around the groups providing all groups with tuition. Each instructor has their own ‘specialism’ (e.g. one may primarily focus on the technical aspects of riding, another may prefer riding steeps and moguls and another just likes to hit big jumps) so a broad range of riding skills receive specific focus.

This week my group (who have diminished from 8 to 6 following injury and a confidence crisis) ride with Jeremy, one of the younger instructors who favours freestyle riding and spins. Despite an enthusiastic start to the week, aches and pains in previously undiscovered muscles quickly take their toll and my riding ability begins to decline culminating in a collision with one of the girls in the group, whilst another member of the group falls so hard on his head that his helmet splits. It doesn’t hurt to be reminded how dangerous the sport can be...well, I suppose it hurts a bit.

Last week, after a day’s riding, a few of us went for a drink in a Fernie bar where we were joined by a journalist for the free local monthly magazine; ‘The Fernie fix’. She asked us a couple of questions for the magazine and took a few photos. The February issue of the ‘The Fernie fix’ was released today and is available everywhere in Fernie. At the back of the magazine is a slightly unflattering, drunken picture of me with the caption “30 year old nonstoper, Jon Carrier”!...I’ll try and convince people Jon is my uglier, non-identical twin brother.