How far will you go to feed your addiction?
So just how far will you go so that you can snowboard?
I read stories of people heading overseas and working two job, becomming dish pigs making $5 per hour just so they can ride.
How far have you gone? Or would you go to get you snowboarding fix?
At the moment, I’m broke I have $60 to last me 7 days however someone offered to let me mow their lawns. I jokingly said yes, and now the offer stands, lawns, pool and windows in exchange of a 2 day lift pass to Hotham.
Things I have done for snowboarding…
Dropped out of university in my first year because I didn’t think I would be able to snowboard enough over the next 4 to 5 years. That was 7 years ago, no regrets.
Lived in an attic for 6 weeks, sharing a bed with my buddy.
Lived in a dirty basement for 6 weeks in Thredbo.
Spent all my money, time and time again, to head overseas and get as many days on the hill as humanly possible.
I made a commitment about 10 years ago that snowboarding was going to play a central role in my life, well into adulthood and beyond. Snowboarding makes me feel alive, and feeling alive is the best feeling in the world.
I started teaching snowboarding because I love sharing this sport with people. I worked in a snowboard shop so I could be around the products and learn more about the industry.
Snowboarding is my life. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Haha hadn’t really thought about it in this way but last year (the week before we booked to go to the snow) I subjected myself to all kinds of torture (:)) by going into a 12 day sleep study (where they mucked about with my sleeping patterns - 8 hours sleep 20 hours awake - so after 6 days it was completely the wrong way around) which was aiming to see what effect sleeping pattern changes (to mimic shift workers) had on various tasks, like a driving simulator, reaction time, memory & problem solving…
no phones, internet, computers, exercise, or windows, the only outside contact we had was with the researchers who came in to administer the test batteries every couple of hours, and let us know when mealtimes were…
I took a suitcase full of dvd’s in, and got through 3/4 of them, because all I did for 10 days was watch them (on the 24cm tv 
) or draw (terribly) and write in a journal…
The sleeping was done with electrodes (and wires) dangling off about 10 points all over the face & neck, oh and the lighting was kept constant at this quite dim level that you got used to after a while…
After 10 days of the study I managed to get a viral infection somehow, so that put an end to the study, but long story short(er) that was how I paid for my trip to the snow last year
As far as experiences go it was a lot better than I thought, there were two other guys in there, one was a wierdo but the other guy was a real chiller, and we got along well so that made it a bit better…
Sorry for the length (this is getting to be a common theme…I think I need some lessons in concise writing…) but thanks tobi for bringing back memories of effort for boarding 
Whilst at uni I saved my a$$ off so when I graduated I could take 3 months off between finishing uni and starting my graduate position. No work for 3 months - just being a snowb-um at Whistler was something I very glad I did!! That was just over 10 years ago - Met some amazing people, many of which are very close friends today.
After getting married +1 and I (who thankfully loves to snowboard also), saved for 18 months to spend the season in the USA in 07/08. Again, no work for 5 months - best 5 months of my life. Planning another “mini-retirement” next year….and plan to have them every 3 years. Buying a house has meant we don’t spend much cash, but the “mini-retirement” goal always keeps us focussed
Things I have done for snowboarding…
Dropped out of university in my first year because I didn’t think I would be able to snowboard enough over the next 4 to 5 years. That was 7 years ago, no regrets.
Lived in an attic for 6 weeks, sharing a bed with my buddy.
Lived in a dirty basement for 6 weeks in Thredbo.
Spent all my money, time and time again, to head overseas and get as many days on the hill as humanly possible.
I made a commitment about 10 years ago that snowboarding was going to play a central role in my life, well into adulthood and beyond. Snowboarding makes me feel alive, and feeling alive is the best feeling in the world.
I started teaching snowboarding because I love sharing this sport with people. I worked in a snowboard shop so I could be around the products and learn more about the industry.
Snowboarding is my life. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Rider26 - I think my parents would have killed me if I dropped out of uni…..I do congratulate you for following your dream and staying true to what you want to do!! 
I dropped out of the IT industry to start my own business. One reason because I wanted a better lifestyle working for myself rather then ‘the man’. I’m not a millionaire, but its given me the freedom to do midweek trips and overseas trips.
Next year I’m taking the plunge and moving to Mansfield. Where I’ll snowboard during the day and come back to work at night.
Things I have done for snowboarding…
Dropped out of university in my first year because I didn’t think I would be able to snowboard enough over the next 4 to 5 years. That was 7 years ago, no regrets.
Lived in an attic for 6 weeks, sharing a bed with my buddy.
Lived in a dirty basement for 6 weeks in Thredbo.
Spent all my money, time and time again, to head overseas and get as many days on the hill as humanly possible.
I made a commitment about 10 years ago that snowboarding was going to play a central role in my life, well into adulthood and beyond. Snowboarding makes me feel alive, and feeling alive is the best feeling in the world.
I started teaching snowboarding because I love sharing this sport with people. I worked in a snowboard shop so I could be around the products and learn more about the industry.
Snowboarding is my life. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Living the dream.
I’m planning to make the move once I get more experience in my field to Vancouver. So I can board as much as humanly possible.
Vancouver is a great city and in such an amazing part of the world.
DO IT!
Things I have done for snowboarding…
Dropped out of university in my first year because I didn’t think I would be able to snowboard enough over the next 4 to 5 years. That was 7 years ago, no regrets.
Lived in an attic for 6 weeks, sharing a bed with my buddy.
Lived in a dirty basement for 6 weeks in Thredbo.
Spent all my money, time and time again, to head overseas and get as many days on the hill as humanly possible.
I made a commitment about 10 years ago that snowboarding was going to play a central role in my life, well into adulthood and beyond. Snowboarding makes me feel alive, and feeling alive is the best feeling in the world.
I started teaching snowboarding because I love sharing this sport with people. I worked in a snowboard shop so I could be around the products and learn more about the industry.
Snowboarding is my life. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Nice work mate! I wish i had the balls to just make a leap like that. Only problem is I am in a job that i love and has given me great oportunities, so for the time being I will be staying put
I havent gone as far as some of you guys have gone, but a few weeks ago I dove into my car loan payment money and took out $1300 to get a falls/hotham season pass and get an extra couple weekends up there. Who needs a car anyway!
I don’t really do anything extreme like the other guys here haha.
I often bounce round on my trampoline in my snowboard gear, and wear my gear round the house all day etc. Sometimes wag a day or two for the indoor place here during summer. I’ve also emptied my bank savings account a few times
Thats about it though. Because I’m still at school, I get enough time during the school holidays and weekends (lucky me?) to do my own thing.
Well i save up every penny and dollar i can through the week so i can do the 6hr trip from central coast to south coast to stay at my parents house for the w/e so i can do the next 3hr trip to the snow hangout and board then 3hrs back again each day of the w/e so i have sumwhere to stay thats half decently close but costs less then actually staying at the snow then i travel 6hrs back at the end of the w/e only 2 do it again the next w/e thats 24hrs of driving a w/e lol and im only quite new to snowboarding
completely off topic…
Bennso - it took me a few goes to actually understand what you wrote - any chance you use a bit of punctuation?? Commas, fullstops, etc?
Things I have done for snowboarding…
Nice work mate! I wish i had the balls to just make a leap like that.
I agree.
Ive always had respect for those able to make such leaps.
Even to move far away form home, and all your friends to attend college / university.
I just never had it in me. I never really had the ability, but still I always admired the strength of those that were able to.
I figured that some truly had the strength to do it ahead of time… and the others developed the strength to endure it after having made the decision.
I think I’d be in that latter group.