Every side of the mountain has its own flavor, its own style, its own denizens and its own lingo or slang. Coming up with names for tricks like "pretzel" or "Michael Jackson" is fun, especially when you might be inventing a name for something that doesn't really exist yet. You also get to baptize certain people that show up on your radar, like "gapers" or "punters" or "barneys". There's also funny expressions for snow conditions like "dust on crust" or when something goes wrong like a "scorpion".
One thing that can go wrong, especially early on when trying to wrestle with park kickers, is "rolling down the windows". I actually heard this expression years after I started snowboarding, back when I started me and my friends used to call losing your balance in the air and flapping your arms completely out of control doing an "albatross". You know, one of those big, over-sized goofy seagulls. I guess that's what our out of control friends trying to keep their board under their feet looked like until they slammed into the landing. It's one of the worst ways to fall, sometimes breaking bones or easliy landing on your back and knocking the wind out of yourself.
Here's 2 good examples of an "albatross"
This jacket has that classic dope Analog style but comes with a sensible price tag. It's light enough to wear all season and tech enough to keep you cozy and moisture free mid-winter. The Albatross is available in three different featherings, black, blue and red. The full tech skinny on this badass jacket and a shop locator are right here.
The good people at Analog would like to give you a chance to WIN an Albatross Jacket of your very own, but you have to do your homework first. Check out the new Issue of Method Mag 13.3 and find the names of all the Analog riders featured in this issue. Here is the digital version if your local shop sucks and doesn't carry Method Mag. Send in your answers to [email protected] by February 11th and WIN AN ALBATROSS!
Now just remember to keep your weight over that toe edge to keep the albatross away!
analogclothing.com