Riding High
8 years ago by
Erik
As a teenager, I always wanted to compare myself to the guys. I liked taking risks, exploring the unknown. I’ll never understand why I was like that, but when I was around 14, it led me to abandon my skis to learn how to snowboard – and try to learn all by myself. At the time, no one snowboarded, so there were no instructors, no schools, the gear was terrible – snowboard boots didn’t even exist!!! I started snowboarding wearing Moon Boots. But I’ll always remember that my board was a Burton. Even when snowboarding was just getting its start, it was already a great brand.
Anyway, I wish I could tell you I’d become a world champion snowboarder, but that never happened. My passion stopped at being extremely satisfied just being able to get down the slopes with elegance (and style, super important for snowboarders) – when I was about 20, I found a group of snowboarding friends, and that was one of the things that helped me stand the winter.
We rented an apartment by the ski slopes, slept piled on top of each other, fought over the bathroom, and in the evenings, we’d make ourselves delicious plates of who-knows-what. I even found girlfriends who, like me, loved hitting the slopes just as much as stopping for mulled wine and talking about life.
The amazing thing about this sport, other than the fact that it’s great for your butt and obliques and abs (hey, this is still a fashion blog) – is that it’s really made for exploring in the powder. Sure, you have to know what you’re doing to go off-piste, but those are probably some of the best memories of my life.
You go all the way up to the top of the mountain, part of the way with the lift, and part of the way walking with your snowboard on your back (yes, you have to leave super early !!!) – to get as far as possible from civilization. Once you’re at the top, you eat something, you smoke a joint (well, they smoke a joint, it’s a snowboarding thing – I’m the annoying one who says no) and off you go!
And then it’s so incredible. The powder makes you feel like you’re floating in a cloud. There’s not a single noise except for the boards cutting through the snow. And a river in the distance. And the animals. One day, I found myself nose to nose with a deer. Maybe my most beautiful snowboarding moment…
Anyway – I go less often now, since life is crazy, and I don’t have my group of off-piste joint smoking snowboarder friends anymore, but Chris and I did try to get back into it. There are lots of ski resorts in New York, and sure, it’s nothing like our gorgeous Alps, but it’s still great, and we went on Sunday and had an amazing time.
So there you go – all of this to encourage you to try it out, and also to introduce our amazing topic for today. I’ve always dreamed of talking to you about topics that are a bit different, and girls who aren’t necessarily urban but who have inspiring lives.
So I’m pleased to introduce you to Melrose Boyer, a Burton Girls Ambassador – which is still my favorite brand (I’ve dreamed of designing a snowboard since I was in my 20s!!!) and she let us follow her around for a day on the mountain.
Mel is an amazing snowboarder. She is currently in college studying Police Technology to become a police officer, but whenever she can get away from her studies you can find her at the park around Quebec and in slopeside competitions. We met her on the slopes to ask her a few questions….
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Where did you grow up?
M. I grew up in a small horse town called Saint-Lazare up in Quebec. I feel blessed to have grown up spending my days at the ranch and riding horses – we had so much freedom and open space. It was truly an unbelievable childhood!
How did you get into snowboarding?
M. Having an older brother will make a girl do a lot of things, because you want to do everything that he does! When I was four years old he started snowboarding and that was the day I refused to get back on my skis. From that moment on, I never gave it up and now I’m in my 15th season of this amazing sport.
What events do you compete in?
M. Because of school I was not able to pursue my snowboarding career like I would have wanted to. Sometimes we have to make choices. But I do smaller Slopestyle competitions around Quebec just for the fun of it. I definitely will never give up doing park – it’s the only way to truly clear my head and really have a blast.
What is your favorite color for gear?
M. All black and camo (can we count those as a color?!)
Wait, you’d like to be a cop?
M. Haha! I tend to get this a lot! I have always wanted to help others as much as I can, and protect and be there for my community. Growing up with my mother in law enforcement and my father as fire chief definitely influenced my decision to become a police officer. Like my teachers say: this job is something that is in your blood; you are born wanting to do this.
Are boys intimidated by your tough truck?
M. Oh boy! I’m not sure! Haha – back home it seems totally normal! But when it comes to the city, I’m sure that the boys are surprised and maybe even a little rattled to see a blonde girl driving! Hopefully they’re a little intimidated too!
Special thanks to Stowe Mountain Lodge
Translated by Andrea Perdue
Beautiful photos!
I’ve never tried snowboarding. I’m actually only into Nordic skiing, on flat ground… Classical style. Yeah… :)
I also always compared myself to boys but that was because there were a lot of boys around who were my best friends. I didn’t have a girl friend until I went to school. And then I didn’t understand girls at all! :)
https://sofaundermapletree.wordpress.com
I love cross-country skiing too, classic style as well ;)
Et on a de la poudreuse tout le temps ici (pas besoin de hors piste) mais je suis nulle en ski :(
congratulations to her! :)
http://littleaesthete.com/
Snowboarding is certainly cool but falling once on my butt was enough for me…I keep skiing and follow my teenage boys having fun snowboarding. The Alps or Colorado are much better for “poudreuse” snow. I love Stowe Mountain Lodge though for a short vacation, ski on ski off and the amazing ski valet to keep your skishoes warm. An ultimate luxury :) lovely model
http://www.pinterest.com/GeraldineTrip/wow-style/
I haven’t tried snowboarding since there is no snow in HK. Yet, I believe it’s an exciting and cool sports, which I would love to try some day!
Girls who do X-Sport are so cool and energetic! Never underestimate girl’s power! BTW, nice sports fashion.
http://www.swingsnowman.wordpress.com
What i love best in this sport beside being outside with mother nature..breath the clean air and have fun..is the amazing
work of style that needs to be beautiful and very technic at the same time… to allow you to perform your sport…
it’s such a big business that you have all the big labels like Chanel,Dior….
with freedom
Yael Guetta
http://www.ftwwl.com
Sublimes photos, surtout celle avec l’ombre des remontées ! Glisser … euh rider sur la neige le matin tôt sans personne, c’est le bliss total j’imagine ! Ce sera pour une autre vie me concernant !
Love these snowy shots!
Love,
http://www.thestyleventure.com
Quelles jolies photos!
Je n’ai jamais fait de snow, seulement un peu de ski (trois fois si mes souvenirs sont bons). Et comme j’ai commencé super tard, je suis méga nulle!!! Le snow, je n’y pense même pas!!!
Bon aprèm
Julie, Petite and So What?
J’ai arrete le ski il y a longtemps, apres avoir quitte le Colorado, mais j’ai des souvenirs extraordinaires de paix et de beaute. Jamais essaye le snowboard.
Par contre et comme d’habitude, je suis sciee par les photos qui sont plus belles les unes que les autres et m’ont donne une envie folle de partir a la montagne, la, tout de suite.
J’aime aussi beaucoup le style et les couleurs de Melrose.
Amazing pic! ;)
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PERSONAL STYLE BLOG
http://evdaily.blogspot.com
Amazing photos. I feel like everyone is skiing at the moment, I’ve never been! x
http://www.wonkylauren.com
Quelle est la marque des ses après skis à lacets sur l’avant dernière photo?
C’est dommage, elles ne sont pas répertoriées dans les vêtements en dessous de l’article…
Merci ! :)
superbes photos ! quelle lumière !
et très jolie fille
Extraordinaire, une petite compatriote du Québec que tu as rencontrée. Elle est jolie ! J’aime bien le village de Stowe et pour le ski et pour fureter dans les petites boutiques. Belles photos !
Great picutres ! I personally did not like snowboarding, but she has good points and I love her mountain style !
https://stylishwishes.wordpress.com/
Beautiful memories. Thanks for sharing, Garance. Also, she is a cool girl. I would love to snowboard because of how beautiful tricks are but I know I’m not coordinated for that lmao.
http://www.dressupchowdown.com
J’ai eu la chance de grandir dans les Alpes, de faire du ski et du snowboard à hautes doses depuis mon plus jeune âge et dans les endroits les plus sauvages. Inoubliables sensations ! Maintenant j’ai complétement arrété car ces souvenirs me suffisent ! Je ne sais pas comment justifier ça mais je garde cette vie de jeune rideuse en moi, les sensations restent vivantes, intactes….
Arghhhh, tes photos sublimes et la jolie Melrose me donnent envie d’aller rider!!!
Je me suis mise au snowboard à 30 ans parce que je ne m’éclatais pas totalement en ski. Pour le coup, je ne regrette pas. J’ai galéré pendant 2 ans (à cause d’un mauvais réglage de stance), mais depuis, je suis amoureuse de ma planche, de la montagne, et de ces sensations de glisse. Ce que je regrette, c’est d’habiter beaucoup plus près de la mer que de la montagne… (Bon, par contre je reviens tout juste des Alpes, je me suis faite une grosse entorse du genou dans la poudreuse… je crains d’être un peu crispée du snow l’année prochaine…).
Tu nous feras une petite vidéo de toi en snowboard?
J’ai oublié, comment tu fixais tes moonboots à ta planche??? C’est sacrément courageux de t’y être mise à l’époque ou c’était encore du bricolage!
Beautiful photos! Thank you for featuring a gal with a strong sense for civic duty. I’m sure she’s a bad-ass on the slopes, and looks great in her Burton gear, but her pursuit of law enforcement is what makes me cheer for this young lady. Bravo to Melrose!
Thank you so much for this slightly different post. A very inspiring girl – beautiful down to earth, healthy and stylish. Magnifique!
Je suis plus une skieuse qu’une snowboardeuse… sauf quand j’étais ado, que les surfeurs étaient beaux comme des dieux et que je passais mes vacances avec eux…. Un hiver je me suis pétée les poignets… moins facile pour tirer sur le joint (Ce que tout le monde fait en France… Garance tu es prise en flagrant délit de storytelling à l’américaine) … Mais heureusement mon amoureux surfeur, beau comme un Dieu, a dû m’aider… Ahahaha :)
She’s adorable…you should have asked her how many bones she’s broken though!
Inspiring woman, with an enchanting and formidable landscape that reflects her huge heart. What an embodiment of inner and outer magnificence she is. I loved this post! I wish Melrose well in her life ahead. Xo
En fait, à l’époque (i.e dans les nineties),
On appelait ça le surf, moins fun, plus difficile que le snow, car on était obligé de glisser toujours du même côté. Goofy ou regular. Et en plus, les fixations étaient dures. On avait donc des chaussures en dur comme des chaussures de ski… Alors question est ce du story-telling cette histoire de moon boots. Parce que à l’epoque, vraiment, je vois pas comment c’est possible…
I just started learning a few seasons ago and powered through after falling on my ass/cursing like a m*@#$%! because you know, I had to be cooler than my boyfriend ;) . It is such a fun sport after that phase! I have two Burton coats and I absolutely love them. They also serve as my city winter coats and are amazing. I love this post..the photos are simply gorgeous!
Quelle idée de mettre le snowboard au dessus du ski ? Les skieurs aussi en hors piste ont des sensations extraordinaires et ça reste tout autant casse cou et technique !
Mais magnifiques photos, moi aussi ça me donne envie de poudreuse… :)
it is a nice story. I like to read bio’s and how people got into their strong interests.
p.s. about the truck. to me they seemed alternative about 10 years ago but now I see them as fairly common (for women and men and even families). some of them seem like they were built to last.
j’ai testé le snow il y a 2 ans. La sensation est unique ! Bon, une fracture du poignet plus tard, j’ai décidé de partir au soleil… Et là je suis à Rio pour les vacances (et je prendrais bien de la fraîcheur alpine tiens !).
You remind me those days in slopes..I still have my Burton board but unfortunately snow has fogot Greece.