Out There

With Cynthia Saunders

Writer Cynthia Saunders finds joy and entertainment in just about everything outdoors. She is, depending upon the time of year, a skier, snowboarder, runner, rock climber, hiker and bicyclist with varying degrees of proficiency. Cynthia loves a good game of Frisbee, and knows almost every local swimming hole there is.

She says that “being outside isn't always about being active,” so you’ll also find her picnicking, watching meteor showers and sitting around campfires with guitars late into the night.

“When I went off to Washington D.C. about nine years ago for college, I was excited to be living in a city, but it killed me to only see stars in the planetarium. When I moved back, the first thing I did was go for a leisurely hike in the 'Hopper' in Williamstown."

G.E.T. Helps Beginning Boarders Get with the Program
by Cynthia Saunders

Pressure, pivot, tip, twist. These are the four methods of controlling a snowboard. I learned this at the beginning of my 90 minute lesson with Marc Antolini, my Jiminy Peak G.E.T. (Guaranteed Easy Turns) instructor. By the end of the lesson, I also knew how to put this information to use.

According to Marc, the G.E.T. program was largely inspired by a Burton study showing that nine out of ten people who tried snowboarding never went back to give it a second shot. Why were people giving up so easily? How could the sport be made more accessible? When you watch an experienced boarder coast down a white mountainside, it appears effortless, but for the unguided, it can be a daunting path. Hence the implementation of the G.E.T. program about eight years ago at Jiminy Peak.

G.E.T. classes (for beginning skiers and snowboarders of all ages) are all about making the novice’s introduction as welcoming as possible. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable about the equipment, and knows how to teach the sport so that each step builds comfortably on the previous one. To start, Marc helped us fit our boots properly, offered us wrist guards and helmets, and answered our questions about the Burton “Learn to Ride” equipment (designed to be “forgiving” to beginners).

During the lesson, Marc explained the ins and outs of controlling the board, demonstrated different techniques for us to practice, and gave us several opportunities to try them on our own. He offered helpful, practical suggestions on how to improve our form and balance while riding, and helped to demystify the chair lift for those who had never been up one before. Comfortably ready for a break, he guided us back to the G.E.T. building for some complimentary hot chocolate.

The G.E.T. lesson initiates you with the essentials, and then you’ve got the rest of the day to practice these skills and build your confidence. The $69 fee includes the lesson, the rentals, and your lift ticket for the day. The lift ticket only allows you access to the two smallest chairs, but that’ll be enough to keep you happily (and safely) entertained if this is your first time on the snow. If you feel inspired, stop by the GET building on your way back out, and they’ll give you a discount on your purchase of a GET 2 lesson, the follow up to your initial training.

About Cynthia Saunders
North Adams native Cynthia Saunders wrote her first poem, “The car went after/ the star” at age 5, and has been writing, and chasing stars in her car ever since. Currently, she teaches English at Wahconah Regional High School in Dalton and lives with her kitten, Thomasina.