Day 77 - Learning to Snowboard at 39 in the Austrian Alps

Day 77 and day two heading up the ski slopes. We all slept in a little, waking around 6:30–7am, which felt like a luxury compared to the early starts we’ve had lately. Even so, Kia and I still woke up feeling pretty flat and tired. Not sick, just a bit off. Maybe it’s the cold, maybe it’s the constant movement and new routines, who knows. Hopefully our bodies catch up soon.

I jumped straight into a bit of work in the morning. Checked emails, had a new job come through and made a start on that, plus followed a few things up. I also spent some time tweaking the website again. It’s turning into a bit of a slow, enjoyable project — learning as I go and gradually shaping it into something better. The kids got stuck into schoolwork on their tablets, and Maddie spent time writing in her journal, asking lots of questions about spelling and names of places. It actually felt like a proper, calm routine: breakfast, coffees, schoolwork, work. A good start.

We planned a later departure today, meeting downstairs at 11am to head up the mountain, which was a huge improvement on the day before. It gave everyone time to get organised and meant we weren’t rushing. We met up with the Norwegian family and headed out — our Austrian hosts weren’t skiing today, so it was just the two families.

We drove south of Scharnstein to Kasberg Ski Area, which sits around 600–1,700 m elevation. It is well setup for us to learn, however my biggest fear is wiping out all the young kids learning to ski right where we are learning. I wonder how many Australian adults have rocked up to learn to ski here? Not many, if any I bet.

Lessons learned from day one kicked in straight away. Kia and Maddie wore normal walking boots up to the gondola and changed at the top, saving their legs from the stiff ski boots. Emmett and I wore our snowboard boots since they’re much easier to walk in. Up we went in the gondola, still one of my favourite parts. It feels steep and endless, but the views are unreal. It was rainy and misty at the bottom, then we broke through the clouds and arrived to snowfall at the top.

The snow conditions were way better today. Yesterday’s hard, compact snow had softened up. Not mushy, just forgiving which mattered because we all hit the ground plenty. I’m still carrying a sore left bum cheek from some solid backwards slams. Those little course markers sticking out of the snow were brutal. Only an inch high, but enough to catch the board edge and stop you dead. A few times I went straight back, no warning. They also narrowed the run, which made carving tricky. Shorter turns, less room to move, and lots of focus just on not clipping a marker.

Emmett picked up right where he left off yesterday and was straight into solo runs. His current technique is speed-first, control-later. He bombs down, tries to stop, crashes, gets up, and goes again which he considers progress. We’re working on slowing things down and learning control before he accidentally takes someone out. Maddie and Kia, on the other hand, are absolutely flying. They’ve both really got it now and were invited by the Norwegian family to head to the bigger slope tomorrow. They’re ready. Emmett and I… probably not just yet.

By the end of the day, though, things clicked a bit more for me. I was riding both backside and frontside, still messy and mostly backside, but with noticeably more confidence. Same with Emmett. And when the markers were finally removed and the slope cleared out, it felt like a different mountain. With more space and no obstacles, I could actually link turns properly and ride it down far more smoothly.

Lunch was a big upgrade today. We brought sandwiches and hot chocolate and sat together on the slopes with the Norwegian family. It was such a good moment. Warm food, tired legs, and great chats. They’ve driven their car all the way from Norway, across ferries and through Europe, doing a full gap year with everything they own packed in. We’re slightly jealous of the gear and freedom, but also very aware that our trip is just a different version of the same adventure.

At the end of the day, Kia, Maddie, Emmett and the Norwegians skied and boarded across to the belt that leads back to the gondola. I walked, carrying the bags. Gondola down, short drive home, then straight into chill mode. The kids watched a movie, Kia cooked dinner, and I returned one of the snowboards I’d been trialling. I definitely preferred today’s board where the stance felt more natural and forgiving.

There was fresh sourdough too. Kia and the Norwegian mum had learned how to make it with the Austrian family, and I managed to snag a loaf for breakfast tomorrow. Big win.

Dinner, a bit of a catch-up with our hosts, then bed by 7:30pm. Everyone was cooked.

There were moments today where I genuinely questioned why I’m learning to snowboard at 39 years old. It’s hard, it hurts, and it’s humbling. But it’s also incredibly satisfying when things start to click. Figuring out how to ride onto the belt without unclipping was a game-changer — way more runs, way less frustration. Emmett’s doing the same now too.

Confidence is building, slowly but surely. Looking forward to seeing what tomorrow brings.