You are our inspiration!

If I’ve learned one thing this Inter season its that life is precious and that we should live every moment to he full!

We’ve had some good, bad times, some ups and some downs these last few months but day by day the good times start to shine through stronger and stronger.

The last few days have been good. Andy Cook, friend, client, inspiration and business guru came out to give myself and Mel some help with redesigning McNab Snowboarding (to get some cycling done of course!) and to help us think things through, re-energize us and make sure that we’re concentrating on the right things and getting the right message across.

We had a great and very productive session the other day (after a swift, head clearing, ride to Megeve of course) were we all decided that we need to get back to our roots and concentrate on the quality of the ride rather than the quantity.

For me the winter season of 2009 was one of my best ever. The conditions were obviously great, and that helps a lot, but the strongest memories aren’t just about the conditions and riding deep fresh turns all day, the strongest memories are the days shared with an enthusiastic group of riders all buzzing from a special experience, that for me is something else, something extra special!

Seeing people go through the emotions, hiking out, pushing themselves, arriving at the top of a dream powder descent. The look in their eye and the smile on their face.

Seeing people simply click with the technique for the very first time, their very first real carve, their first flowing descent were their movements flow with the terrain, again the look in their eye, the excitement that something new is occurring, their expectations have changed and there is no looking back!

Seeing people fight through the emotions when facing their first drop off, It looks so big from above! Watching their arms go up as they nail their first landing and ride away, the look in their eye, again expectations have changed from here we only go on, onwards and upwards!

The massive effort of this seasons first heli drop, wading through deep snow to get to the big descent, no one else on the mountain. The deepest turns, the loudest shouts and the and the long tiring hike out. The biggest days but the most amazing experiences. The look of tired satisfaction, something has changed, we know its been a special experience and once again expectations have changed.

Whether its about perfecting the basics on the pistes here in Chamonix, hitting the Off piste for the very first time at La Tour, hiking out to a dream descent in the Aiguille Rouge, Heli boarding in remote Russia, Hiking through mystical lands in Greenland or Norway, there is something really special about seeing peoples expectations change.

One of my strongest memories from this season (a season in which I rode 9 weeks straight of perfect BC powder) is not as you might think a big Backcountry week, but just a moment from the last day off the girls only tech clinic when everything just started to fall in to place.

The conditions were great all over the mountain but we were riding the pistes in Courmayeur and the girls were so determined to get it right. No chocolate breaks! No pee stops! Just run after run of perfecting technique. A million and one questions, draining me for knowledge and then suddenly it just started to fall into place and once it started it happen so quickly and with amazing effect.
Again, it was the look in the eyes, the acknowledgement that something special had just occurred. The sudden confidence in their movements, a sense of achievement spread across their faces and the knowledge that from here on in it would just get better and better. No more questions, no need for talk, now we just ride and we ride and we grin!

These are life defining moments. Memories and turning points that you take away with you and that will be with you forever. These are the moments we share, these are the moments that are special to me and for myself and Mel this is what McNab Snowboarding is all about!

Yep! Everyday has to be special! And after an inter-season of reflection and some help re-focusing from Andy, we can feel the excitement growing once again. We have found our reason to go on and our direction to follow. We are going back to our roots, We will focus only on the great, carry on our amazing journey and get back to living our dreams and creating yours.

You are our inspiration and I’m looking forwards to next winter already!

Expect changes, great ones, the only way is up!

Neil.