I played nine holes at Egremont Country Club the other day. It was a last-minute thing when a buddy told me they had opening day. So I grabbed my clubs out of storage and opened my trunk to toss them in. There you were. My trusty sidekick for the last 15 or so winters, a sticker-covered Original Sin snowboard, with Liquid boots and TechNine bindings. With the exception of TechNine, I'm not certain either of those other two companies exist anymore.
A few days later, I can tell how truly ancient my gear is by the face Jeff Grella makes when I tell him what I'm riding at Plaine's Bike, Ski and Snowboard in Pittsfield.
Grella is a master boot fitter at Plaine's, but is also responsible for a lot of the waxing, tuning and repairs that go on after a season of shredding northeast terrain.
My board at this point in its life has been criminally neglected, and I credit Plaine's every year for getting it back into riding shape each fall. This time around, as my baby gets a little long in the tooth, I'm looking to take preventative measures.
This column can be read in its entirety on The Berkshire Eagle website, or reach out to me directly for a complete copy.