It being the fall season, my snow jones has begun. I find myself squirming in my seat while I stare at a screen. It overwhelmed me the other day; my mind wandered and my person followed. I'd heard the US Alpine Snowboard Team was gathering in Government Camp, Oregon, for on-snow training, so I invited myself along.

When I rolled into the parking lot of Timberline Ski Area I found hard boots and sharp edges. I spent the day shadowing the group and it went something like this...

Stretching and caffeine were the main morning ingredients. When the limbs were loose, we uploaded the Palmer Express chair to the sun crusted pea patch of corn snow that remains on the slopes of Mt. Hood. While coaches Jan Wengelin and Jay Cooper, who were sporting skis, (but don't hold it against them) set the gates for the day, the riders warmed their legs on the absolutely bulletproof sheet of ice. My dull edges and soft boots weren't exactly digging, so I let the riding be, staked a spot, and busted out the video camera.

The team's mission — eight timed runs each before the snow softened. Just to keep it interesting, Anton Pogue and Chris Klug put a pack of Hostess Ho-Hos on the line — best combined time won with the loser buying the round of chocolate cakes. Klug, who's just eight weeks off a liver transplant, was sporting a new aerodynamic hairdo just for the occasion. When I inquired about his health, he said with a smile, "I went in for a liver transplant and woke up with a haircut." Needless to say...