The end of summer doesn't have to mean the end of fun!
The beaches may have experienced unseasonably warm weather over the last few weeks, but the chill is starting to set in. And as temperatures fall, so do hopes of participating in warm-weather activities.
But the end of summer doesn't have to mean the end of fun. Sports enthusiasts all over Delaware are beginning to daydream about the Poconos or Vermont, where a fresh coat of powder may equal a perfect day of snowboarding or skiing.
With mountains just a few hours away, Liquid Surf, Skate and Snow, located on Route 1 in Rehoboth Beach, is already preparing to gear up for the winter sports season.
"This part of the year is pretty slow for us because we're in transition," said Mike Ridings, the store's co-owner. "It's when people usually start to buy beanies, hats and jackets. It's lax, but when that holiday (season) kicks in, that's when everything starts happening."
For Mike Littlejohn, manager of East of Maui in Dewey Beach, thoughts of snowboarding start to come about when the temperature begins to dip below freezing at night.
Littlejohn said he prefers to go to Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Macungie, Pa., where he said they really cater to snowboarders. The mountain also has a really good terrain park, he said.
Liquid, which sells snowboard gear, often organizes bus trips to various ski resorts throughout the winter.
Ridings, who primarily deals with the surf side of the shop, has been a long time skier. Last year, however, co-owner Derrick Shockro got him to try snowboarding. While it was extremely difficult to learn and he got plenty of bumps and bruises, he said it was still an extremely fun day.
As the man who primarily deals with the snow part of Liquid, Shockro said he is always itching to get on the slopes when September rolls around.
"I start thinking about it mid-September when we get into an Indian summer," he said. " The temperature (may be warm here), but it's getting cold up in the mountains."
For those who are familiar with board sports, Ridings said the transition to snowboarding is not terribly difficult.
"If you skate or surf, you usually have the balance to snowboard," Ridings said. "It's about using the edges more than anything. I found that out real quick last year."
For the most part, Littlejohn said boarding sports go together, especially when it comes to body positioning. For someone who only surfs a few times a year, he said the transition will most likely be challenging.
But until the winter sports season really starts to kick off -- which usually happens toward the end of November or December -- Littlejohn said he will spend much of his time in the water.
"Living here in Dewey, I surf year round," he said. "But as soon it gets below freezing, I start making trips to Bear Creek. I try to get up there once a week."
Other popular destinations in Pennsylvania include Blue Mountain, Camelback and Jack Frost/ Big Boulder.
source: delmarvanow.com
