Volcano Boarding, Really?

So as it turns out, I wasn´t able to meet up with Mike. He was busy with Peace Corps training and it just wasn´t in the cards. Somewhat downtrodden after not being able to see Mike, I hoisted up my backpack and headed to Nicaragua. It was a remarkably long and trying day (I think the count was two borders, two taxis and six buses and 12 hours), I arrived in Leon, Nicaragua. Arriving in the city, a cool colonial town that used to be the capital of the country, the hostel I went to was full. Fortunately for me however, there was another literally across the street and I crashed there.

I turned out really well because the hostel, BigFoot, offers a unique tour to a nearby black sand volcano. The tour runs a couple afternoons a week and takes people hiking up an active volcano and then boarding down before heading back. I was reluctant to sign up because it was $20, which is a lot on a travelers budget, but I´m glad I did because it was one of the most fun things I did on the trip.

About 15 other people, all roughly my age, set out hiking up the side of Cerro Negro with our boards in tow. It was a clear sunny afternoon and we had plenty of time to climb down into the crater and do some practice runs before heading down hill. With a 40 degree decline, I was a little intimidated peering down. But with only one shot, I told myself if I was going down, it would be in a blaze of glory. Our boards, more closely resembling crudely made toboggans, looked like veritable death machines and my confidence was only slightly bolstered by our prison uniformesque proctective jumpsuits and goggles.

I pushed off down the hill and the sensation was just like sledding, I guess minus the volcanic rocks whipping you in the face. Things were going smoothly until I neared the bottom, which was the steepest part before shallowing out, when I realized I was going way to fast. I was flying down (by all other accounts, I was the fastest on the day) and knew it was going to end badly. I hit a bump and went tumbling over the front of the sled, did two rolls and then popped up on my feet.

Another guy got it on video so hopefully I can get a copy of my wipe out, but I emerged from the wreckage relatively unscathed, only got a couple scratches. The next day I hoofed it to Coco and now I´m back safe and sound after my whirlwind trip. I am getting my things together and will be flying back to the good ol´U, S and A Friday morning.

Check out YouTube see some other videos. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fnqcm1GOMsY