Today I went to my first ski swap for the season. I didn't buy anything, but had a good time talking with some of the sales reps, and looking at the boards. It reminds me of one reason why I like the board I have: no garish graphics.
One guy I spoke with is from Appleton, Wisconsin. He's both a skier and a rider. He started out skiing, but added riding to the mix because ... no surprise here ... skiing in the Midwest can get boring. So he thought of making winter more interesting by mixing things up through adding snowboarding. It's a good reminder that people bring different reasons to riding.
The ski bump is adding a new lift this season. The toweres are installed but I didn't see any chairs or even the cables. They have plenty of time to get those in, however.
I will probably go to at least two other swaps. I don't know if I will actually buy another board. I'd like to get two other boards, actually: a newer, higher-end freeriding board, and a shorter, more flexible board for further exploration in the halfpipe. (I link turns but don't catch air.)
Both my board and my skis came from a ski swap. It wasn't necessarily the best place to go, but things have worked out. This season it may be best to ride some demo days or even, if I get my certification, go pro forma (professional discount).
How about everyone else? Have you been to any swaps yet? See any improvements at your local mountain / molehill?