The ski lift whirls around and sweeps me off my feet. Sailing through the air, the lift takes us higher and higher up the snow-covered mountain. We're in California, but this isn't a movie set; yet, we sit under the limelight of the sun shining down on us. Today is my first time learning how to snowboard. Most of the other kids are taking snowboarding lessons on the bunny slopes, but for me, I'm riding up the ski lift to the top of China Peak alongside my father. Nervously, I think, "Maybe I should have started on the bunny slopes," but no. I wanted to see the world from the top of the mountain! This is my adventure; this is my California.