Masonite sand sledding: as crazy as bodyboarding, but definitely more painful when it goes wrong

When we think of bodyboarding, we usually associate it with moving walls of water. But a group of friends decided to change the rules of the game.

Sometimes, you need to get creative, especially if you're miles away from the ocean and feel an urgent need to ride a steep slope.

Sand can be a hard surface to land on, but that wasn't a problem for a crew of extreme sports enthusiasts who converted a school bus into an environmentally friendly means of transport.

The yellow vehicle, led by adventurer, athlete, and filmmaker Joey Schusler, allowed them to travel and try something new.

So, they bought masonite boards and shaped a few smooth and slick bodyboards.

The goal? To ride the sand dunes of an unknown desert. The result is breathtaking and should definitely inspire new attempts at other locations.

Sand Bodyboarding

The blend between sandboarding and bodyboarding works pretty well. The riders reach incredibly high speeds as they descend the 45-angle dunes, grabbing the "nose" of the hardboard.

At some point, they need to apply the brakes using their feet. However, when it's not enough, or simply too late, there's no escape - you've got to taste the sand grains.

In one of the craziest stunts, a desert bodyboarder goes for an air move, throws the board away mid-jump, and wipes out spectacularly.

"The last thing I was thinking was, 'How the hell did I get this high in the air.' And then I thought: 'Jesus, I am going to hurt myself so bad when I hit the ground. And then I got knocked out, so I don't remember after that," Spencer Lacy explained.

The rider ended up with two broken ribs, a collapsed lung, a broken radius and ulna, a severe concussion, and light bleeding of the brain.

And an unforgettable story to tell his friends and family.

Lesson learned: if you plan to go masonite sand sledding, make sure to wear helmets and extra protection gear for your elbows and knees.

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