NMU Alpine Boarder
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Posts posted by NMU Alpine Boarder
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Kinda sad to see that Shaun Palmer won't get a shot to compete for a medal in a sport he pioneered...
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Very nice... I'll definately have to keep an eye out for your team when I tune in on the 30th...
Any idea what the field is looking like as far as car count for this year?
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They wouldn't happen to have Keewenaw Brewing Company (KBC) Pickaxe Blonde Ale down that far, would they? KBC is in Houghton, MI (way up there) and they've been pushing the Pickaxe Blonde and the Redjacket farther and farther south. The blonde is just... Sublime...
KBC is still only available in WI and MI at the moment :(
:smashfreaThey are in Metro Detroit Milwaukee though, so there is promise :p
Seriously, if anyone has a chance to try their beer, do it... They are some very savvy brewers...
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Just soak up the bumps SBX style
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I have yet to teach in hardboots. I do teach on a 167 Volkl Cross with Burton C60s however... My gear definitely looks different than the typical setup seen on the hill, and it really hasn't ever been a big ordeal... I don't think it would complicate a beginner lesson if I did go all the way to a full carve setup...
When I teach my lessons, I explain that the beginner progression is a set of skills that is applied to every aspect snowboarding from that day onward... I'll cite that I used the principals when racing SBX and GS... I also explain how some of the skills are applied to freestyle as well... These include being relaxed when on the board, initiating movements with the lower body, and the basic concepts of how a snowboard turns... It seems to get the students attention when I mention that I still work on these fundamental aspects...
From here, you can get the students to focus on certain aspects away from the boots and bindings... Make it a point to have the student look at your hands or shoulders... If you need to do something from the knees down, stress that the movements are the same (for the basic skidded turn)... Make sure you are spot on in your demonstrations, and make them look like you are in softies... It might not be fundamentally correct for hardboots, but that is a secret that can be kept for a few hours ;)
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Like others, several factors come into play for me...
At Giants Ridge, MN, we pulled up to the parking lot on a race day where the temp was -26*F (car thermometer) with no wind... By noon, the temp had soared to -18*F... Surprisingly, that day was very tolerable, and even enjoyable... You just had to keep moving... The snow was very carvable, you just had to have on some super hard, cold wax to move...
On the flip side, I had an absolute miserable day at Lutsen a few years ago... The temp was around 0*F with light winds... Wind chill was -15*F or so... The problem was that the Chalet on our side of the resort was only about 50*F
It was impossible to warm up... If you pulled your feet out of your boots, you were banging and stomping all over the floor to get the shells back on... I had to rub my feet with heat packs to get feeling back in them... You couldn't really take off any layers because it was cold... By the lunch, I felt so drained... Everyone was chilled through and through... Not fun at all... -
Salomons With Marker Bindings?
Epic Fail.
1) Markers Suck
2) your Salomon rep would roast you for not putting Salomon bindings on that package. I guarantee he'd cut some sort of deal to keep the ski/binding pair all salomon.
3) Markers Suck
Yea, my bad.... No idea where the hell Marker came from in this... They are Salomon bindings... The only Markers we got go on our crappy K2s.... -
I'm not sure if I understand this comment. Many of the high end ($$$) all mountain skis have the same technology (modified for their intended use) as the FIS race stock. Are you asking does the same technology/construction/shaping get into the mass volume entry level skis found in the big box sports stores? Most likely not, due to the price point and the fact that the type of skier that buys these skis couldn't tell the difference anyway while the are skidding down the hill in a flying wedge! The same for the snowboards sold for the masses. The stuff they sell at Dick's Sporting Goods isn't top grade stuff either. You won't find a top of the line Palmer, not alone a Kessler, Donek, or Prior soft boot board in these type of stores.
Just to be fair, the "Big Box" stores base their inventory on what they can sell at a given store... I sell skis/boards at a Dick's here in the Chicago area... In our inventory, we don't really carry any "high end" stuff. The best Skis I have in stock right now are probably some Salomon X-Wing Tornados. They are paired with Salomon Z-12s and have a nice $799 price tag on them... Overall they seem to be nice skis from what I read about them...
The problem is that the people that are coming into my store are just what you described: People that bomb the hill in a wedge-tuck... They are going to see that dollar amount and freak... They can't justify spending that much on skis...
Now what about a store out in Denver? Is everyone that shops there going to be a hack? Of course not... Just look at the area... Those stores will carry the better skis... Out there, the clientele know that if you want a good pair, $700 is about the lowest you want to go and that some pairs can go $1000+... It's all about what you can sell in an individual store...
We see the same thing in Snowboards... Burton is our big seller to no surprise... Here's where it gets interesting though: Our store, along with others in the midwest can be used as an outlet for the chain as a whole... At my store, I have no chance at selling a $550 Burton Custom let alone a $1200 Vapor... Out west however, there is a chance someone is willing to drop that...
Once the summer hits, the high end boards that went unsold out west come to the midwest for clearance... Now here in IL, I can offer someone a new Dominant or Operator for $400-500, or I can offer them a V-8 EST Board that was $650, but is now marked down to $429... Here in the Midwest, the buyer seems like they got a steal on a board... The store maximized their return on the board as well...
The chain stores will carry the high end gear, but only if they feel they can sell it... Many people within the hobby still turn to local shops out of habit, comfort, and familiarity... And this is what is saving the mom and pop shops from dying out, like in so many other niche hobbies... The big stores have just not found a way to make a profitable foray into the high end market just yet...
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Not on snow, but good for a chuckle today none the less...
Not in the lift line, but this should be good for a chuckle...
I'm currently working part time at a Dick's Sporting Goods selling skis/boards among other things... Some woman came in today wanting to purchase snowboard boots for her son... Now, I am real hesitant about blindly guessing at someone's boot needs without them there, so I went through my schpiel about how important boot sizing is... In there, I mention that it's normal to have to downsize 1-2 boot sizes from your normal shoe size...
Well, this woman tells me that I am flat out wrong because her son told her that he needs a size 11 and that you need to GO UP A SIZE from what you wear in street shoes...
Despite my objections, the woman went ahead and got a pair of size 11 Burton Motos... I can only imagine what that kids ankles and feet feel like an hour or two into his day...
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Yes, I know they are evil. But hey.... what choice do you have if you live in Chicago.
Chestnut, Wilmot, Alpine, Sunburst, Cascade, Devils Head, Tyrol, LaCrosse, Four Lakes, Villa Olivia, etc.
Of course I kid :p
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It's a longshot, but see if you can track down the a Volkl Ski Rep... Specifically, one that knows their race skis... Although he don't know the ins and outs of the boards, the rep was able to get two brand new RTs for me in 2004 and 2006... Since I made the initial contact at a "racer night" I was able to get a pretty good discount on the boards as well...
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I have a TON of wax but I've been using dominator and swix more than anything else.
if I am waxing temp specific I use the swix system, if I am waxing and I don't what the weather is gonna be like I use dominator graphitezoom. that wax is the best all temp wax I have found. so, graphite zoom is what goes on my boards that I don't ride as much and I can't predict the weather for.
one product I can't live without is dominator's graphite renew zoom, it's the best base prep and base cleaning wax I have come across.
Ditto for this...
If you have the time/money, it's hard to beat SWIX CH wax in the "Bang for Your Buck" department... If you are looking for a general All-Temp deal, Dominator is hard to beat... I got a 400g bar of their Zoom, and it lasted the better part of 2 seasons... Never really had a problem with it sticking except at extremely low (-5*F) temps....
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Just be sure to TIP your instructors and people giving lessons..... We are "broke" too.
I'm hoping people still come out for lessons. I fear "Group lessons" will be the money ticket this year as they tend to be cheaper.Actually, this came up yesterday... I'm working at a small 150 foot bump here in the Chicago area as an instructor... After talking to the school director, I guess we are expecting a steady year, or even a slight increase in the number of lessons... As mentioned below, many places out west have priced themselves right out of the ballgame for people, so travelers will take the cheaper lessons here and get fewer or none out west...
I know it's not something that's promising for ya, just something that I found interesting, and it makes sense...
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Since Winter finally arrived here in the Midwest, I spent a good deal chatting with friends about skiing/riding while out on the town last night... Over the course of the conversation, we started chatting about our plans for the upcoming season... What new gear we got, where we were planning on going, and other snow related chit chat... From all this, one point seemed to be quite clear among our group: We're all poor
I guess that happens when you choose to graduate college the same year as a ginormous economic meltdown This just kinda got me thinking about how I can make my dollar go the extra mile this winter... To start out, I already have 6 usable free days (and another 3-4 that aren't feasible) at various hills here in IL/WI/MI thanks to Warren Miller and some Ski/Board shows... Paying $30 in admissions was well worth it for that alone... I'm also keeping an eye on Craigslist for any vouchers or coupons people might be selling off...
Add some no brainer things like avoiding weekends, looking for specials, and bringing your own PB&J for lunch, it's appearing that I won't have to sacrafice much in the way of riding, even though I am on a much tighter budget this winter...
I'm just curious if anyone else had any tips/idea about keeping the cost down...
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In other news, fishing resorts have been found to lie occasionally about their catches :lol:
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I am just curious if anyone that contacted Granite Peak had received any kind of personalized response from them? I had heard nothing back until today when I received a copy of the press release that was quoted in the Transworld article at the beginning of the thread here... No other details or even a hint that they even read my original e-mail... Great PR move by Granite Peak :lol::lol::lol::lol:
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Glad to see that Granite Peak actually took 2 seconds to read my e-mail :lol:
This is the canned response I received today Dear Derek:Listed below is the press release from the owner:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information:
November 17, 1009 715-845-2845
New Terrain Park Features and
New Skier-Only Runs at Granite Peak Ski Area
Wausau, WI — Granite Peak Ski Area is pleased to announce enhancements for the
upcoming
season that will benefit both skiers and snowboarders.
“We are a customer-oriented business,” says owner Charles Skinner, “And the
satisfaction of
our customers is the touchstone for all of our decisions. We believe in the
value of experimenting
with new terrain concepts and will continue to do so with the goal of providing
increasingly
enjoyable experiences to our customers.”
In response to requests from skiers, who indicated that having a few ski-only
runs would be a
great addition to Granite Peak’s offerings, two runs will be designated as
“Skier-Only” runs this
year.
“Skiers have told us that the rhythm, turn radius and visual orientation is
different for skiers
and snowboarders, and that they would enjoy a few runs dedicated just to
skiers,” says Skinner.
“This particular change is an experiment and will be evaluated at the end of the
season based
on customer feedback.”
In response to requests from snowboarders, Granite Peak will offer the addition
of a half dozen
new features to the terrain parks.
“Over the past few years, we have, in response to requests, continuously
upgraded and improved
the features favored by our snowboard customers,” explains Skinner. “Our
snowboard
customers are important to us and we will continue to enhance and improve our
terrain parks.”
After this change, 72 runs will be open to both skiers and snowboarders, two
runs will be
“skier-only,” and five of the 72 runs will be covered with terrain parks that
offer specialized
features used predominantly by snowboarders.
I don't have time to write a response at the moment, but I will be informing them that they won't be receiving any financial support from me and that their PR on this is absolute garbage if this is how they chose to respond to intelligently written commentary...
:AR15firin:AR15firin -
I was looking at getting this vise. It seems convenient in that you don't need a table and can bring it anywhere. The only thing I would be concerned with is the sturdiness. Has anyone used this one before? Other than this one the Toko ones look pretty sweet.
One problem that comes to mind with that setup has to do with the length between the places the table contacts the board... You will have a ton of overhang on the ends with longer boards, and this annoys me when brushing/scraping... You have to slide the board back and fourth so you don't have the board swinging up on ya....
With the Toko or Swix vices, you can simply slide them to whatever length you need....
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You know, I was thinking....
I have a free lift ticket from Warren Miller or the Ski Show down here... I really wonder what they would do if I showed up on these runs with my hardboot setup?
It would be blatantly obvious that I had no interest in the park... How would they try and sell this idea to me in person? I could make the case that as an alpine boarder, I am hit twice by this... We lose terrain to the park AND the closing of runs...
I really do wonder what they would actually do if they saw me or anyone else from Bomber out there, seeing as we tend to be much better riders than the masses...
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Well, I was planning on maybe going up there for a 2 day trip to check out the place, but that won't be happening now...
I will be writing a stern, yet polite e-mail informing the staff of this... Here is what I sent in the e-mail:
I would like to comment on your decision to close down 3 runs to snowboarders. I feel that this is a completely unwarranted and uneducated decision on your part. I am a rider of 14 seasons, an AASI Certified Instructor, and have many seasons of snowboard racing experience to boot. I see no reason why any competent snowboarder needs to be "banned" from any area at a snow resort.
You cite that snowboarders having a different "rhythm, turn radius, and visual orientation" as your reason for the ban. First of all, I find that statement to be incorrect. If I am riding my hard boot setup, my visual orientation, rhythm, and turn radius is nearly the exact same as skier that is making a tighter, GS style turn. If I switch to my Boardercross/All Mountain setup, my turns mimic a turn very similar to that of a slalom racer. Again, the way that you chose to word the reasoning behind the banishment sounds very foolish and uneducated on your part.
Based on your stated reasoning, it appears to me that your problems are not so much with snowboarders specifically, as it is out of control people, on BOTH skis and boards. I feel that your patrons that complained to the management are stereotyping snowboarders. I thought that the skier/boarder wars of the 1990s were long since over, but it appears this simply isn’t the case. As a veteran of many seasons here in the Midwest, it has been my experience that there are the same amount of idiots on skis as there are on boards. The problem comes in people, as a whole, not knowing the Skier/Boarder Code and proper slope etiquette.
If my views on this are off, could I please get a more in-depth explanation on this situation? Like I said, this isn’t the 1990s. Skiers’ “elitism” should be long dead. Skiing and Snowboarding innovations have fed off of each other and the sports are closer now than ever before. Making a rule like this sets the entire snowsports world back 15-20 years.
As it stands now, I was planning on making several trips up to Granite Peak this winter. Each trip would have consisted of 2-5 people buying multi-day lift tickets, food, lodging, and other odds and ends. If these rules are enforced for the 2009-10 snow season, we WILL NOT be going to your resort. Again, I feel that this line of thinking is archaic and elitist. We will gladly take out money to resorts like Cascade, Devils Head, Norway Mountain, Marquette Mountain, Indianhead, and others that welcome boarders with open arms. I also will strongly encourage friends and acquaintances to choose to spend their money elsewhere as well. I hope that you strongly reconsider this decision.
Thank you for your time,
Derek Krause
(815) XXX-XXXX
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Since it wasn't mentioned, I am curious as to how Skiercross starting spots will be awarded...
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Think we'll beat the Northeast to the slopes this year
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A trillion is definitely a lot of money, but....here's me with over a million. The two big bricks on the top are each $100,000. I have $50,000 in each hand.
The pile is mostly 1's on the top, but there's 5's, 10's and 20's as you go down the pile.
PS: I don't look that young or skinny anymore
later,
Dave R.
And here I am, thinking that the $10,000+ we have in our ticket office on a good Friday/Satruday night is a ton of money
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After snapping my Tib/Fib in Jan. '06, I had a rod and 5 screws put in my left leg... After rehabbing it and getting back on my feet, I was told that my hardware was staying put since it doesn't bother me (except for that "just right" movement while playing sports or something once in a great while)... Since that's the case, I'm inclined to let sleeping dogs lie with this one... The doctor that oversaw my rehab is also one of the team Orthopedics for the Chicago Bears, so I'm inclined to trust his judgment on the subject
I have wondered about what would happen if I went over the handlebars again though
:smashfrea
:lol:
It was impossible to warm up... If you pulled your feet out of your boots, you were banging and stomping all over the floor to get the shells back on... I had to rub my feet with heat packs to get feeling back in them... You couldn't really take off any layers because it was cold... By the lunch, I felt so drained... Everyone was chilled through and through... Not fun at all...
I'm hoping people still come out for lessons. I fear "Group lessons" will be the money ticket this year as they tend to be cheaper.
I guess that happens when you choose to graduate college the same year as a ginormous economic meltdown 
:AR15firin:AR15firin
boot sizing
in Carving Central
Posted
Yooper,
Sent you an e-mail regarding some people in Marquette that should be able to help you get an idea on sizing...