rschneid

Hi all, I am past the newbie stage and working to correct a problem with my heelside. The problem: on my heelside, I am still facing toeside. I can carve pretty well on both sides. On my toe side I frequently end up naturally right on the deck, but on heel side, while I can carve I am still facing the 'wrong' way. I can carve this way at speed on moderately steep slopes (Snowmass Campground, Whitetail Limelight) I was at Aspen SES and watched a lot of riders with their face/body/hands moving between the heel and toe sides. I did get some advice from Jorg(sp?) [ "rotate around at the waste"] but I am having some trouble making that work. Possibly my lower back is just to stiff and or its more rotation than I can make. I am riding 55/50. Is upping the angles a reasonable way to try to correct this? Up to maybe 75/70? I was messing around with this on the carpet and it seems like it would naturally place me in a much more neutral position from which a heel side, lean towards the slope would be more natural. Thoughts opinions suggestions welcome. Rich S.

From the Taos Web Site ".....Long known as a ski-only destination, Taos Ski Valley announced earlier this season that the resort would be welcoming snowboarders on March 19, 2008. To celebrate the change, a snowboarding division has been added to the Freeride Cha......" So is anyone going outthere to report on the best runs for carving? Someone to set the bar? Rich S.

As usual the best time was between 0830 and 1030. Lots of good runs. I was there until about 11:00 on my WCR and then switched over to my Nidecker Alpine (shorter and turnier). I saw one other person on hard boots (maybe Me2) but could not catch him. I was looking for another WCR Metal but did not see one out there. The snow definitely got slow, mushy and choppy as the day progressed. By 12:49 I was worn out (and my 4 hr lift expired too). Rich S.

I should get there around 0810. I was there today (sat) and as usual the first 2 hrs were not crowded. I expect tomorrow will be the same. There was plenty of snow and all trails are open. I will be on my Metal WCR and will have my daughter with me (skier). We will start out on snowpark - probably. Hopefully we can all get together for a run. Rich S.

Oh well, not sure what is going to happen now. It sort of looks like WT will be experiencing a major icestorm on Friday Night. Possibly freezing drizzle on Saturday - so plans are now ... fluid. as opposed to frozen...

Will probably start on SnowPark and move to Limelight depending on conditions. Assuming that conditions are ok I will be on my Metal WCR (highly reflective :) ) If its really busy I may be on my Nidecker which is a 163 black and non-reflective silver board. Rich S.

I am going to White Tail probably both Saturday and Sunday. Anyone else going? Rich S.

Ok, my first ever experience of incredible carving in the West with the runs I like the most TieHack (really all the runs off that lift) Campground ( snowmass ) Copper (ajax) What happens when I go back to WhiteTail (VR=750ft)? I will never forget TieHack on Saturday Morning - was that sick or what? Memorable people: Tim, Jorg, Hanna, Steve, Michelle, (ofcourse) everyone else that provided input of any kind to a newbie carver. I think I got better, I know I got lots to work on. Lessons learned: I am also now prepared to stick my neck out and say - practicing in the East way over prepares you for the West. Forced turns in a small area on steep, hard/icy runs makes turns in places like TieHack a total gimme! This has to be the case. Saturday morning's first run (while my brain was still in EastCoast mode) was a screamer - literally! I will never forget the ease with which my board sliced thru the snow and transitioned from one turn to the next. Never experienced that kind of ease at WhiteTail PA. Totally and completely sold on Aspen and waiting for SES09 Rich S.

I am coming to Aspen. I have never been there before. I am staying at the mountain house lodge in downtown Aspen. I am a newbie carver. As I read stuff it seems like I will be doing most of my riding at snowmass or buttermilk. Can I get from Downtown Aspen to Snowmass easily, as in walk 4 blocks and jump on a bus, or should I be getting a rental car? I am staying at the mountain house lodge because by the time I could get around to making this happen that was all that my travel agent said was left. Rich S.

Here are my boards. The WCR with titanium bindings and almost a perfect mirror. And my Nidecker reflected in my WCR :-) I am going to put some decals on the WCR, just not sure what yet.

Actually I worked pretty hard to try to keep the snow off of my board because I had spent to much 'damn' time on the polish. Tried a couple of waxes and nothing seemed to make any difference in the warmer spells. However, when its cold, the non-waxed but highly polished surface of my WCR repells snow. As long as the snow was not melting! During the cold spell we had here in PA last weekend, all of the snow slid right off of my board (4 days worth of riding). On the other hand my non-polished nidecker board seemed to collect the usuall amount of snow. I had them both out on the same day and the difference could not have been more plain. I have not been able to keep melting snow from sticking to any of my boards. Rich S.

Well I realize that I am keeping this going, but is it really possible to get shinier than my board??? If so I am very interested in seeing that. My board looks pretty close to mirror perfect. Obviously I think it is probably impossible to resolve the titanol vs stainless shinyness argument unless they were both side by side. Or unless we have a professional detailer who knows which one has the highest potential shine. In the meantime, I took a picture of my board, no flash in my front hall, as is. You will note that thats me in the picture reflected back in the board taking the picture. (sorry about the scowl - who knew I looked that hideous when taking a picture?) You can also see a double reflection in the curve of the board. Again natural indoor light, me holding the camera (some shake in there too). I have taken the original decals off and am going to put something custom back, still deciding on that. I am also going to Aspen and will happily submit my board to a pier side by side inspection with any other board. So at least temporarily Titanol WCR Metal Rules! (at least until the next post) Rich S.

Tickets finalized. I am coming out west to see what carvings all about! Also to see if anyone's WCR is as shiny as mine :-) Have to leave on Thursday (that blows) but 5 days at Aspen is a zillion times better than no days at Aspen. Anyone else staying at Mountain House Lodge? Rich Schneider

DiveBomber, very nice! The last 4 days the comment factor has gone thru the roof. I think this is because it has been really cold here in PA and the snow has been sliding off the board. So people stop to admire their own reflections, other people ask what the board is for etc.. It is a real people stopper now. Especially in a lift line of any size where lots of skiers get a chance to see it. My standard response "you looked at my board? thats 5$". What is that board? I don't see the Prior Graphic so either you took it off or this is not a WCR? Rich S.

Well, I have a set of black decals from prior. I will post pics when I finish. Rich S.

Sick Bad Incredible * A million!!!! WhiteTail had the most incredible snow conditions today (Sunday) on LimeLight. I had an instructor trying to follow my carve down the trail and he was as stoked as I was. We just kept doing it over and over. It was a rush beyond anything I have yet experienced. All the elements came together for some fantastic riding. I would put this up against anything anywhere anytime. Anyone who is even thinking of going tomorrow to WT should go, but get there for the opening bell! Assuming that the weather does the same thing - anyway :-) Rich S

From the ticket scanner and sidekick today at WhiteTail (unsolicitied) "That is the wickedest board on the mountain...period" Still waiting for a package of decals from Prior, at which point I will strip off the old ones, and lay out a new format. Rode with Boardman73 and BadBrad today at WT. It was fantastic for the first 2 1/2 hours. Boardman73 rocks by the way, talk about fast and super low carves!..... Layed a trench that would have swallowed an entire ski class. Rich S.

I am going to Whitetail on Friday. Anyone else? Probably on Saturday and Sunday too. Rich S.

I was watching snowboard cross racing over the weekend and it struck me that none of the competitors were in HB. Is there a rule that prevents that, or is there something not obvious to me that has them all in softboots? Seems to me that a hard booter would be at an advantage but that must be wrong or race evolution would have already caused that to happen. What am i missing? Rich S.

Sounds like good advice to me. I will push up to the Nidecker SL 163. Everyone agree that that should still provide a significant difference in performance from my WCR?

I think the weight thing is baloney (of course I have 0 experience so what do I know) - however the megalight that rode to death was supposed to top out at 75kg. And there are no boards within the Nidecker collection that go over 85 and most top out at 75. So whats that all about? They don't make boards for 200lbs people? I think that this is a labeling thing because people want to be told everything - maybe? The weight thing does not really get to me (unless a zillion people chime in that it really is meaningful). Is it? Here a quick comparison. The Waist width is not an issue as the SL is fatter than my WCR ................SC ........Waist ......Eff Edge ....Length Nidecker SL 8.6 .......196 .........134 ..........158 Silber .........9 ........180 ..........145 ..........162 WCR .........11.9 .....195 ..........150 ..........177 Nidecker ML 7.2 ......253 ..........116 ..........163 NOT CARVE BOARD but ridden with TD2s Rich S.

Hey I don't mind hijackers. I have lots to learn from everyone in this thread. I am leaning towards the Nidecker SL 158. 1. It looks cool (hey something has to be my top reason) 2. It has characteristics that look similar to the Silber 3. It is available at alpine carving 4. The price is right 5. It means I replace my old Nidecker with another Nidecker Rich S.

They won't sell to anyone in the US. :(

Ok, I got my heart set on an F2 Silberpfiel, but it looks like that board is not available to me in the US. So how about some alternatives that are close to it? I have a 176 Prior Metal WCR. I love it. But I want another board (#2) for really quick carves and maneuverability when its crowded (which it is, a lot at WT). I figured the F2 163 would be perfect. What other suggestions does anyone have? How about the Nidecker SL 162? That looks like a great board and keeps me in the family. I am 6'2"/200lbs and have been riding a Nidecker MegaLight with HB as my short board but it is delaminating/cracking and giving up under the strain of HB. It was not designed for HB so this comes as no suprise. Its time for a replacement. As I have explained to my wife, my life is now in serious jeapardy due to this board. The only thing that can protect me for her, is anther bright shiny new board. My only concern here is her. Rich S.

Yes thats Georgia in the reflection picture. And yes I am still in the early fanatical stage where I go as often as I possibly can. It does seem to be paying off though. Sunday was the first time that I could carve coming down limelight on my WCR. I stayed on it until 2, when I switched over to my Nidecker. Than I wished that I hadn't switched at all. I have ridden the WCR long enough to instantly feel the stability and smoothness it adds to the carve. The Nidecker (non carving board) chatters and just lacks the feel of the WCR - which is what I expected but am only now being able to really feel. I can turn the Nidecker on a dime but it does not feel anything like the WCR. The WCR is grin producing machine.! Going backwards BACKWARDS!! Ok thats still a ways off for me. Rich S.