Phil

The longest that any burton board has lasted for me was two years. I have had quite a few last much less. However, as stated above, their customer service is top notch. It is just a shame that you have to use it. To be honest, I think that I would rather have crappy service and a board that would not break. No, actually I would like to have great service and a board that would not break. As far as the airs looking alike, I have to agree with you to an extent, but don't you think that most people look at a race and say "every racer is doing the same thing". To a trained eye, they are almost all doing something different - both on the jumps and on the course. I agree that boardercross is a happy medium. I will still always see Burton as the company that was really into racing (years ago). They simply had to follow the market. I am a member of AASI and they are doing the same thing. They are trying to prepare instructors to cater to the needs of a freestyle driven market. I don't see anything wrong with that as long as we are still trying to teach all other forms of riding as well. I really do not think that there is anything that Burton could do to revive the hardboot and/or racing market. These things are just trends. Right now popular culture is about being "extreme" and expressing yourself. This is just another manifestation of a post-modern culture. In another generation, we may get back to a more absolute type mindset in which we like to see people race against the clock. Who knows what the future will hold. If hardbooting/racing ever gets big again, I'll bet the big "B" will be right on it. BTW - in spite of the short lifespan of their boards, I really do think that they ride well.

"Or maybe because taking off and landing is easier than carving." Huh??? Have you seen what these guys are doing in between their taking off and landing? Not easy by any stretch of the imagination. Then they float three 1080's back to back (in the pipe, that is a switch 10 in the middle or two switch 10's with a forward 10 in the middle)!!! Also remember that most pro freestylers can carve better than most of the hardbooters on this forum. (Now I can hear some of you getting ready to tell me how big your balls are ----- I said MOST not ALL)

BTW "This is pretty much my favorite animal right now."

You can also check out: http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/liger.asp

Go Pistons! O.K., so it is not looking too good for the Pistons, but I still have hope. BTW. You have got to see Ben Wallace in person. He is an absolute beast. He is not really that tall, but he is so ripped. I wouldn't want to have to post him up. I am rooting for the Pistons, but the Spurs are a great team. I was rooting for them all through the Western Conference playoffs. Once they meet the east, I am more inclined to go with the east. Either way, my fav is the Sixers and there is no immediate hope in their future.

Thanks for the update Scott. I am glad to hear that things are moving along (albeit slowly). Keep the updates coming and we'll keep the thoughts and prayers coming.

Keep posting bro. I am glad to hear that things are progressing. Hang in there.

Scott and Holly, Sorry to hear about this. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

It blows my mind how the vast majority of skiers still just don't get it. "He's not even on carving skis" - as if only certain skis will carve. Also, the idea that carving and skiing are different. In our ski school, out of around 150 ski instructors, we are lucky if 10 - 20 carve (of couse those who do carve do so really well). Snowboarders are so far ahead when it comes to carving.

http://www.cambriabike.com/shopexd.asp?id=11493 Here is a late model Rock Shox. It is a decent fork. Most bikes today have geometry set for suspension forks. Years ago, they did not. You will most likely have to buy light springs for any fork you get (unless it is air sprung). If the fork is oil damped you will most likely have to put lighter weight oil in it or see if the fork will adjust for 100 lbs. Of course, if your son is not that serious (which it sounds like he is not). Throw the fork on as is and do not worry about it.

Technically, my quiver expands, but I am just replacing old boards and keeping the old boards at my house. I keep four boards at the mountain (FS, FR, SL, and GS) even though my quiver technically expands, the boards that I ride are the same four all season. When one wears out or breaks, I replace it.

Dude, For crying out loud, get a summer hobby! Oh, wait you already have 37 summer hobbies. Still, I feel your pain, bro. -Phil-

Maybe there is someone here from Mass. that would be willing to pick it up and ship it for you. They could then ship it as cheap as possible. Anyone?

Don't be jealous guys, we all know that he is training to be a cage fighter. and... I like your sleeves, they're real bright. If this makes no sense, follow Jack's advice and rent Napoleon Dynamite.

Mirror was not asking if it was possible, but saying what he wanted - so I did not reply. But... This was just talked about in another thread: http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5719 Here was my reply: I don't really think that any board has too little of a tail. Unless you ride really deep powder or slush, or the the halfpipe wall is severely kinked (and maybe a few other scenarios that you guys could think of) a small tail will do. For that matter, barring the above conditions, a small nose works as well. You know the questions that we all get - people ask me all of the time how you can ride switch with that flat tail. I then point out the nose - it is not that different. Race boards really don't have much nose either. and here: http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5563 My post: The only thing that I have found that I don't like to do on my hard setup is switch moguls. I really don't like riding moguls switch on my softies though either. If I am going to spend the day in the park, I will not take out my hard gear, but if I am on my hard gear, I won't think twice about going anywhere on the mountain. As far as switch is concerned, I believe that race boards excel at switch carving every bit as much as they excel at forward carving. They are stiff and stable at speed. The square tail thing is all mental. The only times that I ever dug the tail in was switch moguls (see above) and when I was teaching riding switch in the pipe when the pipe was waaaaay kinked out. That was a bad idea - and I paid for it. (deep snow is bad for switch too, but we never get any of that)

I guess my airs aren't that big after all.

Where I live, the trails close after heavy rain until the park rangers inspect them and deem them ready to open. Again, I respect trail closure. I think that as far as land access is concerned, this is the best way to go. If you have a really rainy year, it is tough, but at least you know the trails will be there for you when they dry out. MTB'ers are probably familiar with what they do in B.C. - wherever the trails are too wet, they put elevated ladder/tree bridges in place of the trail. This stops erosion and makes the riding even more fun IMO.

Don't get me wrong, I am all for respecting trail signs and such. Still, MTB effects are negligible in the grand scheme of things. There are trails that are hundreds of years old that have been used by horses, carts, etc. Along these trails there is much vegetation. Erosion has happened, but it is not that bad. Anti-biking groups have used the argument that you use to close trails. It is propaganda.

"Mountain biking creates a lot of ground erosion" So THEY say. The mountains were here millions of years before MTB's and MTB's will not be what stops them from being around millions more. The erosion thing is propaganda.

"You can have nearly 100 runs a day." What?????Where?? That must be a fast lift and a short hill.

"I'm married to number 3." I am married to number 1 (and only). Some think that's hot, some think that's not. I am glad that I don't USUALLY have to choose.;)

My season is over - I can't be thinking about snowboarding. Sex season is year-round. Sex it is. Ask me again in November!

That happened to me once. I was teaching at Blue Marsh before I came to Roundtop. I was giving a lesson and had forgotten to take my keys off of my belt. My keyring was a big carabiner. Somehow it all got wedged into the chair. I was hanging by my belt a good 6 feet in the air. My student, who was a beginner, got off just fine! Maybe he should have been teaching me.

If you like laying out carves, the Silberpfeil is a great board.

I'm jealous that you guys have room to ride those boards at all, let alone carve a circle. :D