Mike Tokar

I use the old-school 70oz model and fill it up about 2/3. It fits fine under the jacket and freezing isn't an issue. The main benefit I see with staying hydrated is with riding endurance. When I started using the Camelbak, I noticed I could ride harder for longer without the legs feeling tired and crampy. I then started using Sportlegs, and that helped as much or more with endurance. It's a big issue with me since I don't get out too often, I want to stay on the slopes as much as possible. MT

I haven't been on BOL in months, and don't post often, but wanted to send my regards to you and Holly. I missed the Okemo session by a day, so didn't get a chance to meet you, but remember noticing your hang-gliding avatar and thinking about how cool it must be to live in WV. (I've only been there for some mtn biking and whitewater at Snowshoe and the Lower New River.) Keep up the positive attitude and hang tough through the remainder of the recovery process. Hope to see you both on the slopes next season! Mike Tokar PS - I may look into that wired-jaw thing. I could stand to lose 10-15 lbs.

I may be up for some vintage boarding at the ECES! (although it will be hard to take time away from riding the Coiler) I have a Safari that I still use when I'm sledding with the kids, and may even consider taking out the Snurfer, Skifer or Backhill if I'm in the right mood. "Chinese Downhill" is the right phrase if your riding a Backhill on hardpack. I'm going to eat salad for the next 8 months so I can fit into the old woolies. MT

Not to get too techy: When you start looking at different skateboard lengths, imagine a correlation between the different sidecut radii on snowboards. Longer board = bigger sidecut radius. I started with a 56" Dregs Supertanker, and it rides smooth as silk, can handle speed really well, but doesn't want to turn to quick, so I'd equate it with a super G or downhill board with a 16+m sidecut. A year or 2 after that, I picked up a Sector 9. It's about 38" long, has a noticable camber that gives it a lot of life, and is just turny enough for the way I like to ride. You'll probably see a lot of boards in the 38" to 41" range that feel like turning a GS board with a 11.5 to 13m sidecut. The slalom boards that some guys ride are a bit too squirrely for me. I'm not getting low by any stretch, but I still get a nice carving sensation and have fun. BTW - the softer the wheels, the grippier they get. Sincerely, Captain Obvious

I had a similar experience with boot fitting. I went to a "high end" shop in VT, paid more than I should have for boots thinking that they'd do a better job with the Thermoflex liners than I would do at home. I was wrong. I re-cooked them myself (using Dave's instructions on yyzcanuck) and am a lot happier. I think that someone with less experience that follows instructions and puts a lot of care into what they're doing will end up doing a better job than someone with experience just going through the motions. That said, I definitely want to send a board to PTC for real expert TLC that I can't do at home. Can someone post their contact info? Thanks, MT

and came up with about a 9m sidecut radius. MT

Hi Preston, I have a few 158 Killer Loop SL boards. They've never been ridden, but are a few years old. I'm not sure of the exact year of manufacture, the sidecut radius, or even who exactly made it for Killer Loop, but on the top sheet is says "made in Italy" and "Slalom". If it's possible to find out from anything from the serial number, they're A001902 and A001905. Matte blue topsheet, cap construction, black base with a nice linear structure. I also have one with a glossy black top sheet (serial # M00440), but it's so cool looking I may want to keep it for myself. Waist measures 19.5cm, nose and tail 25cm. Flex feels about normal for a race board, not too stiff, not too soft. I measured the camber on both and they're 12 and 13mm, so the board should have a good amount of pop to it. It has 8 inserts each front and back placed 2cm apart, with 19" (48.5cm) stance width from the first front insert to first back insert. If you're interested, I'll get you pix. You can e-mail me at mwtokar@earthlink.net. Think snow! MT

It wasn't Upper Cloudspin, was it? That sound like a great opportunity you had. I'd love to read more about it or see pics if they're available. MT

one helluva ground hog day. Get well soon. MT

I've been dealing with herniations at L4/L5 and L5/S1 (and some minor bulging in the neck) for about 10 years. You're probably aware of the nerves getting pinched, and then the pinching causing pain or numbness down the leg. The pinching then causes inflammation of the nerve, which makes it get pinched more, so that's where the anti-inflams help. I've done the injections, but there's a limit to how many you can have and how long the injections last. Also, it's tempting to just eat Advil like candy, but don't rely on it too heavily for daily life because it can bother your stomach over time. I think staying loose and stretching is critical. If you're not hooked up with PT already, look into getting into a regular rountine of loosening up you're whole body. It's easy to remember if you start at your head and work your way down. (rotate the head, loosen the shoulders, twist at the trunk, rotate the hips, etc.) You may want to get into a martial art to make it a regular deal. If I don't get to Taekwondo on a regular basis, I can feel it in my back and neck. You'll know you're improving as the pain becomes more localized. At its worst, you'll feel it down to your foot, and then you may only feel it behind the thight, then only in the back, then maybe not at all. Bottom line, you can function and have fun, but you have to avoid bad posture and doing stupid things, like reaching out and over to pick something up. If you have small kids, you should get your wife to give them baths. (You may also tell her that daily horizontal hip movement with a partner will make you feel much better.) Good luck. MT

If anyone's hanging around until Monday, drop a line and leave your FRS channel. I'll be there with 2 others on plates. Usually on channel 7.21. MT PS - also riding Stratton 3/13 PM and 3/15. US Open starts 3/14. It's a shame how that event stopped going down hill.

I'm 225lbs, or about 350lbs with all the stuff in my jacket. I still ride a pair of race plates and step-in race plates occaisionally, but have no faith in the plastic disks. I also notice a lot of wiggle compared to "real" bindings. One broken plastic toe lever in about 10 years. MT

I think he's on adelphia.net now.

Haven't been to Gore in years, but I can relate to the ice-coast steep bump runs. The steep runs do hold bumps (no offense meant to the previous posts), and they're typically icy with little piles of snow on the uphill troughs, formed by skiers in panic mode going across the fall line, so there's no smooth zipper line. I have a friend that loves riding bumps, and rules them in softies. When I was telling him the trouble I have riding bumps (I was on a FP185 at the time), he said he wouldn't even take a race board and plates in there. Sounds like you're on the right board. It could be that your boots are a bit stiff, and you're a glutton for punishment riding the most difficult run on the mountain. What you're trying to do is tough, probably the toughest thing to do on a board, so keep at it and you'll get better. MT

I wouldn't arbitrarily set your angles steeper just because you're on hardboots. When you set it up, make it so you get the toe/heel just to the edge (for max leverage) but not over. Sounds like you're going about things just right. Enjoy. MT

The stripes vs. midgets thing was hilarious, as was the desk=warranty thing. But one serious question: What's the base material on the new Madds? Is it that same speckled stuff that doesn't ever get gouged and holds wax for a decade? (OK, that was 2 questions) I need that stuff! I like going up high on banks, and that's where the rocks live.

The reason I got into hardboots and longer boards was to be more stable at speed. I didn't start trying to "carve" until I went to the first ECES. I used to do about one turn per headwall. It felt like carving, but would be a larger scale. Sometimes I work on "carving technique", sometimes I like to fly, and normally I'll do both in a single run. When my legs get tired, I usually go back to flight mode, it's a lot less tiring. The pedestrian right of way analogy was perfect. We're all out there having fun, and just have to make sure we don't hurt anyone. MT

I can sympathize with your predicament dealing with crowds, and I'm also jealous of those lucky people that seem to get the trails to themselves. When the slopes are crowded, it's not reasonable to think you can carve up the run. If we try to do it anyway, people will look at us like we're homicidal maniacs, because we're riding like homicidal maniacs. When I'm in crowded situations like that, I try to get through the crowds with a little extra speed and find that magical (and moving) spot on the trail without anyone on it and make some turns, but still feel the need to look uphill to see if anyone's coming. Even though the downhill skier has the right of way, it's not fair to think we can have the whole width of the trail on a crowded day. Even when the slopes aren't crowded, and we're riding with other carvers, it can get a bit hairy. We have guys flying across the fall line, using up every bit of space they can, and a blind spot over their heelside shoulder. When the adrenaline gets going, and carvers are so focused on their own line and technique, it can become a recipe for disaster. One other solution is to pick a "lane" and do short radius turns, but it can feel less satisfying, more strenuous, and is harder to do if you're on a long board with a big sidecut. I think you made the right move just getting off the hill if it was that crowded, rather than being frustrated at not being able to ride the way you want to. Weekdays Rock! MT

We pre-drill holes in the nobbies, in a pattern that is relatively symmetrical and seems like it makes sense, then turn the tire inside out and shoot sheet metal screws in each hole. Finish with a layer of duct tape to help avoid abrasion. I switched to the thick "thorn resistant" tubes after getting a flat in my first race. Changing tires becomes a little tricky with the sharp screws sticking out all over the place, so a thick pair of leather gloves comes in handy. And yes, they don't give you much space to stop at the Hunter event. I ended up sliding under the burlap after my last run because I was tired of untangling myself from the orange fences. Bent a chainring while going through a piece of bamboo in the process. Such is life when you have to make up for lack of skill with a little extra chustpa.

I get more scared on a road bike. I don't trust the skinny tires, and pavement hurts like mad. The guys in Phils pictures are the real men. There are probably women in those events that also qualify as "real men", and I don't mean like genetically altered East German swimmers. MT

with a "Lefty" fork. Some guys with normal 2-fork bikes made fairings. Not possible with the Lefty. I didn't even want to look down at it when I started riding the thing because it was a bit distracting, but it's pretty strong. Some guys had really good Intense downhill bikes, but the course is so smooth suspension isn't even an issue. I think a good start and a good tuck are more important. (not to mention the mandatory coconuts) MT

Hey Johann! I don't think they had it this year, but I did it 2 years ago and a few years before that. I only got 3rd in the snowboard and bike events, (66mph on board and 56mph on bike). They had it on a mellow NASTAR hill, but built up a nice little starting ramp to get you going. Last year they moved it to a better hill and I think one of the boarders finally broke 70mph. Nothing like the "real" races being talked about here, although it was organized by a guy from Japan named Naga, who apparantly held the 3rd fastest time on skis. It was a lot of fun, the atmosphere was really more like a festival than a competition. Everyone was cheering each other on, rather than trying to assert dominance. The hardest part about the board run was not getting the tail hooked up. The hardest part about the bike run was stopping. I made my mark in those little orange fences after each run. Another positive thing about speeds runs is that it takes a lot less energy than that carving stuff! MT

First of all, thanks for starting a great thread. Second - Chubz, your reply was hilarious. Catching an edge is a huge concern. The hardest thing I found about doing speed runs is keeping the base flat and trying not to get hooked up on the tail, which leads me to think that a board with a lot of taper and not much sidecut would be ideal. Anyone remember the Burton Express? It was a practically straight board. Carving is great, but cruising at high speeds is fun too. I think I may like it better actually. It's easier on the legs, doesn't take as much skill, and having a few extra pounds is an advantage! ;-) MT

I'll be riding at Blue from 7:30 to noon or so. If any of you guys are around, look for me and 2 other guys on Coilers on the quad. Hope to see you on the 18th also. Mike

Never heard of Ernie. Any relation to Phil?