jonbass

I WAS CARVING! :D:cool: I managed to get out for a half day today because I have to drive to Skagway this afternoon to play a gig. No video as my wife just got off night shift and was sleeping. I really tried to take it easy and let the board do the work and I was getting some nice carves. It started to Feel good and then I started pushing and working the board once I got a feel for it. I had a blast! I started out carving more like the racer example, Compressing through the turn and keeping my body moving downhill. By the end of my day, I was trying to extend my body out... definitely not an extreme carver yet :). I was really crouching and that made a difference, especially heelside. I can't really tell yet why I end up turning the board tight one time and more open another. That'll take time. I grinned all the way home! If I didn't have this gig I'd be out tomorrow too. I spent a lot of time on an easier run that I have avoided in the past because it has some really flat sections. It made a difference in helping me control the speed and concentrate on the carve. At speed my APX just skids. Maybe I need to add more board to my quiver!

I just watched Night at the Museum 2. It definitely wasn't the best 90 minutes I've spent but the scene with Darth Vader and Oscar the Grouch was hilarious. "Is that you breathing? Because I can't hear myself think! There's too much going on here; you're asthmatic, you're a robot. And why the cape? Are we going to the opera? I don't think so." -Kahmunrah to Darth Vader Hank Azaria sold it! Have any funny movie lines?

Could this statistic be because the hysteria has influenced more people to get vaccinated? Maybe the vaccinations are working! Less people getting infected.

Is this the "Cornholes" one that was mentioned in a different thread? Does it need some edge work?

Actually. This explanation really helps. You made it very clear. I think I am starting to identify different styles and what makes them different. This awareness will help with my own self awareness while riding I hope... or I'll forget everything and do the same things I always do!:D

I noticed they were very different. Almost opposite. Is the push pull method sort of what I diagramed or do I have it wrong?

So I've been reading up on technique and it can be a lot to take in. I am trying to simplify things (I'm a music teacher! I can only count to 4 and know the first 7 letters of the alphabet) In really simplistic terms is the push pull method; Crouching down at the beginning of the turn when you are initiating edge contact, pushing yourself into a standing position in the middle of the turn, then pulling yourself into a crouch at the end of the turn as you prepare to change edges. Sort of like this; I pulled a couple of pictures from this thread that went way over my head http://www.bomberonline.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=8540&highlight=push+pull I don't know who to give credit to for these pictures but they show a carving sequence pretty well. [/ATTACH]

Thanks for putting the video link up Bryan. The main thing you couldn't see in the video was the giant grin on my face. :D I think you are right. I was trying to be aggressive but with very little efficient output. Unfortunately I have gig in Alaska next weekend so I won't be able to get on snow til the weekend after to put it to practice. Visualization exercises!:D The only thing I really feel like changing a bit on the set up is the outward cant. It doesn't feel comfortable. I really appreciate all the input. Thanks for the ideas and keep it coming. It makes sense. When I get out there I get excited and just want to give'r :D

That's brutal. I'm glad no one was hurt. Do you think people are getting more inconsiderate or has it always been like that?

Our hill finally opened today and I got a chance to try out my new set up. Over the past decade I got out a couple of times a year on a rental softboot setup and I decided it was time to go back to what I loved! I was really rusty and the hill was pretty icy. My wife took some low quality video on our digital camera so it is pretty hard to tell what is going on. Sorry. I really found that I was skidding all my heelside turns and fighting my set up. I am riding an Oxygen APX 165 with TD2. Front foot 3 degree toe lift at 55 degree angle. Back foot is about 5 degree heel lift with 3 degree outward cant at 50 degree angle. Stance is 19" set back 1/2". It was pretty cold out and I was riding with my wife so I didn't spend any time on the hill trying different binding angles. I felt like I was struggling to get my weight forward onto my heelside edge to get it to dig in and the board just didn't want to turn up the hill. Once I turned the board up the hill the edge would release. This would happen both toeside and heelside and resulted in shallow skiddy turns. Every once in a while i linked a couple of carves together but it was inconsistent. I think that the outward cant on the back foot doesn't work for me. I was pushing against that cant all day. I didn't mind the angles. I also think i may need to narrow my stance a bit. I have a 31" inseam. Would it help to move my bindings forward on the board? I think it all came down to first time in a long time, icy conditions and awkward canting. That all being said, I had a blast. I love the feeling of hardboots. My boots were really comfortable and toasty warm on a cold day. I can't wait to get out again. Anyways, here is some blurry dark video (it was actually recorded at noon but we are so far north that the sun doesn't make it that far off the horizon). If you can see enough to make some suggestions or give advice on set up and technique I would appreciate it. I also realized I'm to old and fat to be wrestling with my bindings and trying to get up! :D ;) Intec is on my wish list!

First day open at the local hill so I finally got to ride my set up! I had a blast! I definitely had some trouble carving and I think I need to do some major tweaking of my set up. I couldn't get my heelside to hook up at all. My wife took some video of me but it is pretty poor resolution. I have to run because I have to go to a gig with my jazz trio but I'll try to post the video later and beg for some advice! :D Here is a quick picture from the lounge and us freezing on the lift.

Noooo! I wanted to buy that! :) Oh well. A good excuse to order a Coiler maybe. Just need to save up my allowance.

That is cool. I think people really like carving when they see it.

I am a teacher and we lost a 8 year old girl from my school to h1n1. She participated in my choir and other projects along with regular classroom activities. She was one of my favorite students and she was one the fondest memories of my career as a music teacher. I am typically mistrustful/skeptical of anything that is backed by or benefitting the major pharmaceutical companies but I got the h1n1 vaccine. I didn't get it because I'm fearful of h1n1. I got it because the thought of passing on this virus to someone else and it ending their valuable life, regardless of whether there are other contributing factors, is pretty horrifying to me. Maybe I am being brainwashed by the media hype/fear but the loss of that little girl really tore me up. We have since lost an otherwise healthy mother of one of our students to this virus. Usually I see these things on the news but they have no effect on my local sphere of acquaintance. I recognize that people die of the flu every year but this flu seems different and it is the first time I have experienced it close to me. Maybe my judgement has been affected but I guess I asked myself whether I would want to be the one to pass this virus on to someone who has is in a high risk group. I would be surprised if the vaccine has any more impact on my health than the deep fried chinese buffet I had for lunch! Ouch!

When i asked the local snowboard store here about hardboots, the "manager" assured me they had them. I was surprised until she pulled out some softies and told me they were really stiff...uh... i tried to explain plate bindings and alpine boots and she didn't think there was such a thing. Sigh. They did have a great selection of purses, studded belts, chain wallets and hoodies though. :rolleyes: The snowboards were tucked into the corner and you couldn't even tell what boards they had. It seems like snowboard shops are just fashion boutiques these days. It's like that in both the stores here in town.

Thanks Jack. i searched "Decamber" and nothing came up. Sorry to bring it up again.

I have read quite a few mentions about decambering tips and tails of boards lately. What exactly is decambering and what are it's advantages?

Thanks! :)

I will spend as much on a board as my wife will let me! :D:smashfrea;)

I like the black one. Would you be offended to have another board out there with the same graphic? I aqm thinking about getting a coiler and I would love to use that graphic when I order a new one in the new year.

I think this is my favorite graphic! It is very cool looking. Is this a stock graphic?

It's nice to see the construction process. A good reason to get a Donek!

I ended up buying a pair of these today; http://www.bkkenterprises.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SG Sorry that I said Polar Shield before, I meant Arctic Shield. They also sell some glove/mitt combos. I will give em a spin and let you know if they work. I don't know how durable they are but they will be my everyday gloves as well as alpine. We get some pretty cold weather up here so I hope they work. I have thought about getting some fur gloves but I am pretty sure that my dogs would enjoy them more than I would! ;)

That coastal weather sure changes. I hope you don't loose too much snow. I guess mornings can be pretty icy?

I wonder if he was a volunteer working on the course and thought they between runs. Seems like it could be some sort of course miscommunication. That was brutal. Everything exploded.