[Thirst tesi8]

...and a billy club on the base?

[Thirst tesi8]

16 hours ago, Kneel said:

...AND you have pastys.   We get the elevation, but turning real estate is often at a premium. No pastys at Stratton.   Yeah, so maybe shorter might be suit me better, but I'd be fine 167ish. 

I think Mark's got this. It'll be comparable to a K168, but with all the juicy Thirst ingredients (ex-el sidecut, quasi-isotropic asymmetrical "WARP" core with added slices of metal & rubber in the middle. It'll have similar specs—157-ish ee for a smooth ride, 10m-ish average sidecut that likes to make complete turns for controlling speed.

The overall length is less important to me than ee and turning radius. The idea for Tonya is a smallish, nimble board optimized for a comfortable ride on ice. There might even be an optional plate system.

And, who knows, you might be be able to order it with a side of pasties, a wedge of Vermont cheddar (ubiquitous when I lived in Vermont) and maybe a lobstah roll (the Maine pasty?) for the Maineiacs. How I miss a good lobster roll!!

[Thirst 9SW]

Video of my first ride on my 9sw earlier this spring. Somebody requested a video? 

195cm, 18cm waist and a bigly scr.

Starts with 30 seconds of ogling the board before getting to 1st tracks carving on 2" of perfectly smooth cord over hard ice on a wide green run...

This board has been surprisingly fun in a variety of conditions. It has remarkably good edge hold ice, even if that's not the first thing I would think to use it for. I was actually surprised when I took a shorter board with Gecko style plates out after this video and got bounced around quite a bit. The ice was rough under there.

I found I really like riding it late in the day when everything is chopped up, as it just smooths everything out like it's not even there. As good or better than an iso-plate on a shorter board. I found myself looking forward to making a few runs on wide, uncrowded green hills at the end of the day.

It requires plenty of room and I'm still learning how to ride it as I keep misjudging how tight I can turn. I'm still not very comfortable getting off the beginner hill with it, but that's okay, because it goes so fast that it's still a thrilling ride. It's a little like you're flying an F16 and everyone else is flying in Cessnas.

[Thirst tesi8]

1 hour ago, Kneel said:

Comparing my metal Superconductor to the 8RW, with the Super being considerably stiffer with a much higher flex point, it feels like you SHOULDN'T be able to turn tighter, but you defnitely can.  My kid made the same comment.  It's a Thirst that actually rewards you for being uncomfortably out front over the nose. I rode with @Carvin' Marvin at Vail in February where he made the coment: "...I thought you were going to ride into the woods, then disappeared in a giant roostertail and instantly exited in the other direction. 

Tonya.  We NEED Tonya.

I'm already on board with the Tonya. We should talk...

Mark's mind seems to be constantly spinning with new concepts and his boards seem to be getting better. I had the same sensation riding the tesi8 as I had the first time I rode a Thirst. It immediately grabbed my attention feeling different than anything else in my quiver (which is mainly Thirsts now). Confidence to do things I might otherwise hesitate to do, as if I could will it to turn quicker, tighter. Could be partly the skinny thing, the metal is certainly a piece of it, but there seems to be some other new magic. 

I didn't want to give it back...and I didn't.

[Thirst tesi8]

So, I visited Mark in north Idaho and rode with him at Schweitzer. Rode the tesi8 and fell in love with it after the first few turns. He let me take it home and I got to ride it a bunch in some nice conditions. 

I like it a lot. Yes, it's a little less lively with the well behaved dampness you'd expect from a metal board. It's audibly quieter as well. I love how it turns! Almost feels like there's something else new in this board, not just the metal. Maybe a slight change to the sidecut and the flex pattern?

Turns feel smoother than my 8rw. Seems to slice through lumpy snow better, is more nimble and feels like it turns a bit tighter. I'm not sure, but I think much of that is due to it being significantly skinnier (at 18.5cm) than my 8rw (at 20cm).

I'm liking skinny boards again (and long ones too).  I wish now that I had demoed some of his other new boards, but maybe it's good that I didn't, because I'm already thinking of revamping my quiver starting with the tesi8. 

[Giant's Ridge]

these last 2 weeks had some of the best conditions this winter...

 

[23/24 Board Porn]

On 3/27/2024 at 10:04 AM, Jack M said:

I'm overstimulated.

Triggered a flashback for me...

 

[Sasha]

Mild temporary "headache" is worth the price of having comfy feet all day long. MS boots have a very narrow instep that makes it hard to slip feet with a high instep in easily, no matter the type of liner. I think it helps lock down the heel.

I found the "Zipfit method" made it easier and painless getting my feet in and out of the shells. Warming the boots in a heated bag (or in front of your car heater) helps and is recommended as it facilitates molding the cork while having the added bonus of helping maintain warm feet for the rest of the day. Maybe not a problem in Miami?

[Sugarloaf 23/24]

Nice photo Jack!

[Giant's Ridge]

Sunday

That's a wrap...

The last track looks like the first track.

[Who’s done for the season?]

 

12 hours ago, st_lupo said:

A perfect season end.  The snow was still pretty good, but rain and warm temps will kill that 

Anybody else hanging up for the season, and is it on a high note?

 

 

Last day tomorrow in northern MN. 

Warmest winter here in 150 years of record keeping. A mediocre season that has ended brilliantly with one storm delivering more snow than we received all winter.

Sayonara El Niño

 

 

[Giant's Ridge]

Friday  Similar to the past few days, sunny and warm 30 - 45°.

Arrived mid morning to avoid the frozen early morning groom. A little busier today, but never a lift line or traffic on slopes. ~4" of slushy snow over an ice base. Carve hard and you find the ice.

Relaxed carving at the end of the day riding the 9sw, making some nice trenches and thinking about a foggy geezer & burnt onion soup...

Rode for a few hours on 3 boards; tesi8, TSm², 9sw.

Sunday is the last day. Might be there.

[Tracks]

tracks of the tesi8

[Giant's Ridge]

Thurs    40 - 45° & sunny

Arrived casual-late for an afternoon session.

Snow was just getting sticky in the sun after a few runs. Stopped to rub on some fast-stik warm.  Had to reapply after a couple of runs, then it lasted til I was done (another hour or so.)

There is still plenty of snow. A few inches of soft slush over a softened ice base. No bare or thin spots. Saw some one out measuring and recording snow depths around the hill. Looked like he was getting roughly 2 foot depths everywhere.

Carvalicious...

...and nobody there...

[Tracks]

My last runs today on relatively untouched groom on Cortina at Giants Ridge, MN...

A few more days left...

[Giant's Ridge]

Wed   windy with temps 28-40°

Another 11am start for sun and warmer temps. There was light rain yesterday and the hill had some inconsistent conditions--soft, crunchy, crusty, depending on where you were. Mostly good carving, but not quite as nice as it has been.

Cortina was exceptionally good--soft, smooth, consistent and relatively untouched groom late in the day...

The last tracks of the day.

There were just a handful of folks on the hill all day.

[Tracks]

Finished off the day making big, lazy turns on wide open green runs riding a 195cm Thirst 9sw yesterday at Giants Ridge, MN...

 

The kind of smooth and consistent groomed snow that gets you addicted to carving.

  

[Giant's Ridge]

Monday   partly sunny 28-43°

Went up late morning again to let frozen cord soften and clouds to clear off. A little busier than Easterday--it's last day of spring break for a bunch of kids on the hill today. There were seams in the groom from being groomed wet, but not bad. Once softened in the sun, it was carving bliss. It kept getting better, so I kept taking one more run and next thing I knew it was almost closing time. 

Rode 4 boards: Superconductor & XC exploring some of the steeper & narrower trails while the hill was softening up. Then the tesi8 for some big turns on the wide open runs. Then finished off riding the 9sw on a wide green run...

I was the April fool today as I forgot money & credit cards, so no soup for me! 

Taking a weather day off tomorrow due to possible rain and for some overdue body work.

The rest of the week looks good--sun and temps into the 40's.

[Buck Hill 23/24]

9 hours ago, bobble said:

@bigwavedave could you see yourself doing this? i watched his series. i'm fascinated by his videos. i'll stick to my pontoon on a freshwater lake.

 

The kid talks to much, shut up sail the boat, I say...and get some better sailing shots.  I know, I sound like a grumpy old man. Maybe jealous that I couldn't afford a boat when I was his age, or I surely would have sailed around the world. Maybe I will still. 

 

 

[Giant's Ridge]

Easter Sunday   28 - 40° and sunny

A day of rest for me yesterday. Waited til late morning today for sun and above freezing temps. Virtually nobody here. Snow and groom was fantastic and turned into wonderful soft spring carving conditions....and nobody here! Rode longer than I thought I would, about 3½ hrs. of constant carving and deep trenches. Loving the tesi8. Rode it back to back with my 8rw and after 2 runs, couldn't wait to get back on the tesi8.

...And yup, had a restorative burnt onion soup paired with a foggy geezer, and today's Easter special, a fresh peach mimosa for dessert.

[Lutsen]

P.S. Rode the new 6pac high speed Raptor Express which parallels the old 2 person fixed grip Bridge Chair (which is still in place).

One hour in, it was busy enough that the lift lines necessitated single rider strategy, nosing into any empty space. When full, these large capacity express chairs deposit way too many people at the top creating a traffic jam to navigate to find space to clip in and launch. Then wait for an opening and when you start out, a wave of people take off. Kind of like penguins jumping off an iceberg, first one or two go then a whole bunch. Then the problem is, some go fast, others go slow and some stop and go. This was more of a problem at the top of Moose.

It is very frustrating for a spoiled old carver used to easily carving out his own space on the hill. 

I fear that this scenario will play out at JCS (aka Indianhead) on a busy day now that they have the new high capacity express chair. 

[Tracks]

Better late than never. Finally, some snow to sink an edge into...

[Lutsen]

2023-24

Mild and sunny with temps in the low 30's.

First time up here this season. They got about 15" from the storm, but it rained Mon night and then more snow. The cord was typical Minnesota firm, but with "grooming features" and seams that kept bouncing me off my edge. A little frustrating. It got busy after an hour and I often felt the need to pull aside to let people pass.

Good carving was sporadic. I am beat after 5 consecutive, 4-5 hr days of riding. I got spoiled by the near perfect carving conditions at GR all week. Soft snow is so much easier on the body!

Rode the SuperConductor. Mark did a grind & buff on the base and tuned the edge bevels when I visited Schweitzer last week. I can really feel the difference. Thanks Mark!!!

With this new snow, spring conditions should be pretty good as temps start climbing into the 40's next week. Last day April 7th.

[Buck Hill 23/24]

2 hours ago, bobble said:

3/29/24

 ... gave up boarding couple weeks ago. 

...some fun carving.

I was worried about you.  I've been re-learning how to carve on hero snow over the past week. It took me a couple of days just to shed my over cautious, on-edge, ice carving stance that became ingrained this winter.

It's not age, just a bad winter.

On 2/2/2024 at 12:45 PM, bobble said:

2/2/24

i can't seem to carve anymore. age is catching up.

 

[Giant's Ridge]

Thursday   18° - 38°  sunny and another few inches overnight

The groomers are taking their time getting to all the runs. I appreciate that they leave several runs wild for powder junkies, but I'm ready to carve some corduroy.

My favorite carving runs on the south side (Grenoble/Helsinki and Cortina) were hardly touched by the groomer.  However, Sarajevo was groomed top to bottom full width.   I think all the green runs were groomed. What cord there was, was plush carving bliss. 

Morning trenches at the top of Sarajevo survived into the afternoon...

Thinking Lutsen tomorrow.

P.S. Rode the tesi8 all day! It is so effortless and smooth. It seems to carve tighter than my 8rw.  Is it the skinny board effect, getting on edge faster and steeper? Hard to say for sure as this is the best carving snow we've had all winter. I'm relearning how to ride soft consistent groom and gradually sloughing off my cautious ice carving technique that became ingrained over the winter. Yeah, go ahead and touch the snow, it won't bite.