bigwavedave

Riding up the chair yesterday with bobble (black 180 Donek FC) and me (180 black Kessler) at Spirit Mt, Duluth with two young teen boys on park boards. One asks, "what are those boards for?". Before I could say they're for carving turns, blah, blah, blah..., the other kid, with perceptive honesty, cleverly quips "they're for old people". Well, that triggered my alternate explanation. After telling them that it was the most fun I've had on snow in 50+ years of playing on snow, I told them that it was very hard to master, taking years to learn and requiring an exceptional level of strength and fittness. Basically saying, "no way you kids could do this". I've been wondering if using a little reverse-psychology might challenge one these kids with attitude to try it just to show the old guys how easy it is, and maybe discover something fun.

Giants Ridge, tomorrow? Keep an eye out for the Butcher of Biwabic.

We're in for a stretch of warm and rainy days starting this weekend. Saturday looks good, I may come up Friday too, as I might have the day off.

Great conditions today. Started out sunny, mid 20's, perfect carving conditions. Started to soften up by 10-11AM but remained great for caving--we butchered Gandy Dancer by early afternoon, leaving deep trenches. By 3-4PM things started firming up into bumpy crud. Jim, Russ and Ken all made appearances, but not while the camera was rolling. New Kessler hover-board

I'm coming up tomorrow if anyone can come out and play. Anybody out today? Conditions?

Lake effect magic hovers over Spirit Mt...a few inches of fresh snow over groomed packed powder today made for slow but very carvable conditions and hazy sun. Brought out carvers Russ, Ken, the illusive Jolsen, and time traveler, Gary, straight out of 1989 on a Kemper asym equiped with two piece "hardplate" bindings, flux capaciter and vintage appropriate one piece snowsuit.

Forecast calls for another 3-5" overnight, guess I better pack the surfboard just in case. I think that guy has his bindings mounted wrong on that Dupraz.

Saw a video last week on BOL of the first snowboard in US circa 1917. Found a link to the article in transworld snowboarding for the rest of the story... http://snowboarding.transworld.net/1000116837/featuresobf/the-very-first-snowboard/ Rockered no less... They also reference a Jeremy Jones journey to Turkey a while back where he found a remote mountain village where the locals had used a very similar device going back 150 years. Video link for the Turkish snowboarders doesn't seem to work any more.

I'm thinking of coming up on Sunday and Tuesday. A shot from the chair last Monday at Bohemia...

I'll second the recomendation of Indianhead, one of my favorite places for carving in the midwest. Runs are wide enough for your biggest stick (although not much steep till the end of the runs), good grooming, and lots of snow. I was just there yesterday, practically had the place to myself.

The snow gods smiled on the U.P. with with continuous snowfall, close to two feet on the days before I got to Bohemia! Stopped at the Porkies on the way up, and Indianhead on the way back for some awsome packed powder carving.

Heading up to the U.P. this weekend, have dorm booked at Bohemia Sunday night, maybe Monday too if this looming storm dumps some snow. I know, it's not carving, but I get to try some surfing in trees on my new 3800. I will probably also go to Indianhead for some carving time on Saturday and/or Tuesday depending on the conditions at Bohemia.

So, Paul Huttner was up at Lutsen skiing on Sunday, reports that conditions were marvolous, posted some nice pics and,...he has a nice forecast of potential big snow headed our way this Sunday...Says there're NOAA "hurrricane hunter" aircraft checking into the approaching storm off the Pacific coast! http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/updraft/ It's probably all just be MPR elite climate ideology psuedo science hype, but I want to believe. I've been planning a trip up the U.P. (Bohemia) this weekend, so keeping my fingers crossed. This forecast puts the Sunday storm headed for Duluth and the Thurs snow going more south. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=mpx&storyid=79362&source=0 Hey, just noticed that I finally graduated from groomer grommet to carver extraordinaire! Oh how I wish I were a Lord of the Ruts.

Hope someone gets out to play today... Russ, I think Lutsen sounds like the best call for Thursday. I just heard a forecast for up to 1ft at Lutsen when this all over.

Heading out to Vermont this weekend to board at Jay Peak, Killington, and Sugarbush. We'll see if they have anymore snow than here Dan You should check out Stratton while you're there--East coast Expression Session starts this weekend--should be a lot of carvers there. Look it up on the forum here.

Spirit mt has a good deal on 2012-13 season passes, $139, good for the rest of this season too. http://www.spiritmt.com/season-pass/

2012-13 Spirit mt season passes on sale now $139, also good for the rest of this year. http://www.spiritmt.com/season-pass/

Looks like a sunny Sunday forecast for Spirit this weekend, after possibly a little fresh snow tonight and last night, starting out cool and warming up. It may get soft and spring-like, good for testing out some soft-snow boards in the afternoon. Spirit sunrise 1st run 1month ago...

Yup, 'nother perfect carving day at Spirit.

Hey Kirk, that was a fun day. Hope you come and ride with us again. I'm heading up tomorrow (Sunday) early. Check the MN "ride board" near the bottom of the main forum page to see where and when folks are riding. A bunch of the Buck Hillers and Afton riders make it up at least once each season, so watch for that.

Tomorrow sounds great. Starts out cold but warms up to upper 20's and sunny. I'll be there early too, waxed and sharpened. Once you have one, every day is a perfect day for a metal board. Working on some new gopro mounts/views to try. Here's a frame lifted from the Gopro last Thurs. Russ and Don discussing new carving app.

It's snowing in Colorado and in the U.P., hope Huttner's right and we're next. So, winter starts at the end of Feb this year, better late than never. Sunday looks good. Any word from Jolson?

Yes, what a day! About as good as it gets... Here's an unedited clip of the "tailgunner" view from the big board down 4pipe this morning. It's best in slow-mo, but youtube editor doesn't seem to have that option. I need a faster processor to edit before uploading without loosing image quality....Having trouble with the new youtube editor...spent all my dough on boards, not computers. http://youtu.be/FNfEDWPUd0U

Planning to come up on Thursday early. How's the snow?

Well, after you left, bright sun appeared about 11:31. Rode until about 3:00 on the baby Kessler; piles of corn snow with that dreaded icy crust within reach of deep carves, so a light touch was key to keeping it fun. Things softened up a little in the warm sun; all was good. On the drive home, heavy overcast skies just a few miles south of Spirit.