bigwavedave

I'm in Aspen! Escaped Minnesota by car yesterday after work to avoid another storm targeting southern MN and made it through the mountains this morning and it is dumping! I was able to check in to the St Moritz a day early, so hoping to get out and play tomorrow after a good night's sleep. Early afternoon there was a good foot of snow on the un-plowed roads in town, so likely more on the mountain, and still coming down at about 1" per hour. Anyone going out tomorrow? I probably ride at Buttermilk to acclimate at a lower altitude.

http://opensnow.com/dailysnow/colorado

Looks like significant snowfall predicted Wed through Fri.

So, not long after SES last year, I got my copy of the 174, black p-tex topped Nirvana balance, which Bruce described as the low-taper, damp, with 20cm waist, 12-14 vsr. It gets the most use out of my 3 carving boards, partly because it's the perfect ride-anywhere size (being the middle sized one), but also because it is the most versatile, riding well in everything from soft crud to perfect groom or ice. It's so easy to ride, that I could ride it in my sleep (or while meditating?), but I really want to stay awake cause it's so much fun. I feel like I can do anything on this board and it's very forgiving of my sometimes lazy technique. A board I can ride with abandon.

Just thought I'ld update this review after having a blast on this board yesterday. Rode for 7 hours with one coffee/cocoa break, despite the 20-30 below windchill. Snow was typical Minnesota firm, meaning "very", and a smooth groom that held up well all day with little traffic on the hill due to the temps. The board arrived this past summer after it was done with the demo season. After my first few times out I decided I prefer my stance set 1/2" or 1cm forward of the reference stance (even more so on my 180 Kessler). I think the big race boards have more set-back/longer nose. It still feels like a scalpel, carves are deliciously smooth, secure, precise, crisp? I don't know, but something is different, a little more exciting than the Kessler ride. I think I'll have a 180 black-top Kessler for sale. I think a recreational version of a Rev (a Rec?), same construction and flex pattern, but with a narrow range scr to make it easier to complete turns and keep speed down on steeps, would make an ideal free carver, as long as it doesn't change the delicious feel of the Rev's carve.

Picked up a used 163 full race titan last year. First words to describe it is it's a pretty amazing board and insanely fun. Seems like it can do anything from tight slalom turns to high speed GS sized turns with ease and control. I don't race, but I think it is great fun as a recreational board for a crowded hill, limited terrain or visibility, or when exploring an unfamiliar resort, as you can mix up the turn shape, size and speed at will to handle whatever the slopes present. I think this is a slightly newer model, 2010-11? The board feels a little heavy for its size, but not any less nimble for it, in fact has a solid feel as it slices smoothly through crud and ruts. I think it's best on anything from packed powder to ice. My first ride on this board was in soft, granular spring snow, and like most carving boards, I had to hold back or it wanted to dig too deep. I would have preferred a softer, wider board in those conditions. I weigh about 185lbs, and probably closer to 195 dressed to ride, and mostly not a very aggressive rider. I would echo the above reviews, and add that it's like a go-kart if it were made by Porsche. Being a small board with VSR, slight fore and aft adjustments in your weight make very noticeable changes. I tend to get lazy and sit back riding a board, and with this board, if you do that, it wants to go faster and faster, not completing turns. Then I find myself going quickly edge to edge, more like a skier, until I rein it in by getting forward to tighten up the turn radius. So, to get the most fun out of this board, I try to stay in the driver's seat and drive the nose into each turn and am rewarded with laid-out, railed turns that practically pivot on the spot where you place your hand on the snow. Then again it's nice to be able to throw in a couple of quick turns and shoot across to the other side of a run with a high speed large radius turn. Whiplash is a possibility.

Seems lately we've had a choice of 2 types of weather; sunny with subzero temps or overcast (flat light) with above zero temps, both with blustery winds. I'm liking the sunny days better. Arrived at 8:30 and ended up parking in the upper lot as everything was full for the USSA ski races. Took one run over on the Gandy lift, which was running early, and then over to get the first chair on the express lift. Rode mostly #10,11,12 til about 3:30. Rode several runs with Jim (bruincounsilor) and his buddy on skiis then Ken showed up for several runs. The snow was great, firm, had a blast on the rev180 all day, bright sun and clear blue skies and the 20-30 below windchills kept the crowds down. Sorry no pics from this picture-perfect day.

If your gonna use goop, wouldn't 5200 be more durable?

Awesome!! I'm still planning to come up tomorrow. My last chance to get out before leaving for SES on Thursday.

Not if you treat them with sno-seal or similar and they last longer. I use fleece glove liners.

To protect the palm, get those leather "rope tow" mitt protectors like Trent uses. All leather mitts work really well. I would like to see mitts made out of fire hose material.

1/2 degree base bevel, plus de-tune about 1 inch at tip and tail.

Yup, Friday will at least be "warm" with a bit of snow falling. I can't make it though, so still thinking about Saturday, early as usual. Looks like it will be windy Saturday, behind the clipper, which is forecast to drop 3-4" on Spirit through Friday night. With races on Gandy and Blue Ruin, will likely be riding on the express lift side.

Jeez, what's with this weather? I really wanted to come up tomorrow but with temps dipping close to -20 by morning and only getting up to -5 by mid-day...maybe Saturday when it supposed to hover near zero.

Sorry Jeff, I've decided to hang on to these.

If you know your the stance width you prefer, just start by putting put your bindings so that they are in the same set of inserts out from the center of the board, front and rear. This way you are centered on the board builder's "reference stance", and where the builder designed the board to perform at it's best for most riders in most conditions. If, after riding, it doesn't feel right, try moving both bindings in small increments fore or aft til it feels right.

Possibility of several inches of snow tonight into Saturday! Gets me thinking about coming up to play in some of that fresh snow tomorrow. Updated forecast now predicts snow heading more south of Duluth. Not as excited to come up tomorrow, so probably wait til Sunday. Lutsen reports 13" snow from that last storm.

Snowfall totals show several inches for the north shore from Spirit to Lutsen since yesterday! That should freshen things up even with the high winds. I chickened out today, and didn't come up. Tomorrow looks pretty nice, enjoy! I'm still thinking of coming up Sunday, early, and try to get some runs on Sissorbill before they shut it down.

I love that video! It appears that what they really want is a resort that excludes beginners, which is a doomed business model in an already exclusive sport. Economics will likely make them cave eventually, as soon as their aging clientele fades away, and like every other "ski" area will realize that they needed the influx of young customers to survive. The public land argument is a valid one. Sometimes, on the chair lift, I like to remind young snowboarders (that may hold a similar prejudice toward skiers) to have some respect, and be thankful for the pioneer skiers that developed all these "ski areas" we now enjoy, otherwise they'd be walking up the hill and have to clear a trail down. Maybe Alta should make a Utah friendly version of this ad for an "exclusive" midwestern expert-only resort.

1. Jimcheen 2. James and Daneille Ong 3. Corey Dyck 4. Randy Tognoni, Jami H, (+ 2 skier friends, shhh) 5. Dave Wiencke

Looks like the coach for the Canadian team. Several of his racers were riding them at the NorAm at Buck 2 weeks ago. He told me was hording them and is working on a plan to manufacture new ones.

Friday's forecast looks nice--sun! Unfortunately I can't make it. Hopefully a few inches of new snow over the next couple of days will soften up the slopes. The U.P continues to get lake effect snow, we should think about a trip to Indianhead. I may come up Sunday too (sunny forecast!), despite the likely MLK weekend crowds.

Considering coming up tomorrow even though there's a bit of wind and snow in the forecast. Had 4" of snow yesterday, so took a run down a gentle hill in the park nearby through a grove of oak trees.

Sounds like fun...saw this on the news...sidewalk surfer sans board, in Duluth yesterday.

Hi, my name is Bigwavedave, and I'm a carving junkie...after about 5 hours I was starting to feel it in my right knee, just a little bit, maybe just a couple of more runs...The sun kept peeking out and enticing one more run. It kept getting busier and I had a couple of close calls, so decided to quit before my last run. Great day! I feel good now, but know I'll be looking for my next fix soon.