Allee

The front of KImberley is fantastic. The back was pretty damn fine the weekend before last too, when they'd groomed everything off Easter and the run right under Tamarack. Glad you had a good time! So happy I got back there this season. And it's so nice to go to a hill where everyone's like "How's the carving gear riding today?" ... go to Banff and everyone's like "What the hell is that?".

Excuse me, what?

I did it in Egypt, also with just foot straps. It was fine while you were going in a straight line, but as soon as you started to turn, you were pretty much toast. Also, 300ft hills are fun to ride down, but much less fun to hike back up. Huh, I knew Brett Tippie was a complete beast of a mountain biker, but I didn't know he was a sponsored snowboarder as well. Dude rips on everything.

Anyone heading out Saturday? I'm not super thrilled about the current low snow/warm temperature thing at Nakiska, thinking I might hedge my bets and head to Sunshine instead.

^^ I've noticed that too, except I'm on full version.

... when you are on a carving board, and have bought the best possible knife to the gunfight. This weekend I went up to ride on Saturday. The day before had been hard packed to icy, there was no new snow, and it was overcast and flat lighted (my least favourite conditions). If I hadn't bought a 2 day pass I might not even have bothered. But I went up, to discover that it was snowing lightly at the top, slightly warmer temps had given the snow some grip, there was plenty of visibility between the trees, and hot damn, they've groomed every black pitch on two chairs perfectly flat. I left a collection of circles all over the back of the mountain, and rode until I was so bagged, I practically fell down the frontside to get down to the bar. Always remember, there are way more groomer days than powder days in a season ... and when everyone else is moaning about the lack of freshies, your day couldn't be better.

I am SO unhappy that I won't be there this year. Pout, sulk. First year I've missed since 2008. I am planning on being there with friends for beerfest weekend, which from memory is the weekend before close, so please save me some snow.

^^^ Agreeing with this. Go with the bindings you know work, and then when you've gotten everything sorted out, try the TD's again. Changing one variable at a time will make it much easier to figure out what works and what doesn't. Without knowing what boots you have, or what size feet, those angles do look high. I've ridden my 21 waist boards at those angles, but 55 on the front/45 on the rear (I know, I'm weird running a 10 deg diff) works much better for me getting pressure on to the edges. Re the dangerously tight heelsides - welcome to the world of VSR boards. I only have dual SCR's on mine, and even then I sometimes find myself on the wrong sidecut if I huck into a turn. It's likely that you're standing hard on the nose, because that's how you learned to ride that stiff plank of a Volkl (and it's certainly how I learned to ride my equally plank-like Hot Blast). Your Nirvana is much more ladylike than that, and I suspect much less receptive to being manhandled. But learning to ride it will come, once you figure the bindings out. The other thing I'd do, just to check ... take a ruler and make sure the board's flat. I know it's new, and it should be, but stranger things have happened than a board having the core twist.

Wildfire is my fave run off Goat's Eye. It's great when they half-groom it, so you can ride the line from groom to pow and back again ... super fun. There's also some good uncrowded runs heading down to the Teepee Town chair at Sunshine, but they're a little narrower. And my favourite warmup there is a couple of laps of Wolverine Chair. Short, sharp, fast, and nobody on it first thing in the morning ... point and go.

Hey Kevin, I'll be around for the rest of the winter at Nakiska, but I'm away this weekend. I'm planning on being out there again on Jan 21, and then as much as I can in Feb. If you need pointers I'm happy to spend some time with you ... I'll post up here and let you know when I'm heading out.

I've never ridden Norquay, but the intel is that it's steep, very steep. You might want something shorter for that. For Sunshine and Louise though, you'll want something bigger. There's plenty of wide, wide open runs there that are amazing for a big board. "Crowded" is very much relative. It might be a little busier this weekend, as we're getting a warmup after a couple of very cold weeks that will have kept people away from the hills. But Norquay is rarely busy, and Sunshine and Louise can swallow large numbers of people. On a normal midwinter weekend like this one, you'll have plenty of room to play, and if you're staying midweek, you'll probably wonder where all the people are.

I love the backyard. Nice to have so much space! And funky is easily fixed :-)

Big difference between Vancouver, WA and Vancouver, BC as far as house prices go ... Congrats Bryan! Hope it works out for you!

I'm out, headed to Kimberley that weekend.

Sounds like you need more overhead stuff. You're working your core entirely from the bottom down, and need some opposing movements to work it from the middle up and fire the obliques and spinal support. Try turning some of those squats into thrusters, and adding in some strict military presses, American (overhead) kettlebell swings, and wallballs. Those are all exercises that use those back muscles to move your hips forward and up, rather than back. Shame I won't be seeing you this winter - I'd totally help you set up a workout.

Dat trench ... you can always tell when Kurt and Bruce have been down the run ahead of you. It's like riding on an earthquake. Nice shot, dude.

Gold Chair is supposed to be running Dec 31. Just in time for it to get really cold again. But that's good news, I suppose.

Smart boy. It's a great time to take advantage of the exchange differential, good BC snow conditions, and a killer hill, if he's at Sun Peaks.

There's been a surge in interest in carving of late. I posted a link a few months back about how every snowboard related page I opened had a pic of someone carving on it, including TWS. Dying sport - aging demographic getting out of park and pipe - increasingly sketchy weather equals less pow and more groom - hey, this carving thing might be fun. These are good for carving. I'd lay money that Burton starts making cambered boards again next season. I'd try these, for no reason other than I love the ease and convenience of my F2 step ins.

"Random West sightings"

How are you finding it, West? I actually really like carving duck on my soft board, it's effortless compared to hard boots, but tough to hold the edge for too long (my bindings are garbage).

They sure do. When I used to go to Sunshine a lot, there would be 2-3 times a season I'd meet the parks checkpoint, handing out fines to people they busted without passes.

I got one for the sole reason that it's good for opening automatic gates after everyone goes home. Coming back into Waterton after a motorcycle ride, and finding the gates locked at 8pm in the summer, is a total drag. Apart from that, I think it only has souvenir value (hey, it has a beaver on it after all). It will be great to not have to wait half an hour on the Sunshine road for pass checks next year, though.

Well, it looks like Burton have decided that step in is the way of the future. http://www.grindtv.com/transworld-business/evolution-of-the-step-in-binding-burtons-chris-cunningham-weighs-in/#hTtItICVMxJk3QG0.97 This should be interesting. I love my step ins, and if it wasn't for the fact that I just replaced my soft boots last year I'd totally try this setup. It actually looks pretty decent.

Ha, this popped up on the Facebook feed today ... I'm thinking hey, I know that person!