Allee

Xmas the last couple of years has been cold even by our standards. Unless it's an epic pow day, if the forecast calls for anything cooler than -20C I'm staying in bed. I was at Silver Star last year for Xmas, and on the front in the sunshine was lovely. But I took the longest run on the hill, all the way to the bottom on the back, and I have no idea how the lifty down there didn't freeze to death.

Frozen spring cord is the worst. There's been more than one spring day where the crew has gone out, edged down to the bottom, and gone back in for coffee until 10.30. Putting a hand down on that stuff is like riding on a cheese grater. (Just thinking about that scraping noise makes my teeth hurt). Maybe we're spoiled here for crowds, but I don't rush on a cord day. Powder, absolutely. I'd get up early all year for that. But if you know which runs to hit, the cord here will stick around for most of the day.

I've got a Burton Wheelie Gig 185, and it's huge. I can fit two boards with bindings on, and half of my clothes as well.

Anybody going to check out the ribbons of death this weekend? I have to call about my ski pass, I haven't received it yet ...

The best part of being a grown up ... eat the chocolate. Eat it any time.

I was there over Xmas a few years ago. it was probably busy by their standards, which meant by Banff standards it was pretty dang mellow. if you're coming from the East Coast you'll probably wonder where all the people are. Schweitzer's super fun. I didn't find it too steep (if you stay off the winch groomed stuff on the front ? ) and I'm sure you're a better rider than I am, so you should be fine.

I might take you up on that - heading to the motorcycle film festival Friday and Saturday ?

Supposed to be very cold here this week, you usually get similar weather patterns to us, so it's looking good! Some of our hills are opening this weekend. Won't be long now!

Ha. Any snow resort in Japan will be full of Australians anyway, I think he'll be fine. I can also vouch that Google Translate is very useful in emergencies ? I've always wanted to hit Revy, but it's just never worked out. I'll be in Portland for the first weekend, but I might be able to look at the second one ...

I still have Marianne's original Coiler Pure Race. I still ride it occasionally too.

I didn't in the end either - ended up at the chiro on Friday morning, and couldn't really leave work early after getting in late. I need a new helmet and a new set of bib pants this season ... guess I'll be hitting the shops soon.

Funny - that's how I got into alpine. I took up snowboarding on a trip with our friends to Queenstown. They all skied, and were horrified that I wanted to board, but boarding looked like less stuff to lose in a beginner yard sale ... so boarding it was. I remember watching the Japanese guys from the lift, and saying to my friend "That's awesome. I want to do that". He said "You'll need some different gear if you want to do that". I said "That's cool. We can find some". The next season, there was a brand new Hot Blast in the shop window of one of the Auckland ski shops, for an absolutely obscene amount of money. So I bought it, and spent the next couple of seasons beating the snot out of myself on it. That I ever actually learned to ride was a triumph of pain tolerance and dogged determination over common sense. I didn't really even learn to carve as such until I moved to Canada, and met up with the local crew here. As for now - there's nothing better than the days where it's bluebird skies, perfectly groomed chalk, and you and some of your best friends hooting and hollering and laying down trenches. Pretty much the most fun you can have upright.

I bought a Nakiska season pass this morning. I'm going to be sticking close to home this season, so I'll be hanging out at Nakiska more often than not. I see the snow totals are getting topped up again today. Snow in the mountains is great. Snow in the city, especially before Halloween, not so much. Anybody else planning on going to the Max Bell sale this year?

What a bunch of amateurs. There's a foot of snow on my BBQ table right now, it looks like January out there.

The Boosteds are SO fun. One of the guys at the crossfit box has one, the coaches have been trying it out inside for the last week or so. He rides his to work in downtown instead of taking the train. It's cheaper and faster too.

Full hydration packs make great armor. I've supermanned more than a few times off a mountain bike wearing one, and always been impressed at how well they work.

Yep. I've caught the wrong edge hard a couple of times and gotten ejected, and the spine protector made sure that something that could have been nasty, wasn't. I've also been taken out by a skier and flung down the hill, and for a few days after that it was easy to tell where the armor ended and my ribs began. And race helmets are brilliant. Light and warm. My Giro Streif is up for replacement this season, I'm also thinking of going with the Uvex, as the POC stuff simply doesn't fit me.

Helmet. Spine protector (tested and approved multiple times). Might try Daveo's trick and wear my knee sleeves from the gym this year for some extra padding and support - my knees hate me at the best of times, and especially in snowboard season.

You want MotoGP then. Knee pucks, elbow pucks - pretty sure Marc Marquez is going to need an ear puck soon. I saw an actual-speed POV lap of one of this year's tracks, and my brain exploded after about 30 seconds. Soooo fast, and they make dicing at 300 km/h look easy.

The sidecars are my favourite thing on the island. I still remember watching footage of one guy swinging, catching his shoulder on a stone wall when his pilot cut the corner too close, and just getting ejected. The motorcycle riders are crazy, but the sidecar swingers have to take the cake. I can't imagine being that close to the ground, going that fast. I'm headed back there for the Classic TT next year, and I can't freaking wait.

Hope you get a wind or weather change soon. I was in Lake Country over the weekend, and the smoke down there was terrible. Flights being cancelled in and out of Kelowna and Vernon because the pilots couldn't even see the runways. It's been a bad season this year for sure.

So jealous. Take a run down Captain's for me and enjoy ?

Super happy you got this off the ground! Super bummed that I won't be there ?

^^^ What Keenan said. I run mine over a drywall screen and it comes up great. Had it for years.

That video reminds me of why I gave up running grass gymkhana in Fiats. The number of times I'd make it around the course without getting lost could be counted on one hand ?