MNSurfer

Hello, I'm looking for a pair of BP disks. 3/3 would be preferred, but I'm not too particular. Ditto on the elastometers (not sure if there are even options for BP model). Otherwise, is there somewhere to buy these new? Thanks! -Brian

(Sorry if this is a repeat) Just out of convenience-sake (read: laziness), I've been using Intec boots and Fintech bindings. And sometimes the other way around. It seems to work just fine. - Are there long-term consequences to this? - Is there a combination that is acceptable, or not? Thanks. -Brian

I have a project to check-in on, in east Eagan, first thing in the AM. Hope to make it there by 10 or so. Please leave some groom.

PM'ing...

UPM or 4x4, but preferably UPM. If in the Denver/Summit area, I could pick up or meet up over the holidays. Thanks! Brian

Just curious if anyone has been, and if it's worth a go. We've been debating doing a long-weekend/Northwoods loop (Giants, Lutsen, Spirit), and thought, why not throw Loch into the mix? Check-off one more mid-west bump, and maybe see what this whole Canada green law is all about. Cheers! -Brian

There's certainly there's some good that comes with the bad. Here at our precious little bump, Afton Alps, the Vail take-over has led to many much-need improvements. The small, mom-and-pop feel is all but gone, though that has been happening for years. The days of $24 lifties is a distant memory. Ditto with $6 a burger. The snow making is better, the facilities have been updated, grooming has improved, and lots more. Personally, I'd rather pay $13 for a rather decent burger and fries, that half that for the garbage that once was being served.

I wish I could get over to the UP, but that's a 10-hour RT. Not for a single day on the hill, anyway. Any prediction on the Saturday crowd at Spirit? Yeah, temps look good, and all that. I'm going to burn a couple of Good Husband Points on this, and just want to see if it's worth it. Looks like NW is going to taper-off, but will it fade before the mountain turns to buffed ice?

I'm thinking of trying to weasel-out of Saturday obligations, for one last hit. Think Spirit will be any decent? -Brian

I've been looking for one of these. AT 6'2", I ride a 18" stance width, set-back about 1-2" off center. If you think this would work, I'll take it.

And camo gear for sale at the gas station. Got to love Canada!

Welcome to the world of today.

Nice and surf-y! Also looks like a fun mountain. I've only been to NH in warmer months, and have looked lustfully at all those resorts.

My non-professional/uneducated view. Sorry, no physics, here. If we're talking about racing, or folk who haul a$$ down the hill... Skis aren't necessarily faster. As a matter of self-preservation, you simply wouldn't want to go that fast on one plank, as it's much easier to make corrections when your feet are separate. Of course needing make said corrections at-speed is unavoidable. Also, wouldn't there be more drag/friction from one, deep rail pushing into the ground, than two rails skimming the snow? I don't know about putting the board/skis flat, as I'd never do that, at high speed. In theory, if the surface area is essentially the same, my guess is they'd go relatively the same speed. But... The skier himself also has the distinct advantage of being able to become more aerodynamic. I follow my ski friends around, we probably all have the same length tools. They're aggressive, to be sure, and I can keep-up. Just not for that long. Fatigue and errors are far more dangerous (and costly) on a board. It's those repercussions that have me pulling back about mid-way through a bombie run, or not bombing at all if your tired.

-12F, 275' of vertical, 1 lift, and you have it all to yourself. Got to love our Minnesota bumps! (this place is so small, it's not even listed on OnTheSnow)

Stiffness? I don't know; I use my REV 175 as a recreational/powder board.

Scary/Inspirational stuff. Just had a family member get hit by West Nile. Similar thing; Induced coma for a few weeks, and start learning all over again. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/humankind/2018/02/02/snowboarder-goes-coma-winter-olympics-medal-contender/300341002/

Freshies!

After some 30-40 days of riding at Breck, over the last 2-seasons, I finally saw another carver, this past Saturday (and again on Sunday)! Not sure who; Guy on a black w/red-letters, Donek FC (if you're reading, I had the black, REV 175). I always find it funny that virtually no-one working at Breck has any idea of what an alpine board is. Yet if I go to our dinky MN local bump, most every liftie knows the deal. Cheers!

Bummer. That happened right after I left (because of a somewhat decent digger). Given that there weren't that many people there, I probably saw her at some point. The article doesn't say anything about a helmet, but based on what I saw, if you were wearing a helmet, you were in the very small minority. Out of the (roughly) 40 people that were out, my guess is that only 5 or 6 of us had helmets. I've only had a few serious falls, in the last several years, and a disproportionate number of them have been at Coffee Mill. The runs are tight, and can be kind of roll-y. Not like the wide-open faces at other local MN hills. A guy's got to keep on his toes.

I've been riding brand-new (from YYZ) Track 700's for this season. Compared to my older 700's, always thought these felt a little mushy. I just ignored it, as I'm using these with new F2's, on a new board, this season. Whilst riding the local bump, yesterday, I took a little digger. My back is a little sore, and my bell definitely got rung (thank god for Helmets!). Nothing a little ibuprofen can't fix; Could have been worse. So after getting to the car, I noticed my left (front) boot had a 'rattle' coming from the angle/walk mechanism. Upon closer inspection, I noticed the upper pin that goes though the shell, and through the top of the mechanism, never actually went through the lever! There is no way for the pin to "pop out"; It must go through two molded holes in the shell, and two in the mechanism. This entire time it must have just been simple pressure keeping this in-place. Anyway, I'm not saying that this is what caused my spill (I sort of suck), but I'm sure it didn't help. So if you have new Deeluxe boots, you may want to check and ensure the top pin is indeed going through the walk mechanism. Cheers! -Brian

Gotta love the 'Mill. Even though there's only 3 good carving runs, you have them all to yourself. I've come to like the extra 100' vertical you get over Afton, Welch, or Buck; A few extra turns is quite nice. Always something fresh being grilled outside, and you never wait for a lift. Just looking at the Afton cam, there's a dozen in the Bowl, and 30+ at the Bunny. I love the 'Mill.

Here's to playing (morning) hooky. Completely empty. 31 lifts for a whopping total of 7,038 feet. Ohm and all in 2'ish hours. I'm still dizzy.

I don't know. It could be a matter of basic port forwarding. Or it could be something physical, depending on where the cameras are located (heaters, wipers, wifi, etc.). When I looked a while ago, it was trying to pull a Class C address for the camera. Yeah, that's not going to work. I've had some great, empty days at Spirit. With my prior company, we had several larger clients in Duluth, so I was up there quite often. I'd always pad-in an extra day or so. Nothing like a Tuesday morning, the crisp northland air, and not a soul around. It's been a couple years, unfortunately.