2stroke

It looks as if that Mother Nature is granting us a little late season snow after holding out on us just to let us know how much we miss her, she is such a bitch... Women, can't live with em, can't shoot em. (Steven Wright)

Going to desert. Getting some time in on Lucerne Valley before being taken over by the marines :(

Im supposed to be desert camping with bikes, if that dosent pan out I will try to head up. Turns would be good therapy for the head.

email sent re: Deeluxe

Definitely looking forward to next year! Going to have to up the equipment first things first is to say goodbye to the Fly $40 boots ;) going to be selling off some non boarding equipment to fund some purchases. I learned a lot this season and want to say thanks to Theo for words of encouragement and re-sparking my interest in hardbooting. I still owe you a few boxes of cookies. Thanks to Joe for shoveling me along and "making" me try out some true carving boards, a pleasant eye opener, surprised myself in that I was able to turn them with my floppy boots. Very cool that you could hang with my geriatric group and have fun, Bingo, Kanasta, & the smell of Ben-Gay and moth balls didnt stop you. Everyone in my group enjoyed your company, we'll be sure to keep some room for you next season. Kim is still hurting from the core shots but I'm sure she'll stop crying herself to sleep soon enough. I think it wont take much convincing and we can get her on hardboots as well so she can find out what a real workout feels like, he he... Next season Im looking forward to joining some sessions and getting tips from the group. Hopefully June will open and still be carve friendly and we get a decent snow year.

Hey it was a complete blast! Snow was good but didnt freeze Saturday night so got a few runs on Sunday until the groom ran out. Joe is a super cool ambassador for the sport, fancy pants and all. I got to ride a couple boards from his quiver, loved the Coiler, found the Donek a bit less forgiving but fun. Thank you Joe!!!

Update: Wife has ridden the Ride spi's for the last 2 weekends and she is loving it. Says response is much better except when the toe strap started loosening up on the non buckle adjustment side, retightened, no problem.

Theo- Will you be at mountain shooters at Canyon? I will stop by. I am thinking I may drive to stump anyway so I can have my softboot board as well as some camera crap.

Not sure if Ill stage at canyon or park at stump, but Ill be there. Chris Ill be up next weekend as well

Last trip up was my first on the HB's and I did not use one because the one I had wasnt long enough to clip to anything on the boot. I was slightly nervous as I have seen run away boards, but their was a fair amount of boards without any restraint.

Hey Rob, Ill be up next weekend and again the following weekend, let me know if you'll be back up. I am also newb to HB, hardboots not Huntington where I grew up :rolleyes:...

I dont believe Mammoth has a leash law or they are not enforcing it. But then again, no one curbs their dog either...

The Ride SPI came in the mail Friday. I started doing some of the adjustment to get it to fit her boot, I like how the heel cup had a couple different positions to use. Seems like a well put together base and the only small complaint is that the ankle strap release seems a little reluctant. I'll set them up on her board later and we will find out how she likes them in a couple weeks.

yeah well, I didnt become a dirty old man, everyone else just got younger :O

Sounds like an opportunity for a cheesy pick up line...

Well, I had a blast! I left the house at 3:20am saturday. About 20min down the road my wife calls me, Im thinking "oh great what did I forget". Turns out I didnt forget anything but my kids who were having a sleep over heard me milling around in the morning and called 911 to report the burgler in the house. Sherrifs show up at the door... Top of the grade after Bishop the wind was ripping, oh boy this is going to hurt. Pulled into stump parking @ ~8:30, dressed (warmly) and met Joe and Joseph at the Mill. On the mountain, the weather got progressively better thu the day. We got a bunch of runs in but all on 2, 1, and 12 I think. For me turning was a bit of a struggle on Saturday and I quickly realize that the boot arent going to do any deep carving. On Sunday, I got 4 runs in before 9:30 on nice firm groom before meeting the Joes again. I had a better day Sunday, a little more relaxed and having fun. It was great hangin with you guys and I had some good laughs at dinner. Cant wait for the next one!

Well, I did manage to pick up a pair of Ride Spi at a really cheap price, so there is a start. Next time up, I may set up the plate bindings on her board and have her demo some AT boots just to see how she likes it. Me, I spent my first 2 days on hard boots, had a lot of fun and it will help me on which direction I need which gear. First up, better boots.

I think that will probably be the ultimate option, but here is a problem with going that route and something that has been brought up in the snowboarding is dying/ how do we promote alpine riding type threads and that is that it is an "all in" proposition. Also buying 5-6oo dollar boots sight unseen and my wife has never hardbooted, at least I have back in the day when HB's was a rental option. I found a place up in Mammoth that demos AT boots, this might be a way to get her to taste it. My thought / guess on the plates was that the lift gave a leverage advantage allowing greater edge pressure with similar input, but that is a guess, tell me if I am wrong. I imagine that it may slow the edge change as a penalty??? Ill also check the palmer / burton riser options. I get the softboot / hardboot "tension" much like the ski / board relationship in the early days lets face it "most" softbooters dont know how to turn and that same group that have the bagypants attitude that I dont welcome... Me, I have thick skin, I dont f'n care. And heck its not like softboot carvers are quad / atv riders. LOL

ohh those cookies will NEVER last till mid March! You saw I have 2 boys and they may be able wrestle a few of them away from me. LOL

Thanks for the kudos KingCrimson, I have learned how to carve my limited set up but also learned enough that I dont like my current bindings and my wife wants to push her skills farther. I like the idea of the power plates, do you think something like putting on her burton customs as an intermediate step give some perfromance/leverage advantage? Or would that not be worth it. In other words, what would be the upgrade steps for her? Power Plates + existing bindings -> upgrade bindings -> upgrade board Or Upgrade bindings -> Power Plates -> upgrade board For me the ooooold CFX bindings have a flexy base and stiff as hell highback. I feel this gives a little to soft of suspension on toes and too stiff on the heels.

Thanx all for the info. The bomber plates look interesting. My wife has little trouble booting out with her tiny feet front foot @38* edit 30* not 38

Sounds like a plan Joe. Ill be wearing my usual garb, same as my avatar, oh and possibly floundering on my new to me set up... Thanx for the compliments Theo. Photography, another hobby that sucks time and money. Are you still in SD? or will you be back up this weekend?

I have had season passes at Mammoth for the past four years. Cant remember the last time I went to Big Bear

Sorry Cuban Carving Gooding, sometimes we have to do things we dont like to do... Thanx for the info. Its not that we cant carve on the equipment we have, just looking for something better short of going hard boots which may be an eventual destination for my wife. She all ready turns better than most on the mountain. Her current set up is burton custom on Ride viva la jennie waara, no idea on what this board is intended. The other problem is her small foot, seems difficult to find performance bindings in a small size. Her boot size is 22.5

Agree about keeping with the Nikon if you had any lenses. The NEX is actually my sons but I am liking it and still figuring it out and setting up the custom buttons. Not a dslr replacement, but it is very capable sharing the same sensor as my A580 and Nikon's D5000 & 7000. If I had to start over Think I would go the Nikon route as Sony is now all SLT with the translucent mirror and I dont want to give up even 1/3 stop, I like to get out and shoot in the dark! Check out my Milky way shots from Lake Mary last summer.