Jack M

well you didn't miss anything today. high temps, spitting, and 50-80mph winds. Longside DR and T-bar only. Took one run and called it.

Hi, there's some info in the links below that might help you. Also, just know that EC is an expert level technique and you probably won't be doing it this year. Beginner carvers who try this usually end up learning some bad habits like reaching for the snow and bending over at the waist. What boards are you considering? For 5'11", 155, you probably want to stay in the high 160s to start. Donek makes some great entry-level boards that won't break the bank.

The reason the ECES moved away from Stratton in the first place was that Stratton was no longer interested in offering group discounts to the previous ECES committee. Let's make a deal. I've been in contact with Warren Miller, and they are open to and interested in filming the 2010 ECES. If they commit to that, it will be at Sugarloaf. If they do not, you're welcome to take the wheel and organize the ECES at Stratton. Geoff and I simply don't have the time to start fresh with a new resort. It's like planning a wedding; it takes about 9 months and a lot of lost sleep.

Corporations and businesses do not pay taxes or fees. Customers and employees pay those taxes and fees by way of higher prices and/or lower salaries... and it has to fall more on the employees for the company to be competitive.

depends on when they groom it. If they groom after the freeze, yeah, it can be carveable. My avatar is actually on those conditions, on a 158. If they groom the wet stuff and then it freezes, forget it. Hit the XC trails or go play Wii! +1 on what Geoff said about committing 100%.

cleaned up, take it to e-mail, nothing to see here.

Got setback??

Yeah. Keeping the elevation of the center of gravity as constant as possible is the primary goal of any vehicle suspension system. Cross-over achieves the opposite of that. It's possible to do cross-over on very firm conditions, but I'm not seeing it on real ice.

What hate? We simply have a template in place with Stowe and Sugarloaf now. Geoff and I aren't interested in reinventing the wheel again somewhere else. 2010 is already in motion, so we'll take a poll afterwards. If the event would like to be moved, then someone else can take the reins.

Or if you are riding Bombers you can get a 6 degree disk. Any good boot fitter should be able to soften the boot up for you.

I *think* you're talking about a cross-over transition there. If you can pull it off on ice, then great. It's a fun way to ride and as you surely know you can even get air between turns this way. However, a cross-through transition results in the least displacement of the cg, and therefore greater stability, which will be helpful on ice. This is the goal of all suspension systems. Cross-through requires compressing at the turn transition (edge change), like in that sequence of boostertwo.

I had this one guy in his late 30's take a learn-to-ride private from me. He was one of the most naturally gifted beginners I ever had. He was making exceptionally quick progress, until about halfway through the 2 hour lesson he up and quit, frustrated that he didn't have it completely nailed. He gave me a $20 tip and left. That was my biggest and most confounding tip ever!

Gecko - I see. Tonight I picked up a half liter bottle of Stone Ruination IPA and a sixer of their regular IPA. Very very nice, but they tasted identical. Are they?

yes. You don't want to do this on ice. Big up-and-down motions upset your cg and make it tougher to maintain balance. Cross-through keeps your cg quiet and steady, like the suspension of a car.

I only do that when I'm really trying to lay it out on toeside, on good snow. When trying to be careful on ice, I think that move is not a wise one. Too easy to end up with your chest facing the snow that way, an then you're effed.

This post will get harpooned for sure. The only way I can get it done on ice on toeside is to really emphasize dropping the hip in and down, leveling the shoulders, and yes, facing the nose. If my hip isn't down, it's game over. Only way I can see to get there is facing the nose. My right hand (I'm goofy) usually ends up on the side of my front boot cuff. Heeside is less of an issue, and I'm more of a face the bindings guy on that side. But yeah, take a shorter board out of the quiver, minimize time in transitions, get turns started early, and drop the hammer. Gotta commit early, fully, and drive hard. If you let the board run at all, it will get going too fast and then you're done. Not that I believe for a second Erik J really has trouble on ice. :D

Yeah, but Germany is a pretty big miss. Kind of like when Spinal Tap loses the Boston gig and the manager says "don't worry, it's not a big college town." ;)

They sell 90 minute in sixers now? Good, I hate this 4-pack trend. Only good for one sitting! ;) But again, what is the point of aging filtered beer? Without sediment in the bottle, nothing is happening, right?

Nice work, there is a shortage of restaruants/bars that serve high-end connoisseur beers. But umm, you forgot Germany? I like Ayinger Celebrator, Ayinger Ur-Weiss, Aventinus, Aventinus Eisbock, Paulaner, Spaten Optimator, Schneider Weiss, Franziskaner, to name a few. Belgian list is incomplete without Leffe Blonde (or the Brun if you can get it - doubt it). Other great Belgians are Gulden Draak, Grimbergen, and Hoegaarden. Our one high-end bier garden had a keg of Agustijn Grand Cru, it was awesome, but I haven't seen it in bottles here. I liked it better than regular Augustijn. England - Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale - the gold standard of all Brown ales. US - try the Harpoon Leviathan series! Amstel Light is from Amsterdam. Coors???

Where was the last Eastern Summit Expression Session? Is there a Summit County out here? Summit Mountain? Tell me more! Anyway, the East Coast Expression Session (ECES), started in 2000, went biannual starting in 2004. Mark your calendar for the first week of march, 2010. It will either be at Stowe or Sugarloaf. If we persuade a certain film crew to come, it will be at Sugarloaf.

Anyone work with this? My company was purchased and they are going to have us stop programming in Java to become Pega "architects". So far it seems like a good opportunity, but they're selling us pretty hard on it. Any real-world perspectives out there?

That scenario is 100% imaginary. Sketchy unclean restaurants like that go out of business in the free market.

Had to delete the photo of the super long board because it came to our attention that it was trademarked and used here without permission.

undeleted per Kex's request.