Jack M

Stowe definitely had better blues, but really only 2 blacks worth talking about. The grooming however....

World Cup: http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/disciplines/snowboard/fiscalendar.html?place_search=&seasoncode_search=2009&sector_search=SB&date_search=&gender_search=&category_search=WC&codex_search=&nation_search=&disciplinecode_search=&search=Search&limit=20&date_from=today World Championships: http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/disciplines/snowboard/fiscalendar.html?place_search=&seasoncode_search=2009&sector_search=SB&date_search=&gender_search=&category_search=WSC&codex_search=&nation_search=&disciplinecode_search=&search=Search&limit=20&date_from=today Nor-Am Cup: http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/disciplines/snowboard/fiscalendar.html?place_search=&seasoncode_search=2009&sector_search=SB&date_search=&gender_search=&category_search=NAC&codex_search=&nation_search=&disciplinecode_search=&search=Search&limit=20&date_from=today

Easy for someone with a wealth of natural talent to say. Sounds like a recipe for a 6 or 7 year college career topped off with credit card debt. No thanks. DO party, DO have fun, but know how to moderate. Take a year off if you want to party all the time, or if you're at all hesitant about being serious about your classes.

"MESS" - I love it. I'm in.

Right, ECES went biannual after 2004, so 2010 it is. Personally, I think this keeps it fresh for everyone (including us organizers - it's like planning a wedding!) That's not to say anyone else can't organize a different session in the off years. As for the location, we have the template now at Stowe and Sugarloaf, so it will be either of those. We have been in contact with Warren Miller people about possibly filming the event. If they will, it will be at Sugarloaf.

that pic is way too small.

just do yourself a favor: "don't fall in love freshman year".

right. 20mm is mega taper for freecarving.

I would think with 20mm of taper, it would not be hooky at all. And 11.8m is pretty long for a 163, so it's not going to be as turny as most 163s. And with a 20.3cm waist, it's shouldn't be twitchy. don't detune it. detuning is for rail-sliding wannabe skaters, and wimps. ;)

where can I get me a long, skinny, black and white bumper sticker that says "I don't need to know what you like to do in bed."

Schtubby: 171cm, 155cm, 20cm, 13.1m, 4mm this thing: 163cm, 146cm, 20.3cm, 11.8m, 20mm

I was going for "trolling". But lame works too. Nothing personal. No. Out of sheer curiosity, I would like you to post a picture of yourself. The sausage party needs to know what kind of woman dares to post here. What are there, 5 of you? :D

I wasn't saying you are mean in general, just that this thread is kinda.... you know.

aka wakeskating... I'm not worthy... <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWUhIxZ9jU0&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWUhIxZ9jU0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

It would be pretty easy for me to arrange an interview with him and get pics of his collection. It's on my to-do list. Putting myself in Winterstick's shoes for a minute, I would hazzard a guess that they figure the swally is the only powder board they need. I don't know what the functional differences were between a ST and RT, I would think the end result would be pretty much the same. Or maybe they don't want to bother with an RT because of the Fish and all its clones. I dunno. That's almost what I'm talking about but imo they really missed the mark on length. Man I really want to try my Skurfer on powder now!!

don't forget, Winterstick is still in business.... one of the 3 owners has a daughter in my daughter's daycare class. Went to her birthday party and saw his collection. Great guy. www.winterstick.com

Right, swallowtail works if the board has to be useable on hardpack at all. That way the board can have some positive sidecut while still reducing the surface area of the tail. But the Burton Fish shape is sort of a pin tail. I'm more interested in the theoretical "powder only" machine. I have one of the original Skurfers, I want to try it in powder some day. mine is the cool yellow one, not this P-town edition: But that's the shape of it. It's about 165cm long. Wouldn't it be something if this is the shape Jon Dahl is looking for? I can't imagine why that matters, but I'm not a surfer. On powder, the rider is moving, so same thing as far as I can tell.

Think in 3D: rocker works together with the reverse sidecut. Wakeboards and surfboards have rocker. The idea, I believe, is that since you're riding on a fluid, the board causes the fluid to take the shape of the turn. This is the opposite of riding on a solid (packed snow) - the solid causes the board to take the shape of the turn. So it would make sense to me that the boards would have to be shaped oppositely. I think this is what's going on: since the widest part of the board is in the middle, when you tilt the board up on edge, the middle of the board goes deeper into the fluid than the ends. This provides your base of support. Since the ends of the board are far less deeply submerged, they are free to be pushed around. So the middle of the board becomes the pivot point for turning. Hmm... maybe standing with your front on or just behind this pivot point is the way to go... hence the overall shape of the swallowtail boards. I don't know why that tail shape came about though... seems like a surfboard style pin-tail would be effectively equivalent, more durable and easier to build. I dunno, I just came up with that just now. I think riding powder or water is more dependent (completely dependent?) on steering - I don't think any board shape will turn itself just by being tilted up on edge like a board will on solid snow. EDIT: No... wait, I think a board with rocker and reverse sidecut would turn itself in powder, when tilted up on edge. The rocker would make the board want to turn, the reverse sidecut would help the board pivot. Anyone?

a Banana Hammock type board with reverse sidecut should work best in powder, because powder is mostly a fluid, not a solid. Riding powder is a closer cousin to wakeboarding than it is to snowboarding on packed snow. disclaimer: I don't ride much powder and have never ridden any powder-dedicated board.

I feel stupider having watched half of that.

Does Kessler even return phone calls/emails from people without FIS ranking?? If I was in the market for a new metal board and I didn't want to wait for a custom Coiler or custom Prior, I'd be all over a stock Kessler from Catek. Boards work for a pretty generous range of rider weight. Wish I could justify a 185 myself.

All are welcome here, but yes, this is a carving/hardbooting/alpine centered site and forum. So discussing the camber of supermodels in Colorado is off topic. softbootsailer, if you're interested in alpine, I hope you stick around. thanks.

Sweet! I'll call that a Canon 10D with good glass. ;)

I do not try to twist the board deliberately. I think there are more important things to concentrate on while riding. Like balance.