Cindy Kleh

I agree with Cliff H. Give them a break. I've never been a smoker (unless it's 4:20), but if they aren't blowing smoke in my face, I let it go. None of us are very perfect. I'm sure they'd quit if they could. Aftershave and perfume makes me gag, but I'd never tell someone that. I just avoid them. I'd never date a guy that wears aftershave.

I'm doing a story on global warming and what various ski areas or their towns are doing to reduce emissions. I am esp. interested in Summit resorts (Breck, A Basin, Copper, Keystone and Vail.) I'm also interested in Aspen, since it's the leader in implementing sustainable slopes policies. Any thoughts from those who attend the SES at Aspen each year?

(I forgot to mention the cool things.) I had some beautiful moments out on the hill teaching and I learned alot about people and how to teach effectively. The clinics offered by the school were also valuable. Maybe I should cool down and read things over before I hit "submit reply." :o

Had to put my two cents in. I have taught for 6 years at two different major resorts in CO and finally gave up on teaching for resorts altogether. I'm AASI Cert I and never felt like the organization gave as much as it took. I mean, $85 a year for a lousy magazine (that has become completely freestyle-oriented)? Having the Cert didn't raise my pay much, 50 cents an hour over 6 years. If you stop teaching for a year or two, AASI wants back dues and money for back courses! But what irks me the most is the amount of ego in instructors (not all of them, there are some compassionate, caring individuals that keep on giving a good lesson despite all the attitude surrounding them). I enjoyed teaching the actual classes, but I hated all the holier and smarter than thou types that love to impress students and other instructors with their superior vocabulary but couldn't care less if the concept is understood. Get over yourself. It's not about you, it's about the student! If you want to be a star, go to Hollywood. PSIA/AASI-bots have left a bad taste in my mouth. They refer to their AASI manuals like bibles and call any creative ideas that are not in the manual heresy. Anyone that wants to go anywhere in snowboard school (ie being assigned anything but a class of 14 never-evers twice a day) has to be a full-on yes-man. Did you ever notice that the big-headed instructor types never teach kids? Kids see thru that BS in a NY minute. I think many go into ski and snowboard instruction for the same reason some people become cops. They like to have control and have others "under them" kiss their butts. I'll teach for the National Sports Center for the Disabled because their motives are more pure, but never again for a snowboard school. It seems their biggest goal is to make every instructor feel not good enough. I've always gotten more out of my own employees by building them up. I know this will get some folks riled up, but I had to speak my peace. snow goddess

I have never experienced speed wobbles on the T-board. I've gone up to 40 MPH (which seems like 80 MPH. Seems the faster it travels, the smoother the ride. I have felt wobbles on longboards like the Loaded. I think it's the 2-wheel vs 4-wheel thing. Nice road rash. Makes me think twice about skating in shorts and t-shirt. Guess I've been lucky. At least I bought a helmet. Next purchase? Health insurance.

Sorry to hear that Dr. S. Been there. It sucks being laid up but when you get back, you appreciate it so much more. Sounds corny but ...

I would like to use your quotes in an article on longboarding but you don't have an e-mail listed. Can you write me? ckleh63193@aol.com How did you get hooked up with a T-Board? Where do you live? Are you a hardbooter in the winter? Cindy Kleh

I found the T-Board very beginner friendly and less scary than the Loaded when going fast. It also went over dirt, pebbles, cracks and bumps better. The problem is finding a nice hill that doesn't have traffic. Motorists can have a real attitude, as if I don't pay taxes to build/maintain roads. Haven't tried the Dirtsurfer but I tried some contraption with slip-in snowboard bindings and a hand brake. Wasn't impressed. The brake didn't really work at high speeds. Skateboarders are looking for different characteristics in a longboard than someone who surfs or rides and is skateboarding for the first time.

Thanks for all the comments guys ... I can always count on bomberheads to have something substantial to say. I have tried the loaded board, the mountain board and a few different longboards and hybrids and I still like the T-board best. It's a smoother ride and the faster it goes, the more stable it feels. It may be because I'd never skateboarded and wasn't looking for the ride with the best trick potential. Maybe when I get better I'll look for other qualities in a skateboard. Every snowboarder I've turned on to the T-board has started doing turns within a few minutes. Their first question is: where can I get one of these? Living in the middle of nowhere (near Winter Park) where there isn't much pavement hasn't been a problem. There are some awesome country roads with beautiful long winding hills that rarely see traffic. It's kind of a waste of gas, but we have one person drive and three or four ride. GOOD FUN!! Now when I get stopped for construction on Berthoud Pass, I pull out my board, and all the rednecks smoking cigarettes outside of their car are like "what the hell is that thang?" This is going to be a fun summer ....

So, what is the ultimate longboard ride on the market right that fits the average Josephine's budget?

16-19 MPH? I can think of alot more fun things to spend $1,500 on, esp since it uses a motor. :rolleyes:

Just received a T-board from Kurt Tierney and though I've never skateboarded before, I loved it. It feels just like snowboarding except scarier (even ice is better than concrete if you bail ... ) Any of you guys into longboarding? Anyone tried a T-board? I'm getting info together for an article, so wordy comments are welcome. Thanks, Cindy Kleh

I've been riding Berthoud the past two weekends and it has been epic. I also got over to the Basin one day, but the crowds are a little overwhelming. After 2pm or so, the lift lines drop to nothing. (I'll always love the Basin ... it's good to see the place breaking skier visit records this year.) Even if you don't like to hike, Berthoud has some places to drop in from the parking lot. The best way to go is with a group but thumbing rides is easy too. Almost anywhere you drop in, you'll end up on the highway. Of course, there's no ski patrol up there, so if you wreck, you're on your own. My girlfriend and I went up on 4/30 and 5/1 and it was thigh deep. Last weekend had about a foot of new. We hooked up with these heavy metalheads from Denver and got rides all day in the Death Star, an old hippie van with blue shag carpet. It was like a scene out of Wayne's World. Rock on!

Isn't Loveland still open? Got to the Basin last weekend and it was unbelievable (69" base) for May! My sister rents $15 passes for the Basin out of her home in Keystone. (Kristi Blincoe, 970-468-8010 or 970-485-0758)

I was at the Basin May 1st as well. They got 34 inches last week and had a 69" base. My sister rents $15 passes out of her house in the Keystone area any day of the week. (Kristi Blincoe, 970-468-8010 or 970-485-0758, call at least the night before) If you're going to the Basin on a weekend, go early because the parking has been crazy and cars parked along the highway were towed. Berthoud Pass was sick last weekend. Knee deep on sat. and thigh deep on Sunday. You don't see snow that dry in May!! The Snow Goddess

An ankle injury which is almost unique to snowboarding is chipping the talus bone, right above and inside the heel bone. It takes a forward thrust (flex) while on the toe edge to break it off, and it mimics an ankle break except that it doesn't heal and feel better even after months. It can only be detected with an MRI and most orthopaedics that don't practce in mtn. towns don't look for it. If it doesn't get surgery and proper care, it usually means lifelong arthritus in the ankle joint.

Phil, First of all, thanks for the speed suit. I won gold in GS and slalom! I'm very interested in attending but I'm dirt poor. I am going to look into employee deals for lift tickets since I work for Winter Park. Cindy Kleh

How much if you have lodging and a season pass?

Just got back from the Nationals and the adaptive division BX finals were a rush! There were five competitors, including one woman from Holland, and they charged it. Wish I'd had a video camera. There are 8 in the adaptive class this year and they added a ramp to the podium. They are trying to get adaptive competition going so they can add snowboarding to the Paralympics. There was one kid, Max, with cerebral palsy, who used a sit ski tethered to a skiing guide behind. He was sp pumped by the whole experience that he never stopped smiling all day. There was also a blind skier from Nashville, David Hunter. The BX course was too sketch for him and his guide to get thru safely but he did halfpipe today. Also a kid from New Zealand with spina bifida, partially paralyzed. He is a world class adaptive ski racer, but he put on a board this week. He uses outriggers and he can really lay out his carves. Can't wait to see him do gates. Get to Copper this Thursday and Friday to see them do Slalom and GS.

It looks safer than some of the adaptive snowboard set ups I've seen. It looks like it has a good suspension system, which seems to be the biggest problem when adaptive riders go into the park and pipe. The only other person I've seen ride a board sideways without use of their legs is Jesse Horn from Jackson Hole. He has no legs from the hip down and he uses his hands for outriggers. He can carve really well ... uses an ultra long board. I taught snowboarding at NSCD all winter, and usually those without use of legs are talked into a mono ski set up. But it's so COOL. I'm going to show it to the adaptive division at Nationals. How can they learn more? Cindy Kleh

I grew up in Burlsville and it's a happening town. (Almost too happening for my tastes!)There are great bars and the music scene rocks because there are 5 colleges based there. Living downtown is fun if you're at that stage in life, but the traffic is usually a pain in the ass if you're in a hurry. Find your job first if possible and live nearby. Stowe is about an hour drive away and an awesome mountain. Jay Peak is two hours north but worth the drive. Sugarbush and Smuggler's Notch are local favorites (Stowe is kind of touristy). I think Bolton Valley is still open and they have night riding, only a 40 minute drive. I don't recommend Mad River Glen because they don't want your money unless you ski. I love Vermonsters! (weather can suck for long periods of time, tho) Green Mountain Bitch

Ya. I'd like to know more too. Any secrets/suggestions/mantras? Mine is: turn early, look ahead. cindy

See you at Nationals this april?

There are some incredible bump riders here. There's a Powder Tools Annual Mogul contest on March 19th. The best bumper-rider on the mountain is 38 yrs old. (Bruce Isakson) Everyone who thinks snowboarders don't do bumps should see this.

Somebody (me) did write TWS about the picture but I doubt it'll get printed since I didn't I didn't include a picture of someone bleeding or tell Marc Frank he so totally rules with his cleavage nurses hanging all over him: The most recent issue of TWS had a photo in Last Track of a hardbooter killing it in the pipe. Because alpine riding has been pretty much ignored by the media, most of your readers probably did not understand the picture or caption. I realize that freestyle is king right now, but most snowboarders, even teenagers, are curious about different kinds of equipment and their advantages and disadvantages in different terrain. PGS is an Olympic discipline, and Boardercross will also be one in the next Olympics. Racing is not going away. Besides, alpine is much broader than just racing freaks. Granted, there’s a small percentage of riders who call themselves hardbooters, but that percentage would grow if there was more information available.