Vahur

English "real length" seems to be misleading translation, German's termin "kantenlänge" (edge's contact length) is probably correct, so it's contact length and total length it little bit more. And they do carve on relatively short boards (ca. 160 cm long).

Nah, he was talking about beauty secrets, between the other wisdoms like: "a man's hairstyle should not exceed the height of a croquet ball" and "avoid work at all costs. it produces sweat and unsightly calluses" :D donuts were simply: "360 degrees of pure, circular bliss, with the hole where empty space never meant so much."

I think that truth lieth in words of mr. H. Simpson, great scientist and engineer: The circle is the most perfect shape in the universe; strive to attain it! so everyone here trying to attain it, be it in the bar or slope.

Hi, Uku! If you haven't found, then Carver's Almanac contains all the info you need (and little bit more :D) If you have new boots, then they are most likely intec-compatible and there is no need for drilling or anything, handling screwdriver should be enough. If you are looking for Intec heels or regular bindings, then I might help you: I have intec heels on my old boots (which I do not use anymore) and if needed, then I can dismount them. Also I have old F2 Intec Titanium bindings as I bought new ones after I read number of reports about binding bails breaking and I keep them as source for spare parts but I can sell/lend them to you, if needed. Intec heels can also ordered from net (bomberonline sells them, but faster would be probably to order them from blue tomato or ask from finnish carving site ojankaivajat.org ) For bootfitting problem one solution could be to try thinner socks (usually snowboarding socks are quite thick, I prefer ski socks, which are thick only in shin area and lower part is much thinner). But best would be to thermofit liners, of course.

thanks for the reply. unfortunately now i'm two days away from my first hardboot setup. Damn, I was probably best :D (and only ? ) hardbooter in Estonia, but now competition is getting tighter :) Nice to see, that there is more people around with real carving setup. What your's gonna be (board/boots)? Tervitades, Vahur

In Torino are Olympic Games and games associate (at least to me) with playing. Linsey did this playing very well and I hope that she is happy with result and enjoys her days there. Nevermind the sponsors and politics, she has plenty of time ahead to become responsible person and behave in expected and boring manner. These games have been anyway too much of politics and business (I do not like this overall flag-waiving and politicians self-promotion and athletes dressed like walking ad stands), I'm glad that some humanity and game spirit is seen in the middle of it.

Not quite what Bernhard intended (hot models etc.), but somewhat related to alpine carving calendar for first half of year 2006 can be found at my site: EC Calendar 2006/1 If I get good shots in ECS III, then maybe there will be EC Calendar 2006/2 as well (hopefully with more EC-style pictures, in previous year I managed to miss all the extreme carvers :( ) Sorry, that this calendar is not US-oriented (i.e. first day of week is Monday). (but if there is big enough interest and I have time, then I can create US-specific version, with holidays marked as well).

It seems to me, that these pushpins are upside down for southern hemisphere???

I read this filing behind shred's provided link (which BTW states that accident happened/happens?? on Dec. 24, 2005) and it seems to me that BI is dragged to court not only because he sold F2 Intec heels, but also for providing new bindings to Joel. If I read description of accident (front binding's bail failed and Intec heel), then it seems to me, that most likely binding was the first which failed and thereafter Intec heel couldn't hold and broke too (otherwise if heel would have failed first, then boot would pop out of binding most likely and front bail would be intact). (This is of course pure speculation from my part!) But even if binding failed first, then I don't think that it's solely BI-s fault: seems like Joel had great speed (his new TD2's blow out on him at full speed this morning , I did three and a half twists ) and it could be just defect in binding structure which gave up and resulted in such accident. I don't think that one could provide real "bomb-proof" bindings anyway (and if one attempts to do so by double-checking with ultrasound scanning or whatever each detail, then what would be the total cost of it and how many people would buy such things?) and as already pointed out, if forces go too strong, then something has to give up. If not binding or heel, then boot, board or leg. People should accept responsibilites about their own actions, doing full speed tests on new equipment and suing manufacturer afterwards does not seem to be responsible behaviour for me. Such case could result in withdrawal of small SB equipment manufacturers from US and leaving marked to big (ski) companies with deep pockets. Or it would result in situation, when you have to sign liability agreement before purchase and can't neither mount nor adjust your bindings yourself without voiding any warranty (unless you have passed bindings screwer exams and have certificate to provide).

Yes, page looks somewhat unfinished, but if you select some available stretch, then on bottom of page there are exercises for separate body parts and in total 6 stretches. Only missing seem to be groins and cat/camel.

CPT page is good resource for this.

This list is based on MB joke: http://www.bicyclesource.com/you/culture/humour/say-and-mean.shtml This trail is a blast (I hope you have good medical insurance) I think I might have a wrong wax (Slow down, will ya?) I definitely have a wrong wax (I can't ride any more) I don't have enough float in this snow (I've gained 5 pounds) I've decided to buy a stiffer board (I've gained 10 pounds) I'm taking up clog dancing (I've gained 25 pounds) I'm carbo loading (Pass the ice cream) I'm tapering (I haven't ridden in 2 months) If you're a good rider, you don't need to wear a helmet (I'm so stupid a brain injury wouldn't affect me) Nobody needs a titanal-core board (I can't afford it) Titanal is the only way to go (I just dropped 3 months' salary on it) She's a hammer (She's faster than me) He's a geek (I'm faster than him) I bonked (All I took for a 4-hour ride was a half-empty bottle of month-old OJ and a moldy Twinkie) If you don't crash, you're not going fast enough, dude! (I crash a lot) I don't own a car (I'm a better person than you) Why doesn't somebody do something about all these potholes ? (Why doesn't somebody else do something about all these potholes?) I do all my own board maintenance (all the screws come lose in 4-hour riding) Thanks for waiting (Wipe that smug grin off your ugly face) Hey, did you guys hear about those new inflatable F2 boards? (I am a very lonely person) This section of trail looks doable (You first, sucker) I want to ride this trail, but... (I don't want to ride this trail) He's such a sucker. (I can't drop him) Been riding much? (How fit are you ?) Not much. You? (My anaerobic threshold is 250 and my resting pulse is 14) Nah, I've been really busy. (My body fat is 2%) Well, let's take it easy today. (Ready, set go!) Hold on, there's something wrong with my board. (Let's stop so I can rest) My boots are killing my legs! (This ride is killing me!) Can you clear that drop-off? (I can, but I bet you can't) It's getting dark. (I wanna go home) This board is a piece of ****! (I can't ride worth ****) I think I broke my arm. (There's a little bruise on my arm and I don't want to ride anymore) I'd jump that but I don't want to tweak my new board. (I'm too chicken to try) This hill is easy. (This trail's pretty tough but I'm gonna try and lose you on it) That trail is boring. (I know I can't make it) Last one down is buying. (I'll make you feel like a loser and get a free beer too!) My board was acting funny. (Otherwise I would have whooped your butt!) He's pretty good. (I know I'm better than him) He sucks! (He's better than me) That thing's a piece of ****. (I wish I had one...)

Beating old story :D But I wouldn't hold my breath until freeride-freecarve model of inflatable board will come out. And even then I'd consider it very carefully, for 750 € it's price is quite steep and carrying extra pump along would be drag. Of course if they can combine it with shovel handle, then it would be perfect for back-country?

Yeah, I looking forward for winter and made my preparations for counting down days to winter. For this I created "carving" calendar for second half of 2005: http://www.flegmatic-carving.com/gallery/index.php?album=%2FVahur_pics%2Fℑ=calendar1eng.jpg and prepared markers for crossing days one by one as they crawl by :D If you like to start counting as well, then you can download original size (select it from top) and print it out (this resolution gives A4 size 210x300 mm or 8 inch by 12) at 300dpi. It could be put on wall or folded between images and also 3 cm. from top backwards 120 degrees to create table calendar. Just tape or glue upper folded part behind lower to keep it this way. There is also 10x15" (25x38 cm) poster available for printouts, if you like it: http://www.flegmatic-carving.com/gallery/index.php?album=%2FVahur_pics%2Fℑ=ojankaivajateng.jpg All those carvers on images are from Finland, most images were taken in Carving Camp this winter. 179 and counting...

Is it only me or is someone else finding also, that you ride with knees locked together? If you separate zee knees then you riding could be more dyn^H^H^Hnon-static. :D

Additionally it would be good to use smaller aperture in order to avoid issues with vignetting, which is especially visible on full-opened aperture (it seems to me that it is part of problem in presented image). For (D)SLR cameras best is usually around f/8-11, PS probably same. And if you are using zoom lens, then try to use focal length, where distortion is minimal. Shooting at wide angle is probably not good idea, as usually zooms have biggest barrel distortion there (been there done that :( ). Somewhere in the middle or above that is usually best in terms of distortion (in full zoom pincushion starts to show up).

(water) Surfing satire, which was adopted from photographic satire of K. Rockwell: Seven Levels of Surfing Soul With little adopting could be applied to snowsurfing IMO? So which level d'ya are? I'm probably weekender...

Good luck with your study :) But for pondering I suggest to look at last pic drzone posted. There it could be clearly seen, that spray starts and is generated mainly from the point, where nose edge touches snow. In case of skidding whole edge would throw snow up, but here you can see tail, meaning that center part and tail are not throwing any snow up. I don't think that such nose skidding would be possible unless one falls, but from roostertail you can say that such turn has continued a while, so it's controlled turn.

By reading slashdot?

Pokkis' pic is taken on turn finish, when G and centrifugal forces have same direction and are greatest, thus big roostertail. Other picture is taken in the beginning of turn (notice edge change little bit before) when forces are not so big as G and centrifugal cancel out each other. Pokkis' pic is probably taken on steeper slope (>40% if it is from slope which I think it is) and his speed is greater, I believe. But main factor for roostertails is still turn's "phase". This will be evident, if you look at continuos shots or videos.

I'd really like to see such site, as described. IMO one success of EC site (along with top riders and videos) is well-thought web site: easy navigation, good learning material - detailed technique, gear, etc description with pictures and high quality videos. This makes it attractive and easy to understand. Bomberonline has nice collection of carving articles, but without any visual material they are not so "attractive" and learning/understanding technique from simple textual description of it is very hard (or is it just for me so, as I'm not native English speaker. ) And I don't know any other site which has good learning material save cern snowboard club (which teaches swiss style)...

OK, point proven. But as it seems to be so debatable and important point, I'd like to know, who has told, that the equipment in the early '90's wasn't good enough to link laid out turns you only could lay out one at a time I searched extremecarving.com and found somewhat relevant topic in page Why this site : Doing only one laid turn, as it was already done at the end of the eighties, is accessible to everyone. But getting up at the end of the curve and linking with the next laid turns requires a top technique from the rider and the gear. In equipment page it is said: Let it be clear! It isn't possible to do extreme carving efficiently with all equipment! Try to forget the freestyle and freeride boards, as well as the soft boots! We don't pretend that it is impossible to lay down a turn with this kind of equipment, but the needed efforts are enormous and the riding speeds are miserable. So this "impossible with old gear" statement seems to come from somewhere else than EC site. I have no doubt, that both you are top riders and can link laid turns on such gear, but for most of recreational riders it's probably beyond limits and thus "impossible"

Flames flowing twice in year: in late autumn when everybody is frustrated from not-carving and early spring, when everybody is frustrated from end of carving :D Anyway, I just wanted to comment on laid style: after hard thinking, scientific experiments and obervations I came to conclusion, that laid-down carver's riding preference (goofy or regular) should be determined only by gender: men regular, women goofy! Why? Because mens' jackets open to right and if they are goofy , then their jacket (or windstopper) will be filled with snow on laid-down toeside carve. Ergo if person in initial message's picture is male, then he should change stance to regular! :D

My try on composition: Oppdal carving camp I used Nikon D70 with 24-120 lens @120 mm. All the settings (WB, exposure) were automatic, matrix metering, continuous shooting, AF-C with single (center) area focusing. Shot JPEGs. This automatic setting caused image lightness changes in some occassions (especially when shooting "angle" was big) and it could be seen in composition (though I tried to adjust them). Images were taken hand-held, so in some cases I had to rotate images in order to align them. Used PaintShopPro for composition, one image took quite long (1 hour +) but I as amateur can allow it :D And this was my first attempt to try something more elaborated than crop/adjust WB-contrast-lightness/resize/sharpen.... One bottleneck seems to be my computer ( 1 GHz Athlon with 1 GB memory) which was very slooow with 10+ image layers with masks (e.g. switching layer on-off took 5-10 seconds sometimes). Of course this could be PSP fault as well (from reviews seems like Adobe PS is better in this regard, but it costs 10 x more). And now I finally had use for my Wacom's Intuos tablet, pressure-sensitive pen is really good for merging photos with masks :D

He has regular (or should I say goofy :D) bail binding in front and step-in (where heel locks) in rear. I guess the reason for that is pure boarding comfort: no need to bend down each time you want to lock rear foot.