bumpyride

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Bumps are about all we think about doing. Been concentrating on them for the last 15 years and here's what I've found. The board of choice for us is the old Burton Ultra Primes (The shortest length that you can effectively use). Just stiff enough and lively enough to launch you over to the next bump. They're narrow enough to not tork the heck out of your ankles when digging into the sides of the bumps, and responsive enough to do most of the work for you. Edge changes are lightning fast. I love the fact that the Ultra's love to go airborne when coming out of the turn, and there's nothing quite like doing the directional changes in the air. A lively board is definitely what works for us. Other boards I've liked have been the Alp series from Burton and the Coils from Burton. I hated the E deck, it just seemed dead. Boots: Second the Raichle 123's. I have 3 pair because I live in fear of breaking them. You need to have enough give in your boots to be able to absorb the quick directional change when rolling through the bumps. Stiff boots are the bane of bumps. Been a lot of discourse on flex, but you need to be able to move forward and aft quickly and the flexier boots work better. Some use the BTS, but we ride the bumps in the walk mode--been doing it for 15 years and so far no problems. I ride different angles when in bumps. I find a difference of 15 to 18 degrees between front and rear bindings make those directional changes much quicker and more stable. Think martial arts stance, eg. 66 front 48 rear. Bindings, need to have some give and take. Been riding F2's Intec (comp I think for years,the plastic ones) and they seem to be the best for bumps. Before the F2's we were using Burton Carrier Plates and Step-ins. They flex and smooth out the quick directional changes and the uneven surfaces. The stiff bindings have been proving to be less than forgiving, plus they put a lot of strain on the boards because of the sudden pressures on the forefoot. I have no experience on newer boards because "If it ain't broke", and those boards have done everything I could possibly want in bumps and on the steeps. They're good to about 4 or 5" of fresh and after that it's "Dive, Dive, Dive". I would also say that they're only marginal for carving, unless you go to a longer size than normal. Of course this is my opinion, but it's worked really well for us. 5'9" 142 to 150 lbs, using UltraPrime 156 for bumps and steeps and 162 when there aren't any and am resigned to carving.

As a bonus, we could list the decades we've lived in. 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's,20's 2010's

Now have non OEM parts installed in the left knee, and appropriated circulatory lines, but still chasing the bumps and will qualify for Medicare in a couple of months. Expect to board in Big Sky Feb, March, and April. Still able to do the stuff the whippersnappers could only dream of.

Another thought on foot veins (if that should be the problem). If you do have prominent veins, when molding use moleskin along the tops of the veins to create a little extra room to prevent constriction.

When I mold my liners I use 3 pairs of sweat socks cut off just before the ball of the foot and then my regular ski socks over the sweat socks.

Guy says to me, "How old is that stuff?", I said, "About 15 years old". He says, "How old were you when you started and did you ski before?" I said "45 years old and I did ski before." He said to me,"Why did you quit skiing, it kind of looks the same?" I said, "I already had two grown sons and my mom said if you don't want any babies, keep your knees together." It was a quiet ride up the lift.

My son and I got out for 10k vert of very soft small to waist high bumps. Great fun, and got my legs back (been too long for hardcore 2 yrs). Deb will be picked up tonight and we'll be in Big Sky on Tuesday/Wednesday for 7 weeks. Doubt I will be back to hit any runs before next winter. Tell Don Dettmann (sp), that it was a pleasure seeing him again, and he looked sharp. Let me know if any of the Duluth Crew is planning a trip to Big Sky.

Wednesday at Snowqualamie. Slow day, almost no one there so had a few comments from the lifties: "Hey dude, I gotta take a picture". "That just looks so much more natural". "Have you done the Banked Slalom at Baker?" Me-"No man I'm 63 years old". Liftie- "Ya gotta put that on your bucket list!". That made me feel really special--like hardbooting is the Old People's Special Olympics.

You can have Jane give me a call, and maybe I can walk her through a few tips.

My first carving board was a 149? Burton Alp. Wasn't into carving so much as off piste so it was a blast. 5'9" and 150 at the time. I've found that the Burton Ultraprime 156 that I ride on everyday except powder days is just about right, but it does kind of fold or should I say doesn't really hold on a hard carve. A couple or runs, what have you got to lose?

When boarding started, it was the Outlaw group and they started to do amazing things. They did it for years. The Ski Industry took notice and improvised and improved. They stole the shape, the sidecut and the versatility of snowboard, and managed to become the new Outlaw group with the twin tips and Fat Skis. Who wants to walk sideways up to the ski lift when they can go forward. I'll continue to do what I love, and I really don't care what anyone else thinks (Oh I say this, but I still strive to do weird things on a board). It doesn't matter where you are in life, as long as you find the flow you belong in. Oh sure we now have amazing equipment, but we're not going to attract much on an audience that wants to partake. We'll be somewhat of an oddity. Look at what's happened to winter sliding: 1. Leather boots, strap bindings, wooden skis, ledenhosen, weird high and tight haircuts 2. Plastic boots, step-in bindings, metal skis, tight black pants and puffy jackets, butch haircuts. 3. Sorels, rubber strap bindings, wooden boards, jeans and carharts, unkempt haircuts. 4. Plastic boots, plate bindings, composition boards, NEON clothes, longish hair. 5. Soft boots, racheting bindings, park boards, Dull baggy clothes, shaved heads, half pipe videos. 6. Hard Boots, Twin Tip, powder skis, park skis, Bright baggy clothes, long hair, big mountain videos. The kids on the Twin Tips are simply amazing. They're doing everything the boarders did, and then some and look better at it, so it's no wonder they are beginning to attract newbies. Natural progression, what's new becomes old, and maybe recycles itself in the years to come. Let's face it, for those of you who lived in the 60's in high school, who wouldn't love to still be able to wear our hair long and look good and drive a VW Van, OOOPS still have a VW Van, but drive a Prius, but no chance for long hair again (damn). So we may be able to shanghai a couple of young-uns to our sport, but it isn't looking too good, but we are old and have disposal income, so our sport will remain till we die out through attrition.

Not many read nor listen. Ever seen the ads "Please drink responsibly". Sadly, but true, you're on your own. Look up hill always.

So she tells Deb what I wrote this morning. Deb doesn't think it's funny. Jane said, "It's like facebook for OLD GUYS. How humiliating-Luckily for me I'm way past that. It all left after 60.

Should be out testing the antiques* this morning. *Antiques include, boots/bindings/board/bones.

There was about 15 people on the main run. Grooming was excellent and a block wide carving slope. There is no problem with running out of slope and ripe for full layout turns. Had maybe 20 runs with no one getting in my way. Fun run. I don't figure how they can suck up so much of the hill, especially when it's the holidays. On that note, I'll probably be out Sunday morn for the Old Farts rate. Talked to Ken this afternoon and it looks like he and Jane will be out too. Obviously I'll be out on one of the Cow Boards.

I think I was bad and have to take my wife out to dinner. Later on I hope.

Give me a heads up. If it's still as windy, it probably won't be worth it.

Out to spirit for my $15 half day ticket. Pretty breezy, but fun for a first day out. Keep me posted when anyone is planning on riding. A PM works.

Anyone need smaller carving boards for women or kids? Will be arriving in Duluth Monday and can pack a few extra boards.

I guess this begs the question of what's the fastest deceleration, aside from trees/skiers/other snowboarders/buildings. I know that I've gone fast enough to get seriously hurt, but always made sure that nothing was in the way. The fastest deceleration was ripping down Mt. Hood Meadows in the mid morning hours going through the shade, turning into a dog leg that had the sun on it and planting at full speed. Ended my day and didn't feel good for a couple of more. So if I had to guess I would say 35 to 40 mph to faceplant in less than 1 second.

http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_bn2#/video/bestoftv/2012/09/27/ac-avalanche-survivor-missing-comrads.cnn

Bryan, Hope things are improving rapidly. Thanks for bringing to attention "Bungy Cords". Got rid of most of mine years ago after reading about eye injuries. Some of my local suppliers started showing these at the call desks. http://cinch-strap.com/index.php?category=cinch They have totally replaced bungies in almost all cases. They keep stacks of dimension lumber tight and together, as well as securing roof loads and tarps.

The first time I heard about one of these was 2 days ago. Same scenario from a carpenter. He recovered completely. Best of luck to you Bryan.

Mine was no pain, slight unease, nothing I wouldn't have disregarded a couple of years back. Lots of stories in the Hospital from Nurses whom had lost their husbands in their 40's. One thought he had a cold, another was a miserable SOB and his wife said "I know I should feel bad.", another just dropped.