bumpyride

We're looking for the best area for an early to mid March trip over to the Alps. Looking for the best advice for a 10 ski day trip. All of the guys that are going love the bumps and the steeps, so we're not looking for the best corduroy. We firmly believe that if you don't come back from vacation completely worn out, you should have stayed home and worked. We'd also like a large area or one that several short trips exposing a lot of terrain is possible. Don't want the same run day after day. We will be hardbooting it but on shorter, quicker and less stiff boards that we use off-piste. Anyone else interested? Bumpyride

My boy and I went to JH year before last, and I've been there 4 different trips. We're both on Plates and Hardboots, and softer springy boards. Me on an Ultraprime or Coil, and him on a E-deck or Amp. We play in the steeps and in the bumps. Couldn't really do much in the way of all out carving, the slopes just aren't laid out for it. We teamed up with a German who was also on plates and we broke him in on non groomed terrain, and we all had a ball. We had skiers, softbooters and hardbooters all skiing together. Shorter and a little softer board is what you need, and then when you hit the occasional groomer below the main slopes you can lay down a couple of turns, but you would be dissappointed if you bring a stiff and long carving setup and expect to have several days of nothing but trenches. Also be prepared to put your boots into the walk mode to be able to suck up the terrain. I would never board with softboots after experiencing a flexy hardboot setup. There's definitely fun to be had at JH, but you have to be a little more versatile, rather than expecting to lay down hard carves all day. If you do go invest in a board that most hard core carvers would turn their nose up at, something that will give you a little float and allow for very short radius turns and quick edge to edge.

I've always absolutly hated the Diamond Industry and all they stand for. The fact that so much of it relates to materialsim and much of it involves human suffering and makes the symbol of wealth the symbol of commitment. If you have to place the value of a relationship on a baubble that says: "Look at how much a man is willing to pay for me" that relationship could be (and I'm not saying for sure) off to a rocky start (pun intended). I'm surprised the Feminist movement did not take issue with the idea that it could be construed as "Look how much my Hooker is worth" I can't quite equate the worth of a rock with love, and all the things that go with it. Someone told me that when a woman is young and has the beauty of youth, that would carry her over, but when she starts to age she needed jewelry to maintain her self image of beauty. This in turn leads to the whole of advertising and its persistant goal of making women and men feeling inadequate. Women with aging and makeup, wrinkle remover, and diamonds, and men with Viagra and supercharged vehicles. Don't you think that the perfect advertising partnership would be Viagra and Hummer commercials. Think of the possibilites? A guy driving with his symbol of his manhood and a pill to make it a reality. And with all that in mind, I took her to the jewelry store and let her pick out her own ring after having looked at diamonds for days, and when it went on her finger she stood in the middle of the store and cried in front of everyone, without any regards of being embarrassed. It made her that happy. With that, I guess the crap that I got from everyone for breaking with my views, was worth it. She picked out the one that she thought looked the best on her hand, not the largest one. We're both over 50.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thomas, If you're going to stop up at MEC in VanCouver, you should really stop at a shop called Taiga. You can see the Bibs online at taigadirect.com. The price is in Canadian Dollars, and it's an outstanding product. Had a pair for years. They're considerably more resonable than even MEC. Here's the description of them from the manufacturer, and you can even buy them in different lengths. Not in anyway affliated with the folks, and for most other stuff I buy at MEC, but for gore-tex and fleece clothing, these are the people to see. Avalanche Bibs Made for the extremes. Your ticket to ‘powder paradise’ ... The most advanced bib pants anywhere! High-waisted ‘bib’ design keeps out the powder. Full-length, sealed, weatherproof side zips will not freeze up. Legs separate for ease of use. Ingenious ‘Drop-Seat’ design allows hassle-free opening of backside & crotch. 3 pockets (all zippered). Zippered fly. Flared ankles fit over ski & snowboard boots. Ankles and calves adjust with dual Velcro® tabs. Adjustable internal snow cuffs are elasticized & separating. Articulated/contoured knees for freedom of movement. Elasticized back. Adjustable Velcro® side closures at waist. Highly functional, Velcro®-adjustable suspenders. 3L Gore-Tex¨/2.8-oz. Supplex® nylon, 160D Cordura® at seat & knees. 500D Cordura® ankle patches. Approved as Engineered For Extreme Wet Weather®. 870g (M30). Black. 11 sizes (waist-inseam): S-27, 29, 31; M-28, 30, 32; L-29, 31, 33; XL-31, 33. $259.50 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Home |

It seems to me that nobody that I know of was "Laying down Trenches," first starting out. I would much rather see a guy shootin' down the slopes than out shootin' down the environment. Cut the guy some slack, and as much as I would hate to say it, I'd cut the same slack to Bush. Carving isn't apparently all that gives a guy pleasure. What were the most fun times you've had? Probably a few of the best laughs were first starting out mastering a new skill, and landing flat on your kiester. Come to think of it Bush must be having a ball, falling on his kiester that is. Too bad it's at someone elses expense. An independent speaks. Anybody watch the speech today? Why is it that he seems to smirk after every mention of some great peril waiting to befall us? Before anyone rails on me, check the record on the environmental issues, and watch his press conference of today. Also refer to post subjects for warning, and please don't refer me to the FCC.

The stiffist softboot setup is an old 3 strap Burton Binding system, with just about any boot. It's the next thing to Hardboots. With these, you can always release the back dog and still have a pretty flexy one if you want, or have something you can still carve on in softer conditions. This is pretty nice when you bashing through the bumps and want to eliminate the hyperextension of the ankles.

Time to jump in and start paring down the warehouse. I have a brand new pair of the Burton 3 strap with either 3 or 4 hole discs, which may or may not be unused, though if they are used I'll guarantee they're OK. I'll send for $95 shipped.