Neil Gendzwill

It's shameful - it's not the miltary's fault, it's our government dragging it's butt on the approvals, and also not spending the cash to get those guys some proper transport. They put together this elite team of disaster response guys, and then never deploy them due to one thing or another. I think this is only the second time they've ever been in the field.

Did you volunteer, or were you assigned to the duty? I note the Canadian emergency team is finally on site - what an effin' embarassment, over 2 weeks since the wave hit and they're finally there in a rented Russian plane. Fortunately there's still a lot for them to do I'm sure.

Posted this on classified by mistake - doh! Anyways, received my copy in the mail on Friday and I must say I wish I could join everyone in Aspen this year. One thing I was disappointed in was that there was no labeling of the suspects. Some of you guys were making pretty nice turns - care to fess up what you were wearing/riding and which segment you're in?

Received my copy in the mail today and I must say I wish I could join everyone in Aspen this year. One thing I was disappointed in was that there was no labeling of the suspects. Some of you guys were making pretty nice turns - care to fess up what you were wearing/riding and which segment you're in?

That's one of the older 165s, it's a little soft compared to new ones and may or may not delaminate (mine did, Chris fixed it). It's already at or maybe over it's value IMHO.

I broke one but it was my own fault - let the screws get loose. Check those screws every once in a while, and you should be fine.

My daughter gets her fine looks from her mother, so she dodged that bullet.

Emy did two days on the softboot setup at KHMR but asked to switch back to her skis due to a really sore ass :) But she's game to try again, so I upgraded her boots and bindings to some used Burton SI stuff from the ski swap and hopefully she'll catch on this year. I'd hoped to get her out to the local hill this year for some practice but the weather and snow just isn't cooperating here. Hard to learn at -30, ya know? Maybe next weekend it will slack off.

My daughter skis and just started snowboarding last year (on softies). My son skis. Here's a picture of me with Emy at Kicking Horse last year:

Ouch! OTOH, going for a 50' cliff as the first of a double set - the man is lucky to be typing, much less hoping to get a knee rebuilt.

I've got a pair of el-cheapo Audiovox. The sound quality is pure crap. They have a combination volume/off switch dial that doesn't lock, so it's easy for them to get "adjusted" in your pocket by accident. If I were to buy again I'd look for something with locking controls and better audio.

I think your picture selection illustrates your fascination with getting low. I'd worry more about the turn and less about getting your paws on the snow, if I were you - it's holding you back. But if you want a really good picture of someone getting low with good technique, I think you could do worse than this one.

That's it, thanks! That's got one of the nicest pitches for carving ever, nice and wide too. And usually near- empty. I love that chair, too, but I'm usually over on Shakey Knees or whatever that other bump run is. I'll take Surprise for a rest after a few runs of bumps have wreaked havoc with my legs.

The Cliff is super-fun if there's lots of snow, it's a 10-15' cornice drop onto a 40+ degree pitch full of fluff, it's wide open and easy to arrest if you tumble. It flattens out into normal diamond pitch about halfway down. If it hasn't snowed in a while it can get bumped up but because it's a pain in the butt to get back to due to the lift system I haven't seen it get icy, which would be bad. The chutes off Falcon are pretty narrow/steep and can get ugly bumps on them, I needed to jump-turn down some of the sections. They'd be more fun with more snow. Falcon doesn't seem to collect as much snow as some of the other chairs. Kicking Horse has it all over Big White if that's the sort of stuff that turns yer crank (it does mine).

3 & 3, locked no matter the conditions. I find my old 224s are soft enough to not need Powder mode.

Silverstar steeper than Big White? Have to check it out then. Big White isn't known for steep but it does have some true double-diamond stuff, there's The Cliff, plus those chutes off of Falcon and a few nasty bits off that lower lift that I forget the name of right now.

To get package deals, you usually have to go through central reservations. You're better off to book your accomodations as I mentioned, then get some lift ticket deal yourself (week pass, discount card, whatever). The discount cards are often the best deals for one week trips. The ones we just got for Panorama were $99, which bought us 3 days of skiing plus $15 discounts on any other days. Maybe Big White, Sun Peaks or Silverstar has a similar deal? I don't think Sun Peaks will be any cheaper. But by all accounts it would be a great hill for you. Big White and Silverstar also have plenty of terrain for a new carver and both have undergone significant expansion and improvement in recent years. Big White is hyooge now. From what I recall of Apex it was much smaller and steeper, unless they've expanded (it's been 20 years since I've been there).

Staying on the hill is the only way to go in Big White - it's a 50 minute drive from Kelowna and that road can get ugly. The village has everything you need - restaurants, groceries, booze - but of course you can find more and cheaper in town. We usually stock up on food and booze in Kelowna, drive up to our condo and park the car for the week. Almost all of the condos are privately owned and rented out by people through agencies. Big White central reservations is the worst. They take about 40% off the top. If you google for Big White condo you'll find online agencies such as Owner Direct, which will usually hook you up for about 10%. I think last time we did this we paid about $225/night for a 3 bedroom ski-in/ski-out deal. Go for the Sunday-Thursday stay - the prices are jacked on the weekends. Other than that, have fun - it's a great hill and there's something for everybody. There's super-nice blue run carving off the Ridge Rocket, and some great green/mild blue run carving off Black Forest. IIRC most of the black stuff was powdery or bumped up but that's cool by me. There is a great steep groomer skier's left off the Powder Chair, forget the name but it's easy to find. Don't go straight or right off that chair unless you like bumps and pow. I expect Shred will chime in anytime now - he probably has a better pure carving perspective, I'm some sort of alien hybrid rider.

Nate's got one. You just have to measure tip, tail, waist and running length.

I think the reaching for the snow bit is killing you, especially in that larger picture. People tend to do that either because it's fun, or they think it helps them get lower, or they feel off-balance... silversurf gave you the car-driving image but it's more common to imagine carrying a tray of beer. Don't spill the beer!

The Tanker OS series are pretty much a softboot board AFAIK, too wide for hardboots. The regular ones are around 24.5 waist but they're still way more of a freeride shape - long nose and tail, not overly stiff.

I'm waiting! Was supposed to have it by now but all the proto work he's been doing with his racers has delayed things for this plebe. I soothed the equipment jones by buying a new jacket today - Salomon Pocket Rocket down-filled, very techy, very warm. Which is good - it was -34C this morning here. It's warmed up to a balmy -30 now.

Haven't had a chance to take my Tanker 2000 into the open powder, but based on my other gun (old Gnu Race Room 179) I suspect it will just rip through it all. The Gnu just flat didn't care - powder, tracked pow, slush, death cookies, whatever. Mach schnell, baby.

I third the yellow lens suggestion. In fact, I don't understand why you'd want any other colour of lens for goggles. If it's nice and sunny out, I'm wearing my shades. Any conditions that require goggles are better with a yellow lens, IMNSHO.

I think that 13.8 BOBSI calculation must be off as the Axis 182 is only a 7.8 by Donek's scale, and some of the Donek customs push into the 14s. Still I get the impression that the Axis is generally stiffer than it's competitors. Correct or not?