utahcarver

I've always quite fancied this one: Hooger Booger Who's the manufacturer that Jose Fernadez was linked to? Was it Booger? Mark

on how we perceive ourselves as human beans. As Jeffrey Day points out the poll here has nothing to do with an occupation yet, this is how most of us are identifying ourselves (as well as stating ages). It's hard for me to imagine that a person's occupation is what THEY think most defines who they are. Especially, when the poll doesn't ask for this information. Our jobs are how we make money to provide needed living expenses. And, jobs and income can come and go at any time. What remains constant in our lives is how we each spend our lives pursuing life, sports, and good health. I try to focus on those things rather than how I make a paycheck. Mark

In my mind, I'm still that 16 year old boy who got a surfboard for his birthday and learned to surf the Atlantic-side beaches of northern Florida. But my shoulder surgery over the summer tells me I'm 47, and I won't paddle a surfboard again. I'm a Snowboarder and a Skateboarder for life. I try to define my life by those pursuits and not by how I earn money. Funding comes from 30 years in the offset printing trade. I'm hoping to become a full-time gravity addict in the next 3 to 5 years. Mark

Bordy, Now that you've been able to get us all to salivate about the Dupraz and killing some pow with it, how do we all get one? The Dupraz website shows only Euro distribution and retails at about 500 euros. Anything offered by hardbooter.com or allboardsports.com? dupraz snowboards Mark

DFJ, NASCAR's goal is to go global; to lose it's core if that is what it costs. Even if that core is rednecks flying the Confederate Flag and smoking pork ribs and was the money that got it to where it is now. The BIG money, however, is in global, or semi-global competition that allows a plethora of highly unrelated sponsors and advertisers breeding a remora-like symbiosis that reels in highly-unrelated markets to feed off of the host. Kinda like was has happened to SNOWBOARDING. NASCAR has the France family. Snowboarding has the Burton (Carpenter) family. Why doesn't he go by Carpenter? Mark

I've been looking to get a new shell (jacket, parka, anorak, etc....) for this coming season. I hadn't been looking at anything pricey (think: cheapskate) until this past weekend. I came across a North Face Hyvent shell that is marked down to $160.00USD (last year's model). Although I don't consider Columbia high-end their Titanium series seems to be a bit better made than other Columbia fare. I found a Titanium combo (wind-stopper soft shell and waterproof/breathable shell) for $190.00USD. As long as I'm looking to spend around $200USD does anyone have any other recommendations for shells? What about soft shells? Are they an all-weather shell or do they have limits as to wind and cold temps? Marmot? 686? Thanks, Mark

I hope that all of our contributions help BOL to keep stoking the fires of hardbooting, racing, and carving. And, I hope everyone has a safe carving season this year. Mark

...the resurgence of tetherball sales this past year. Mark

...expect to see Burton race plates instead of footpegs on Ducatis' bikes? :)Seems this is only working one way at the moment. Mark

If you purchase the yellow e-rings at the BOL Store, the new super-squishy yellow 'thane is what will come to your door. I've ridden the purple and super-squishy yellow on TD2's and I love the super-squishy yellow rings. There is a difference in performance but maybe not enough to rush out and buy new e-rings. If I had the purple e-rings I'd be very happy until I had some extra cash to buy up. I bought the super-squishee yellows over the summer and I can't wait to ride them on my new Tanker 200cm thanks to hardbooter.com and Commander Dave. The reason I bought the super-squishee yellos is because I rode a Donek Axis 162 or 163, whatever it took, at WTC '05 at Snowbasin with the aforementioned setup of TD2's and super-squishees, and Raichle 413's and loved the ride. Perhaps the biggest upgrade was the Donek plank but I can't disregard the sugary pineapple suppleness beneath my tugboats. That and, gasp!, TD2 Step-ins which provided Increased response and comfort. Many happy gouges, Mark long live radioioambient.com! Forest, you Rock!

I have gone to Intecs on my (both front and rear) TD2's, was due to a shoulder injury last season from a rear boot release on standard bails. BTW, it was a heelside turn and I was pressuring the toe upward and leveraging my knee forward (rear boot) prior to the failure. My guess is that the twisting pressure I was putting on my Raichle-clad rear foot is what INITIATED the failure. My perspective is one of the boot being highly pressured and being the direct cause of the failure in the interface. I have ridden the same Raichle 123 in Burton Race plates and had them fail with considerably less consequences. I see little to no problem at this point with the bail system. It works fine with most boots except Raichles in a twisting upward toe release, IMHO. Solution: ditch the standard bail system, buy TD2SI technology, Intec heels, Raichle 413's (it's what I could afford this year and it accepts Intec). Perhaps, I should have gone with UPZ or Head boots. I rode the 413s at WTC '04 at Snowbasin with TD2SI's and never doubted the system. Now because of this thread, I'm wondering if I should us a standard bail on my front binder. Hoping for a surgery-free season this year! Mark

I fell prey to impulse buying after reading about Skatha's spree. Though I'm not usually prone to such levitude, my will was defeated earlier today when I overheard someone at work whistling, "...Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow..." So, I bought a pair of Raichle 413's and some yum-yum yellow TD2 e-rings. Yep, some entry-level boots and the new formula yellow 'thane. I chided myself for the deed by grilling some ribeye steaks and making dutch oven potatoes/white trash-style (more onions, garlic and black pepper went into the pot than potatoes). Followed by a sharp retort of a Spaten Pils. It feels so good to be penitent! Mark PS - Back in the mid 1950's, the US Navy did tests to see what colors attracted/repelled sharks. The final data showed that the color yellow, in shallow depths, attracted most species of sharks. Thus, the term 'yum-yum yellow' was coined. That's why while scuba diving in my youth in Florida, I'd always choose a saltwater diving partner with a YELLOW wetsuit, or YELLOW tank, or YELLOW fins, and YELLOW mask or snorkel (think early '70's just before Jaws The Movie came out). I figured I would narrow my odds down to the nub before I went into open water. My choice always turned out to be an instructor.

Insured by S&W since 1977. T/C Contender w/ 30/30 barrel S & W 357 nickel 8" bbl Ruger all weather/ model 77 30.06 Ruger P90 45ACP 30/30 lever action saddle rifle Remington 870 Express 12 gauge All firearms kept in a gun safe with individual gun locks. Mark

I live in Utah. I learned how to carve a snowboard (in Utah). Carving is now legal in Utah. Gambling is not legal in Utah. That's what Las Vegas is for. Carving is not well-liked in Utah because it's differ'nt. You do get some funny looks from time to time. Sometimes someone on skis will say, "Oh my heck, he's riding a water-ski!". Some BOL folks might not know that it's okay to have a beer or a glass of wine in Utah. Utah has funny rules about drinking alcohol. Funny rules are meant to be broken from time to time in Utah. Like that one time at church last year. I wear a beard but not a stovepipe style hat. I wear modern clothing that isn't always made by hand. Some of it is storebought. I only have one wife but, I'm always open to suggestions. Hef has three girlfriends. Hef lives in a mansion in California. If Hef lived in Utah, he'd be called something else besides a playboy. Until BOL came along, I rode bindings I made from metal plates some guy found back in New York State years ago. Gold of some kind. Aluminum sure do make a better binders. I snowboard on Sunday. The slopes are empty on Sunday in Utah. This is a well-known secret in Utah. My current avatar is of Tim the Enchanter from the movie Monty Python and The Holy Grail. It is not a picture of my mother-in-law. She is sometimes mistaken for Tim the Enchanter. Especially after she gets her hair done. Hope this clears some things up. Mark

check your mail!

Tomorrow I see the doctor for the final post-op interview which should include instructions to not wear a sling any longer. The physical therapist is to add several new exercises to my regimen. Plus, it's my first (half) day back at work. So, I've been out six weeks today and the shoulder is limited in motion but, I'm feeling pretty good about the repair. My hope is that I'm back to 100% motion by the first of November. The therapist says that I'll need all that time to get to full motion in the shoulder. Still haven't decided on a brace to protect the shoulder this coming season. I've found some good ones, I just haven't made up my mind. How's your repair coming, Rich? Mark

They might be called 'Burton Snowboards'. I've long thought that Burton makes a good product for sale at a premium price. They've always been there to make things right and help keep the customer happy; good sales and service. You pay a little extra for both. JCP has long offered a similar business in catalog sales, clothing, furnishings, etc. But, I can't go into/call and order from JCP and buy high-end products. If I want better quality (and service) I've got to to specialty stores which carry those items I want. Burton has chosen to not market the high-end items. They continue to make a good product with good service with a very good profit margin. They've left the high-end to others. For that I'm glad. I dreamed of being able to afford carving equipment. Burton's departure from alpine let me know I'd have to look elsewhere for beginning alpine equipment years ago. That's when I found out about BOL, Catek, Donek, Coiler, etc. These companies may not be responsible for alpine racing in your area but, they do supply the carving and racing communities. And all the ES events. Perhaps, in time The B company might take notice of alpine sales and re-enter the market. Until then, click here to see Burton's continuing success in backcountry snowboarding. Mark

My experience has been a good one overall. I'm actually 'ahead of the curve' so to speak as far as recovery, discomfort, and mobility. I changed out my car battery yesterday with one arm. Yes, it looked very funny to see me trying to use handtools and to keep from dropping them under the car. The weather has started to get a little warmer here in the mountain west these last few days and my sling, which is big black contraption, is turning into a wet sponge by late afternoon. I'll be making a new one out of an old t-shirt, towel, a bit of duct tape. At least I can make a few of 'em and just pitch them when they get too dirty and sweaty. With only 3 more weeks in a sling it won't be that bad anyway. Stick with the physical therapy afterwards. Don't slouch on doing your therapy at home. I've made a lot of progress by staying up on the exercises. I found that ice therapy afterwards has been a great pain manager. In fact, I've been keeping a couple of beers cold in the Iceman-thingy I got from the hospital. Afternoon TV movies sure are better with cold beer(s). Mark

Rich, I met with the therapist on Thursday and he checked my range of motion. He said that I'm doing fantastic. I'm to keep doing my exercises for another two weeks, and at that time he'll add more things to do. Right now, I'm having to let all the connective tissue heal so that it can be rehabilitated. As my doctor told me several weeks ago, the shoulder muscles don't get a lot of blood flow compared to other areas of the body. That's the reason why it takes longer to heal up. I've started taking the sling off when I'm sitting stationary watching TV and reading. I've also slept without it a few times with a pillow to support my arm. The pain medication (percocet) is helpful to get through the PT each day. But, I really don't care to take it unless I really have to. BTW, I got the hospital bill today and the surgery alone is $6400 dollars. My primary insurance will cover 80% of that amount. My accident rider should cover a small percentage plus they'll compensate me for a percentage amount of my time off from work. Mark

Got all the staples out yesterday. Now, the wounds has steri-strips over them held firmly in place with Derma Bond. Over the years, how many skateboarders, mountainbikers, climbers, mxers, etc. have used super glue for bloody flesh wounds instead of going to the emergency room? Makes you wonder where DBond got the idea from, huh? I also got a new exercise to do: I lay on my back and hold my left wrist with my right hand and extend my left arm over my head as far as possible and then back. I do this for about 15 minutes each day now. The discomfort is about a 6 on a scale of 10. But, afterwards, the joint is very limber and feels better. I'm becoming very interested in wanting to wear shoulder protection next season because I don't want to go through this again. Mark

Rich: I was out and about with wife this morning; farmers market, coffee at a local cafe, and such. The sling is great for supporting the weight of the arm so that the shoulder/repair can heal. I take it off to do PT twice a day and to shower each day: but I keep the arm close to my body. I've learned to shave, bathe, brush my teeth, itch, and eat with my right hand, too. I also wear an Iceman collar that fits around the left shoulder. It hooks to a beer cooler that runs icewater through the collar. It is great; that alone counts for about 40% of the pain relief. The other 60% is 12 hour oxycontin and percocet about every 6-8 hours. I had a percocet yesterday and I'll probably take one tonight but, I could really go without them. I can ditch the collar sometime next week after I get the staples out. I can sleep with the sling on rather comfortably, too. I am a heavy sleeper so if you are a light sleeper, you'll have to adjust your sleeping meds. The doctor said I'd be in the sling 6 weeks tops and I think I'll need all six to get back to normal. Mark I also watch a lot of skateboarding, snowboarding, and some carving videos during the day to pass the time.

Skullly: I'm sorry that you missed the Tanker but, I had to get it. Good luck on the new ones that Dave is getting in soon. BTW, if you ever have a doctor give morphine to you, make sure you get some stool softeners in you asap. Wow!!! Now that's what I call off topic. Mark

Had the operation yesterday complete with labrum repair, some scraping on boney material; neck block didn't take so I got a bunch of morphine for surgical pain. Now I itch all over from the morphine. I also got this nifty cooler that circulates ice water through a harness that fits over my shoulder. I start physical therapy tomorrow. Should be outta this sling in about 6 weeks. I bought a Tanker 200 this past weekend. Guess which one of these things I had more fun doing? Gotta stop, and go take another oxycontin (aka a 'Rush M & M'). Mark

I met with the surgeon today and he showed me the MRI scans and I could see the void at the top of the humerus on several of the images. Surgery is scheduled for May 24th. The good news is that I've got the time built up to take so that I don't starve while I'm outta work. I'm covered by my employer's insurance and an AFLAC accident rider that I bought 2 years ago. Woohoo! Looks like I got about 5 weeks ahead of me sitting down at the local waterin' hole in the hot afternoons, under the water-misters, downing pitchers of draft beer and recounting this past season's outings. And, I'm getting all the movie and book recommendations from the BOL reviews and stocking up on them. What does D-Sub know? BOL is a one stop shopping bonanza! Hey, I bet I could catch up to his post numbers while I'm healing up. Mark

Pat, PP is available in Utah/Idaho from wasatchbeers.com or at any grocery or liquor store (depending on octane levels). Greg Schirf sure has a good thing going with his beers. His St. Provo Girl (his take on St. Pauli Girl) beer is okay but, the marketing of the idea has most Utahns taking notice (Oh my Heck! which pokes fun at the Mormon Church members use of 'Utahnese-speak'; there is another ad which has the voluptuous cleavage-ladened damsel model type holding a sixpack of beer cans, the ad says: NICE CANS!). The marketing is better than the beer, and that's a good thing sometimes. Several years ago, my buddy ran into some overzealous missionaries from a local polygamist church group who didn't think PP and Schirf were funny. The real problem in Utah isn't that you can't get an alcoholic drink (you can, of course), it's that very few church-type people have an effin' sense of humor. Too bad, life is too short to not be able to laugh at ourselves and our own idiosyncracies and recognize that the world doesn't, in fact, revolve around us. It revolves around BEER, and umm, Carving, and Sleep, and other things.