Frank Morales Posted February 25, 2004 Report Share Posted February 25, 2004 I'll never forget my first ride on a lift with a snowboard hanging from my foot and I mean hanging,the board only had one rubber strap. Tom Sims and I had just talked our way on to the mountian in a crueling meeting with the manger of the mountian. Tom was smooth cool and calm the Clint Eastwood approach. I was nervous with excitement knowing that at any moment we could be riding a chair lift. Before that day we were hiking the back country with topo maps sometimes getting stuck for hours dredging through creeks in waist high powder wet and miserable. But this day was different we were going to be allowed to ride the chair lifts. I was riding my new SKI BOARD with a Lonnie Toft deck Tom was riding one of his first proto types made out of solid fiber glass also with a single rubber strap. Sims devoted his life to snowboarding calling resorts day after day, meeting after meeting. I saw the good times and the bad. To this day every time I get on a lift I look down at my 197 Burner hanging from my foot and I smile thinking man we've come a long way. Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kienitz Posted February 25, 2004 Report Share Posted February 25, 2004 Frank, Cool to hear stories like this. Are you gonna be in Mammoth/June this weekend? Maybe four feet of new snow. I'm getting a new 4807 for the fresh pow ! Still using hardboots though. Hope I get it on time. See ya, Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nekdut Posted February 25, 2004 Report Share Posted February 25, 2004 Hey Tim, I'm going to be up this weekend. Probably on softies on Saturday at least due to the dump thats currently in progress. Hopefully I'll get to try out my new Donek on Sunday if things firm up. I'll look for you on your new 4807. =) -Neil D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kienitz Posted February 25, 2004 Report Share Posted February 25, 2004 Neil, Right on ! Doneks are nice boards. I really like the new metallic top sheets. This weekend should be epic. Will be the first time in five years riding a non carving board. If the 4807 doesn't come in time I'll be riding my Coiler all mountain with the bindings set way back. It is great in powder too. I'll probably be riding at Mammoth. Later, Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Randy S. Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 Tim, Definitely ride the 4807 with hard boots. I have one and have tried both soft and hard. I just set my boots to walk mode in the powder and it works so much better than soft boots. Plus once you get down near the bottom and have to ride on the groomed stuff, you'll be so much happier. The board rocks so have fun with it. Just watch out not to catch the tail on a cliff if you drop one. I did and it doesn't want to stay together back there any more. Oh well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Morales Posted February 26, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 Hi Tim Thanks for your responce this was my first message on the site which has been a good source for information on the art of carving. Here is a pic of the board mentioned and next to it is one of the first Sims proto types I rode in the early days. notice the bindings. we made those in place of the rubber strap. Also notice the Head ski I mounted on the yellow ski board that was to stiffin the nose from flexing to much, cool high tech stuff. The black team board I took to europe to race but didn't have a chance against the euro racers who were already making plate bindings in their garages to fit thier snowboards and also using their ski boots to race. I'll try and make it to Mammoth this weekend and break out my new 4807 which is still in the wrapper . Later Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kienitz Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 Frank, Wow! Nice picture! You told me about your involvement in the early Sims days but I didn't know you still had those prototypes. Did those boards have metal edges? I once tried a friends Burton Backhill (no metal edges) at Copper mountain. Man, that was an experience. I'd also like to see your huge quiver of Burners next to each other. See ya, Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skategoat Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 I don't know how you got on the lifts riding those things. You must be one sweet talker. They are just one notch above a Snurfer. If you have any old boards kicking around that you'd like to get rid of, I'd be interested in buying. I want to show my kid where the sport started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Buggs Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 Tim, Pray you get that 4807 in time. What a blast that board is. I got the 178 and used it at Steamboat earlier this month. I brought a bunch of boards out with me but once I put the 4807 on I never took it off. We called it the picnic table:D Oh yeah I only ride in hard boots and like Randy ride with them unlocked. I actually did some nice laydown Heelsides around my friend as he was sitting on the packed/groomed stuff so you can also stick some turns if you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nekdut Posted March 1, 2004 Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 Hey Tim, I believe I saw you heading down to Eagle Express while I was riding up chair 15. Too bad there wasn't all too much fresh around this weekend. Chair 9 was alright, but heavily tracked out. We should meet up next time you're up there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kienitz Posted March 1, 2004 Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 Neil, If it was a guy with a beige coat and chrome helmet riding a white 4807 in hardboots, it was probably me. Yeah the fresh pow was gone by Sat. Missed it by one day :( I found a little untracked tree stuff by chair 12 and 14. That 4807 is effortless in the powder. It was weird how well it carves on the groomed considering how noodley its flex feels. I was sticking turns on blue slopes expecting to slide out at any time. Never happened. How was your new Donek? The snow was definitely packed and groomed enough. I'm in Mammoth every weekend except this coming one (I sprained my ankle). Yes, we should meet up. It's always better riding with other carvers. Later, Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nekdut Posted March 1, 2004 Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 Tim, I think I need some more practice to get used to the Donek. I'm jumping from a 164 Ultra Prime to a 179 Donek so I'm not entirely used to such a long board. It got pretty tough to manage when things got crowded. The extra edge hold is unreal though and the board is very stable at speeds I used to be scared of. I think I'll spend a day or two over at June to get used to this board. Sorry to hear about your ankle. I hope it heals up fast. I'm usually up at least twice a month. I should be up there the next two weekends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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