Ottawa pre-season!

[Ian M]

How long before Vorlage opens up? Hope I made the right decision getting a pass there... :)

You totally made the right decision, because it's great evening carving, and you'll have company there! We had a great time riding there last season. It's very empty after 7pm, so you can really rip around

The opening date isn't shown on their web page, we'll have to call to find out! It may be later for night skiing, too.

[spyder]

Plan to try carving again this year . How many of u carvers are going to use volage as the mtn. I usually go to cascade (soft booter). But I really want to give this carving a 100%. so if there's a group of u at volage I 'ld like to join u some evenings

[Ian M]

Plan to try carving again this year . How many of u carvers are going to use volage as the mtn. I usually go to cascade (soft booter). But I really want to give this carving a 100%. so if there's a group of u at volage I 'ld like to join u some evenings

Hiya spyder, welcome to the forum! There are a surprising number of us around Ottawa, but we are spread out. Last year, there were four of us who rode weekly at Vorlage; CaRtharsis, myself, BillyG, and Tabatha. Things are a little different in all of our lives this year, but the four of us have night passes there again, and so does Slabber (Andrew; above). We all love carving company, come out and play! Riding with others is the best way to dial up your season, IMO.

If you ride Cascades frequently, send a message to Keyser Soze. He has a pass there this season again. I've never ridden there, and would like to try it out some night.

I'll also be teaching at Calabogie on Sundays, and some Saturdays I'll get out there to carve. Hilux, another new face this season, frequents Calabogie also. There are two guys (Loopback and Philpjo) who ride Pakenham a lot, and we still have yet to meet up with them.

Hope to see you out there soon!

Cheers

[CaRtharsis]

Blah blah blah... All this is moot till we get some fricking snow!!!! LOL

Keep your fingers crossed for the dumping forecast for SUnday.

[Ian M]

We haven't talked about who is available to ride which nights and where, so how about I start the ball rolling? Anyone in Ottawa who loves to carve feel free to chime in! (yup, I'm talking to you :D) Also, if your regular hill is somewhere other than Vorlage, why not invite everyone to come out and play at your mountain? Suggest a week and a day!

Suggestion: Let's try to use this great ride board more this year to plan fun with friends? Post up when you're planning to ride, and carving company will probably appear! If you subscribe to the thread, you even get updates right to your email.

I'll definitely be at Vorlage on Wednesdays, as my girlfriend is signed up for weekly lessons. Might ride a second weeknight also. Sundays you'll find me teaching at Calabogie, and probably carving there some Saturdays and holidays also.

^Chris, don't worry... the snow is on it's way!

Cheers,

Ian M

[Hilux]

Wow, more riders eh? Sounds like Vorlage might be the hot spot this year for nights? Do they still have the $99 passes err? Calabogie is great for layout, I'll be going there whenever possible. I find it doesn't get too busy for its size, even on weekends and like the selection. I'll go wherever, not picky.

I haven't been out in a while so will need to get my legs back...not to mention "style". I'll probably feel like a calf moose taking its first steps, easy does'er. Gotta dial in my setup first. Never felt comfortable on my board but the struggle has been worth it regardless.

Wooo for 35-40cm of snow plus a pinch on Monday!

[Keyser Soze]

London, new job, all that.

Anyway, the ride of the SG is allegedly be better for freeriding than a Kessler, which is apparently a racing machine that sniffs out the fall lines and locks into them. I've never ridden a Kessler, so I don't know if that's true. I think the big difference for me is the edge-hold letting me get away with stuff that my old Donek would've left me on my ass for. Also, it doesn't launch me when I really dig into a turn and snap out of it. It moves fast, as you would expect, but there are no surprises when speeding up. Sometimes conditions aren't great, and I don't think I'm fully aware of it because the board seems to slice through crud, which is a must for racers.

Also, yes, I am the Cascades rider. I'll try to make it out a few nights in Vorlage. I still need to pick up a few screws for my bindings at the moment...

[swoopy]

Ian

I'd love to get out with the crew. It would have been last year but I was side tracked by olympics. Ah..more carving this year!

[loopback]

Phil and I have Pakenham full passes and Mont Ste Marie weekday passes.

I rode Pakenham last weekend (was awesome to be back on snow!!) and will be there again this Sat and probably Sunday morning too.

We're going to try and make some Vorlage nights too this year! I'd like to do a few nights at Cascades as well. We are planning on at least 4 days at Ste Marie over the season...it was EPIC both weekdays we went last year. No crowds, perfect groom and awesome carving runs.

Any local guys looking at Jasey Jays camp? I'm tentatively in for the Feb session.

//Paul

[Hilux]

Hey, loopback, what days are you guys typically at Pakenham? I'm out that way frequently as I have family/friends there. Can anybody take off weekdays to head up to Ste.Marie? Like loopback said, you essentially have the whole mountain to yourself during the week.

[Tabatha]

Hey everyone, so looking forward to getting out as soon as possible as well, all I need to do is figure out how to put my new bindings and cants on the board (I have Jasey Jay's old bindings!!!)

The shoulder is fully recovered and I am eager to start my second season on a hard board by being on the hill as often as possible. I have a Vorlage Night Pass and am pretty much open to night suggestions. I like Mondays and Tuesdays because they tend to be very quiet, but Wednesdays and Thursdays are cool. Hell - I would be OK with two nights a week plus weekends. Also eying Calabogie - I enjoy the hill on the weekends and agree with the earlier statements ... usually not very crowded.

If there is snow and local hills are open during the day before Christmas, I would even be willing to play hookie and get out there for some pre-season carving. Road trip to Tremblant anyone?

[Ian M]

It's great to hear from everyone, and I'm looking forward to making turns with all of you!

^ Hilux - I believe that the price went up at the end of September... not sure what it is now. Don't worry, we'll find a way to get you more comfortable on your board. Are you free Saturday?

^ Keyser Soze - Congrats on a new job! If you ride Vorlage, I'll ride Cascades :P

^ Paul - Hell yes! I've made sure that I have at least 4 vacation days that I can take mid-week to ride through the season. I was thinking of trying Mont Blanc also, but I'd happily go to Mont Ste Marie if you guys have passes. I also have one Tremblant ticket to use sometime. I'd like to get in a day-trip before Christmas, but work has picked up a bit... not sure if I can. I'm trying, though.

[loopback]

@Hilux:

I usually do Pakenham 3-4 times a week. My son teaches there and only has his learners driving permit so am back and forth constantly. We almost always do Sat and/or Sunday mornings. Usuallly 9am opening till 11-12 ish , depending on the crowds.

Friday nights too....Usually Tues/Friday/Sat/Sun but it really varies.

We're hoping to use the Mont Ste Marie weekday season pass at least 4 times this year

@Tabatha

Any girl or guy who carves (and isn't a huge dickhead) has pretty much instant "bro" status with me...the "guys" was not gender specific at all:)

@ Ian

We did the group of 4 for $99 each at MSM for the weekday season pass and as mentioned are hoping to at least do 4 weekdays....I'd be happier with 6-8 though. I'd like to get to Tremblant once before Christmas too but am not sure if I will have time either (+ Duncan lift is still closed and I heard they are having snowmaking tech issues, and only 14 runs right now)

Unless something goes way south I will at Pak tomorrow at 9am...

On an unrelated note(s)

1. I bought telemark gear this year (part of the bucket list to get competent at all snow sliding sports).....anyone experienced enough to give a few pointer...maybe a quick lesson?

2. I bought all of Dave Morgans (YYZ Canuck) TD2 parts inventory and can pretty much replace any piece of a TD2 SI binding 5 times over (including 5 prs each of yellow and purple rings). If you have a break and need something fast I will give you the part until your Bomber order arrives and you can replace it.

THINK SNOW!!

//Paul

[Keyser Soze]

How'd you score Jasey's old bindings!?

I was looking at the camp, but I don't think I can take a week off before the end of fiscal. And $3000 is pretty steep, even if meeting Jasey would be the coolest thing in the world next to meeting Zinedine Zidane or Samir Nasri.

[philpjo]

I not sure if I should be posting as I'm boardless right now

That's only cause I'm waiting for my NEW BOARD!!!!

Bruce (from Coiler) said it should be ready any day now.

Can't wait to get out and meet everyone.

[Ian M]

^ That's great news, Phil. You're going to love your Coiler. Mine came with anti-gravity and crud-eating superpowers! What kind of board will it be? Definitely looking forward to seeing you make some turns on it.

So, did my first runs of the season at Calabogie today! God, it felt good to be on snow again. Certainly rusty (first run I actually got launched into the woods by my Factory Prime - Bad board! Don't do that!"), but things went quite well after that. The snow was good, firm spring-type snow and very carve-able. Only three runs open so far, so definitely room for improvement on the coverage side. Snow will come though!

I spent an hour in the afternoon working on my soft boot riding, and did a 'first': rode top to bottom fakie, without fallling. In 19 years of snowboarding, that's a new one. It was very humbling riding that slowly again and re-learning how to ride the other way... :o

Cheers!

[Ian M]

I was looking at the camp, but I don't think I can take a week off before the end of fiscal. And $3000 is pretty steep, even if meeting Jasey would be the coolest thing in the world next to meeting Zinedine Zidane or Samir Nasri.

Too steep for me, too. Jasey Jay is awesome, but for that money, I'd go to SES in Colorado. I'm very curious about his new boards though. I wonder if he's building them himself or if one of the other guys (Coiler, Donek, Prior) might be making them. Yay for more board choices!

[mikel45]

I've had good experiences with are Dinardo's in Bell's Corners

Hi Ian, thanks for the suggestions, in fact, I dropped by Dinardo shop yesterday to check them out. Ultimately like to learn to do my own tune-ups so I was quite interested to see that they sell tune-up supplies, also, I was informed that they are happy to give "how-to tune-up" lesson to any group of three (3) people. Anyone interested?

[mikel45]

Hi mike! Where do you like to ride around here?

I'm totally new to the sport. Spent the past 9 months acquiring second-hand equipment. I decided to go with a skwal board (Volkl monocarver), so my learning curve is going to be quite steep. When not ski patrolling at Pakenham, love to have the opportunity to meet up with other hardbooters, day or night. As always then, CHEERS! Michael

[philpjo]

^ That's great news, Phil. You're going to love your Coiler. Mine came with anti-gravity and crud-eating superpowers! What kind of board will it be? Definitely looking forward to seeing you make some turns on it.

Cheers!

It's VSR XTight, 169 cm. Old School Woody graphics.

Just need this stupid rain to turn to snow

[Ian M]

Sure, I'd be up for more info. I'm already doing my own tuning, but could certainly learn more. Any idea about price and scheduling options? I can do most weeknights and weekends until Christmas, then Sundays are out.

Skwal, huh? That's cool.. I've never seen anyone ride one firsthand. By the way, Gord at the Glebe Kunstadt also owns and rides a skwal. Come out and show us what it looks like!

Cheers :)

[Tabatha]

Bindings - I met some people at SOS last year who teach and had a hook-up on second hand bindings from the National Team. They sell them cheap to their students and had an extra one - so I bought it. The one they had left happened to be Jasey Jay's (2009 pre-Olympics) bindings. Now I just need to figure out how to put them on my board with the cants - I am still a newbie to the sport and am trying to figure stuff out.

A website I like to obsess over: http://www.skiottawa.com/

If anyone wants to try other gear, I somehow ended up with a mega board last year (it is over 6foot long and I am barely 5'2) and is STIFF. Someone borrowed and sharpened it last year - let me know if you are interested and I can bring it along. Ian and CaRtharsi might be able to provide more details, they were there when I won the beast.

[mikel45]

- best days are monday & tuesday evening

- need at least a week heads up to schedule us in

- cost $40

(includes how-to lesson and you also walk out with your board tuned)

2 people interested, need a 3rd, anyone else interested?

[Ian M]

^ Mike, that works for me. Count me in!

I'm planning to ride at Calabogie on Saturday; would anyone like to come out and play? My girlfriend will come and try out her skis, (first time skiing in a while) but she's happy to have a fair bit of time on her own.

Anyone else have weekend plans? I could ride Sunday somewhere else also

[CaRtharsis]

Mike I have a patrollers shell from when I was a member back in the mid 90's. Think anyone might be intersted in it? Its in great shape just taking up space in the closet. I don't ride regularly enough to be able to commit to joining again.