theboarderdude Posted February 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 Yesterday, getting off the top of the lift, and pushing to the drop off. I hear two 4th or 5th graders(probably their first or second year on boards) debating whether or not they were going hit this tiny kicker the parkies always make on the side of the run. As I slide by, I hear "Oh, lets watch this dude hit it, He's a professional, look at his equipment!" I was riding a Rev 170 with TD3 SW SI. I proceeded to ride around the kicker and rip the sh!t out of the run. Brace yourselves, the Jibbers are becoming educated! Today, going to the lift line, a boarder riding out of the park says "Bro, that's an Alpine board, You have an awesome setup!" That was honestly one of the best moments this season, coming from one of the better park riders at hv. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) At the top of Shooting Star yesterday, two girls, one on skis, one on a snowboard: "Where are you going to ride? We want to watch you." Me: "Er, um, down the ridge." Girls: "No pressure!" :D They seemed to think it looked cool, but I couldn't get the snowboarder (she was a competent soft booter) to say "how can I learn to ride like that?" Edited February 24, 2014 by Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmorita Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 Stopped at the side of the trail to wait for my wife who rides softies. 60+ year old ski ambassador guy, fully equipped with walkie talkie, stops next to me and just stares at my feet. I said hello and he said he has to try carving. Melted my heart as I'm sure that this was the type of guy that used to spit at us off the chairlift in the early 80s. Spoke like old friends and parted ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breeseomatic Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 A freerider at Mammoth Mountain over the weekend asked me where he could rent an alpine setup. I regretfully told him that he's out of luck for a traditional shop, but gave him my phone number and told him I have some gear that I can loan out and also where to rent AT boots. Hopefully I can help another curious individual try something a little different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momsboard2 Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 This is too awesome not to share.I was out on my Kessler 1.85 this morning when a guy said, "Hey, is that the same Kessler that they race in the Olympics?" It caught me off guard because I'm used to fielding the usual questions we always post about every year. I said that yes, it was and that I was surprised he noticed. He said he'd never seen one in person, but sees them on the internet from time to time and thought how badass it was that we can lay out our turns the way we do. By this point, we'd gotten on the same chair and were on our way up to the top. After some discussion about the technology that goes into the boards and what they can and can't do, he asked me the question I'd been waiting all year for someone to ask: "What's it like?" "How would you like to find out?" I replied. :) The parking lot I was at was at the top of the lift, and I had my Kessler 1.68 in the trunk. We first swapped out his bindings onto the board so he could see how the board felt while still being in familiar soft boots. He had smaller feet, so with a 33/30 setup, his toe and heel overhang was minimal. Two runs into it, he was nailing his body position and doing way better than I thought soft boots would ever do on that board. At the end of the second run, his eyes were like dinner plates and he was absolutely blown away at how fast, stable and easy the board was to ride. Almost literally, he couldn't stop talking about how amazing it was and how blown his mind was. lol... On the way back up the lift after the 3rd run, I suggested that we go down to the rental shop and get him set up with some rear entry ski boots, my treat. I only suggested this because I had tried them out one day out of curiosity to see how they stacked up to my HSPs. Truth be told, they really weren't that bad. Not ideal, but barely perceptibly stiffer than my HSPs. At the top, I made a quick run to my car to get my F2s and then we headed down to the rental shop. Once we sized his foot for the boots, we swapped out his bindings for my F2s, made a few adjustments and were on our way. After about four orientation runs that involved lots of crashing and skidding, he finally locked it in on his heelside. I was about 50 yards down slope and could hear him hooting and hollering. He continued past me and I followed suit. At the bottom, he was speechless and kept looking down at the board while grinning and shaking his head. His first words, "THAT is what I always thought snowboarding should be like." He spent the rest of the day in hard boots on my board and when we parted company at the end of the day, I gave him my number and this website and told him not to be a stranger. :) That's awesome that you did that! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn Poop Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 That's awesome that you did that! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Funny, I was just in the middle of posting up that I did it again today, but it was mid afternoon so no time for hard boots. :) I've been getting more and more "hey, like in the Olympics!" comments lately. I see this as a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Prokopiw Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 Funny, I was just in the middle of posting up that I did it again today, but it was mid afternoon so no time for hard boots. :)I've been getting more and more "hey, like in the Olympics!" comments lately. I see this as a good thing. I got that a few times at Park City yesterday. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momsboard2 Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 I am definitely a subject of "heard it in the lift line". Working as a lift operator this season I have seen three alpine free carvers and thought "wow, that's so awesome". I asked a lot of silly questions, and got a lot of patient, informative responses. I was off-handedly offered to try out one of their boards, but I didn't take it too seriously as I was afraid I would do something ridiculous and somehow damage the board. I am still on (very stiff) soft boots, trying to figure out how to carve on my set up first. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonbordin Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 I got that a few times at Park City yesterday. :-) Olympic references get me blank looks ... sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn Poop Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 I was off-handedly offered to try out one of their boards, but I didn't take it too seriously as I was afraid I would do something ridiculous and somehow damage the board. I am still on (very stiff) soft boots, trying to figure out how to carve on my set up first.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk As long as you don't hit a tree with it or try to ride it in the parking lot, I think the board will be fine. Depending on what your board is and what theirs are, throwing your bindings on their board might make a difference. The guy I had on my board today said it was way easier to ride than his freestyle board. I've had a few other people on it in the past, mainly friends that were curious, and they all said it was easier to ride than their boards. Hey, if they're willing to turn the screws for you and put your bindings on their board, why not? It's not ideal, but it might be worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruincounselor Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 I am definitely a subject of "heard it in the lift line". Working as a lift operator this season I have seen three alpine free carvers and thought "wow, that's so awesome". I asked a lot of silly questions, and got a lot of patient, informative responses. I was off-handedly offered to try out one of their boards, but I didn't take it too seriously as I was afraid I would do something ridiculous and somehow damage the board. I am still on (very stiff) soft boots, trying to figure out how to carve on my set up first.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Which hill? I bet we can arrange something local... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momsboard2 Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 Buckhill, in Minnesota. I did notice an instructor with one once. This is been such a brutal winter with me working out there I haven't had much of a chance to network and practice. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arneburner Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Two teenage jibbers looking at my 182 Alpine Punk Afterburner with split tail. "Dude, look at the old school board." Friend says yea, cool. I say, "It's a new 2010 model, but I guess that's old school to you guys." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Few teens behind me, discussing: What is that? Ski boots? But what is that? One of the girls: Skinnyboarding! Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theboarderdude Posted March 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2014 9 bus loads of middle schoolers gets you a lot of questions, one near miss(closer than 6") at 40mph, and a whole lot of "cool helmet(Ruroc)/board!" however, a dad talking to his daughter takes the cake. The chairs at my hill are pretty close together, about 20ft. A father, daughter and son in a chair behind me, all on skis. I hear the daughter ask "What's that he's riding?" It was a rev 170 w/ TD3 sw si. The dad replies "It's sorta like training wheels, once he gets better he'll transfer to a real snowboard." I was way too confused/intrigued at the ignorance/flabbergasted to say anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theboarderdude Posted March 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2014 Couple young softbooters slide up behind me in the lift line, "What Kind of board is that?" "an alpine board" I say. "An alpine board... That's SWAG." Me: "um thanks?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icebiker Posted March 2, 2014 Report Share Posted March 2, 2014 "It's sorta like training wheels, once he gets better he'll transfer to a real snowboard." This floored me when I first read it. As I thought about it a bit later though, made me wonder if the dad mistook you for a skier giving snowboarding a try, wearing your "ski boots" and riding a board designed to be like a ski (skinny and cambered) to help you learn on something more familiar to a skier before moving on to a more "traditional" snowboard set up (most of which I see these days being rockered). Hope you at least had a chance to show him your moves.;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Québec man Posted March 2, 2014 Report Share Posted March 2, 2014 real [/i]snowboard." I was way too confused/intrigued at the ignorance/flabbergasted to say anything. I think you be hurry to remove your training wheels and do the transfer to REAL:smashfrea Snowboard:lol::lol:.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
two_ravens Posted March 2, 2014 Report Share Posted March 2, 2014 Heard on the slope: Ahead of me on White Pine's only real groomed run is a local legend named Lee (a 78 year old lady who skies alpine every day the lifts are open, and nordic the rest of the week) with two slightly younger companions. Her buddies are making small turns on the left side of the run and I easily get past them, but Lee is making wide turns, tree to tree on this somewhat narrow run - taking a carver's path! I look for a way to get by her, but it becomes clear that I will get too close, so I pull over to wait. Her buddies catch up to me and stop as well. One says "I saw you coming and said 'That is the only snowboarder on this mountain I trust!' You never scare us - you're always in control!" :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momsboard2 Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 9 bus loads of middle schoolers gets you a lot of questions, one near miss(closer than 6") at 40mph, and a whole lot of "cool helmet(Ruroc)/board!" however, a dad talking to his daughter takes the cake. The chairs at my hill are pretty close together, about 20ft. A father, daughter and son in a chair behind me, all on skis. I hear the daughter ask "What's that he's riding?" It was a rev 170 w/ TD3 sw si. The dad replies "It's sorta like training wheels, once he gets better he'll transfer to a real snowboard." I was way too confused/intrigued at the ignorance/flabbergasted to say anything. You should have offered to let him try out your "training wheels" ?. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grayontray Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 So I was up at Silver Mountain (Idaho) last week. The conversation went: lifty - that's a neat looking board. me - it's an alpine board. lifty - cool! Then some other snow boarders asked (before plugging in their tunes) - is that pretty fun to be on your edge all the time? My answer - OH, yeah! Do you like roller coasters? Cheers all:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theboarderdude Posted March 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 Last Saturday, closing day for hidden valley in stl, with everybody in that awesome last day mood I was sitting with a couple of ski teamers next to a table of jibbers, all between 9 and 15 yrs old. We had been exchanging conversation for a while and we got up at the same time to go ride some more. I pick up my board and set it down to step in, and one of the jibbers says Hey, an alpine board, can you explain how your bindings work again?" I explain, and he says "an alpine board... I respect you". I was absolutely floored. I've never had anybody say something like that before, and to come from someone like that, was unbelievable. We kinda rode together for the rest of the day, since all the main trails lead to the same one lift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breeseomatic Posted March 18, 2014 Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 Riding an F2 Silberpfeil 162, I got a compliment from a skier last weekend 3/8. I was laying stomach down facing uphill in the middle of the trail to watch another carver on one of my boards I loaned out. He skids to a stop and has that look like he was going to ask a question or say something. So I speak up first, "I'm not hurt, I'm just laying here watching some snowboarding technique". His reply was "I just want to say that I've been watching you from the chair and trying to catch up to you. You're probably one of the best snowboarders I've ever seen. I really enjoy watching you turn, it looks so graceful and powerful at the same time." Damn, I was not expecting that. And I won't lie, it felt good to get a compliment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted March 18, 2014 Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 yesterday I came in for a break, a guy w/grey ponytail & beard walks up, shakes my hand and says it's a joy to watch you ride. then turned and walked away. I enjoyed that, spread the joy of the carve:1luvu: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grayontray Posted March 18, 2014 Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 Hey, Troy! Sweet. It IS a joy to watch you ride:D Sorry I missed seeing you at NICE. Cheers from Max Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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