workshop7 Posted January 12, 2017 Report Share Posted January 12, 2017 ...I'm in the middle of a run, completely in the zone, on great conditions, doing everything right on each and every turn, feeling everything that I am supposed to with regard to my body and the gear, and then something unexpected happens. I hit a soft pocket of snow, shoveling the nose and throwing the board into transition sooner than I had intended. Muscle memory takes over and after a few moments in the air the opposite edge comes into contact with the snow. I trust the gear and myself. I push and pull with my legs and core until I have my balance back over the board. I ride through the recovery and a few more turns and then come to a stop. I look up to see the marks that the 'incident' made in the snow only to realize no one was around to see that. It was just for me. Just one of so many moments over the last 26 years that keep me loving this sport. Whats yours? Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted January 12, 2017 Report Share Posted January 12, 2017 Nice! I love looking at my tracks if the lift goes over the run I was just on. Some stuff that feels terrible barely looks out of the ordinary. Some stuff that felt a little rough leaves ugly chattering scars that I'm kind of embarassed about. I love the feeling when I'm disconnected from the whole process. When my conscious mind is an observer, just deciding where I'm going next and looking around for stuff to be aware of. I know I'm doing push-pull/cross-under turns rapidly, but I'm just letting my body do it's thing. Board goes out to one side as my body extends, then it bites and comes back underneath with my knees sucking up to my chest, with the board rocketing to the other side. Repeat. Am I swinging my arms like a slalom skateboarder? I don't know, or care. Then, I get to the lift line and realize I'm breathing hard. Second best: Riding and laughing with friends. Doing stupid stuff just to see if someone can make it. Cheering on your buddies. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonbordin Posted January 12, 2017 Report Share Posted January 12, 2017 I love "the zone" or to be more precise when I'm in the psychological state defined as flow. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology) It all fades away into the next turn. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted January 12, 2017 Report Share Posted January 12, 2017 (edited) ... from toeside on super steep you throw your front shoulder over the heel edge down the mountain, your body panics but the mind in flow knows the board will come around under you and set you up to do it again Edited January 12, 2017 by b0ardski 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted January 12, 2017 Report Share Posted January 12, 2017 (edited) So long as I don't get hurt, I love a massive yard sale. Lets me know I'm pushing it and always makes for the best stories. Edited January 12, 2017 by Neil Gendzwill 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik J Posted January 12, 2017 Report Share Posted January 12, 2017 One of the things I love about carving is that moment when... Right now... The past 3 days in a row of riding have lead to my legs feeling worked to hell, not sore, just that feeling that I demanded a lot of myself. It is such a satisfying feeling, like I seized the day and didn't hold back. or first run on Big Burn ---perfect groom--- I mean perfect, no tracks to see. With 6" of the lightest, low moisture fluff I have ever seen. The snow is so light it's transluscent. I remember diving in turn after turn, letting that light snow engulf me while tearing through it. Looking around midturn at the mountain tops, the snow cascading between my fingertips. There was an inversion that day and snow crystals were floating around in the air twinkling under a blue sky. Everything glittered. Between turns there was no sound, I was weightless. It seemed to be happening in slow motion. What a beautiful day. I remember every moment of it. Must have been almost 20 years ago now. I have so many more moments with friends old and new, family, the weather, the mountains. When life is good I go ride, when life is bad I go ride. It's always been there. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted January 12, 2017 Report Share Posted January 12, 2017 45 minutes ago, Neil Gendzwill said: So long as I don't get hurt, I love a massive yard sale. Lets me know I'm pushing it and always makes for the best stories. Giggling riceball at the end is priceless! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted January 12, 2017 Report Share Posted January 12, 2017 9 minutes ago, queequeg said: Giggling riceball at the end is priceless! It was his camera, I think Corey was taking the pictures. I stitched the gif together from a series of stills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xy9ine Posted January 12, 2017 Report Share Posted January 12, 2017 2 hours ago, lonbordin said: I love "the zone" or to be more precise when I'm in the psychological state defined as flow. this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted January 13, 2017 Report Share Posted January 13, 2017 5 hours ago, Neil Gendzwill said: It was his camera, I think Corey was taking the pictures. I stitched the gif together from a series of stills. Yup, I couldn't tell what was going on so I just held the trigger. That's exactly the laughing with buddies that I love! That gif makes me smile. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted January 13, 2017 Report Share Posted January 13, 2017 Aside from the actual act itself, any day I wake up in the morning to see crisp temperatures, fresh corduroy, and good visibility, I get that same excitement and urgency as any powder day. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted January 16, 2017 Report Share Posted January 16, 2017 (edited) ... when you are on a carving board, and have bought the best possible knife to the gunfight. This weekend I went up to ride on Saturday. The day before had been hard packed to icy, there was no new snow, and it was overcast and flat lighted (my least favourite conditions). If I hadn't bought a 2 day pass I might not even have bothered. But I went up, to discover that it was snowing lightly at the top, slightly warmer temps had given the snow some grip, there was plenty of visibility between the trees, and hot damn, they've groomed every black pitch on two chairs perfectly flat. I left a collection of circles all over the back of the mountain, and rode until I was so bagged, I practically fell down the frontside to get down to the bar. Always remember, there are way more groomer days than powder days in a season ... and when everyone else is moaning about the lack of freshies, your day couldn't be better. Edited January 16, 2017 by Allee 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slopestar Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 (edited) You pull off the side of a run to catch your breath after completing a series of absolutely amazing turns. Butt skimming the ground on heelside, face close to the snow on the toe sides. And then the group of rippers you're riding with pop over the hill one at a time laying it down in their own styles. That was my last Sunday morning and it was damned fun. Left an indelible mark in my memory bank. Edited January 17, 2017 by slopestar 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Riding with friends is so fun, and I get to do it so seldom. Hope to return to ATC one of these days. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2stroke Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 When... Your legs are telling you that you have done enough but the turns are flowing with the terrain, the edge wont give up so neither do I but I end up grunting down the run like Monica Seles in a grueling set. And just then feeling most ridiculous, someone yells from the lift "woo hoo! yeah!" Oh, and this AFTER I was asked if I was the dad of my 50 year old friend. LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryj Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Well for an Old Fart like me (60) when I am back in the lift line, or on the lift or in the lodge and boarders/non boarders make the effort to come up to me and say, "Did you see that dude lay it out!', or "Was that you, man you were ripping!" or "That was some awesome carving". or "Those were some of the most beautiful turns" Really stokes me that I'm improving and to keep after it!!! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vahur Posted January 18, 2017 Report Share Posted January 18, 2017 (edited) I love feeling when after 4 year carving break I buy new board, book trip to mountains and after first run realize that not only I can't carve but even sideslipping makes problems. I love chattering sound when heelside turn fails. And I lose edge. And fall on my back. Under lift line. With cheers above. I love when I can complete couple of nice turns and getting grip of it and then see flock of skiers bombing after me so I have to slam brakes and sideslip until they have passed, thus losing feel and rhytm. I love when I am getting nice run and then after turn I see group of students. Following each other. Across slope. Twice across. I love all this right now. NOT! Edited January 18, 2017 by Vahur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
softbootsurfer Posted January 18, 2017 Report Share Posted January 18, 2017 Getting to the lift the other morning and having the liftie say..." your Track looks like Caligraphy" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordmetroland Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 When I'm carving bodacious turns down the mountain to the roars of my adoring fans. On my orders, my spotters identify the most beautiful women among the throng and give them backstage passes, where I meet them after I destroy the mountain. There are giants bowls full of M&Ms, but only the green ones. It is total Bacchanalia and I am part goat and part god, in my bell-bottomed jumpsuit that's unzipped to the navel. For reasons that are unclear to anyone but me, I quit the band and fade into oblivion. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 (edited) On 17/01/2017 at 3:11 PM, 2stroke said: ...but I end up grunting down the run like Monica Seles in a grueling set. Wahahaha, as long as you don't do Azarenka or Sharapova sounds... Really that was a good one. Are you a big tennis fan? Edited January 19, 2017 by BlueB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 (edited) I love when I'm in flow and in that zen-like state of mind, every transition and "fall" to new edge down slope seems to be in slo-mo and last forever, turns are powerful, yet effortless. Being One. Other one is playing the terrain, rollers, banks, changing the shape and frequency... Edited January 19, 2017 by BlueB 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 I had a very satisfactory moment other day, not quite carving, yet still great: I was at a CASI course, an evaluator (a lady) led the way, other 3 of us followed in line, tight formation. We did advanced "slarving" turns, very tight - less then 2 board corridor and we did them like one. No one broke formation until the stop, some 20-30 turns! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
softbootsurfer Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 those Moments when the Ski Instructor and or Snowboard instructors I am riding up with, say, " We use You as an example, of the correct way to Carve a turn " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2stroke Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 15 hours ago, BlueB said: Wahahaha, as long as you don't do Azarenka or Sharapova sounds... Really that was a good one. Are you a big tennis fan? Not particularly a big tennis fan but will watch a good tennis match before golf or baseball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darko714 Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 After weeks of frustration of skidding early-season ice sheets, bouncing off moguls, and awkward balance checks through snowgun paste, new snow and a February sun combine for a hero day and I feel competent again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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