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What have you learned this season?


lonbordin

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I finally applied what Corey taught at MCC 2020...

Bend your knees and squat down like you are taking a p**p...

Angulation

Carving East Coast ice...

And I forgot how much easier and fun soft boots are...  I could softboot all day, 9-4...  With hardboots, I'm done after lunch...

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No matter what, keep looking up hill for speed demons. At least every few turns. I had a guy coming in hot on my tail as I was laying down some turns and in my side vision I saw someone coming in hot behind me. Thankfully I was wearing sunglasses verses goggles or I would of not had seen him coming with a definite collision. We both said "whoa" as it was a fairly close call. Another reason I will never wear headphones while riding. Can't hear them coming. Hard of hearing as it is anyways. I gave the snowboarder some solid advice in the line. When you see a guy carving be aware he will take up more slope than usual and give them plenty of room.

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The skiiers code of "downhill rider has right of way" has been lost for some time.

I have been run-over from behind by more aged skiiers than young snowboarders.  One thought that I should "go back to the park" as he skied away knees jammed together skidding every turn...

Some people can't help themselves...

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4 minutes ago, Rusty Edges said:

The skiiers code of "downhill rider has right of way" has been lost for some time.

Skiers (and many snowboarders) seem inherently unable to sense that someone who has already made two turns across the fall line might add a third one. It usually comes as a surprise to them.

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8 minutes ago, Rusty Edges said:

The skiiers code of "downhill rider has right of way" has been lost for some time.

I have been run-over from behind by more aged skiiers than young snowboarders.  One thought that I should "go back to the park" as he skied away knees jammed together skidding every turn...

Some people can't help themselves...

Don't take this the wrong way but I think not getting hit and crowd management in general are learned skills that must be practiced.  I've never been seriously hit, and I can't remember my last near miss.  I am deliberately very careful to time when I start downhill with the ebb and flow of the crowd.  A certain fellow I ride with sometimes is not so great at this and he gets cut off or nearly hit a lot, while we are riding together.

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That I should have moved to Aspen for the season when COVID became a thing? Kicking myself for missing this lost opportunity. That said: the way things are going I'll probably get a chance to correct my mistakes next year, though I hope not.

In all seriousness: I am learning to focus on the fun. I remember when I was a kid going to boarding school in NH any evening it snowed nobody did their homework because we all knew we were going to the mountain. Nevermind the conditions, the long uncomfortable van trip, the horrible rental equipment, (or later on the fact that the screws kept ripping out of the retention plate on my Avalanche Kick [what a piece of junk]): we always had fun. (Granted: midweek skiing on empty slopes instead of being in class kind of rules when you are a kid). We didn't have PE so this is how we got our PE credits :p. In retrospect: I was spoiled rotten!

Over the years I became a bit of a complainer. "it's too crowed", "snow is too soft" (this is my personal fave), "it's too cold", "its too hot", "my headphones are broken", bla bla bla ... recently I have learned to STFU and smile at the day and all of its idiosyncrasies because no matter how imperfect, it's usually pretty great as long as you are willing to enjoy it. 

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What have I learned? Yes you have to trust that those around you will do the right thing, but there is always a twat out there, waiting for his chance to ruin your day. 
I too join the ebb and flow, however there is an unfortunately common situation, as I’m leading slower students down the mountain in my bright blue uniform, of people trying to pass an instructor, wanting to show us how good (in their eyes - fast) they are.

Unfortunately most of these ‘show offs’ are not as good as they think, and in looking at us as they get close, inadvertently get ‘missile lock’ and end up hitting us. I had one of these bozos run into me from behind. My client, who was riding a little further behind me, making the same predictable short radius turns, said “He was about to pass you when he suddenly veered into you!”

I was out for a week with concussion and bruising. 🤬

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I've learned that giving up the season for covid has a few positives. 

I didn't have to worry about idiots on the slopes or in line. 

I didn't have to have my aggravation levels increase when those idiots crossed paths with me unmasked.

Pushing hard for 1 1/2+ hours on a Fat Bike in Hills and Snow is way better conditioning that 5 or 6 hours on a Board. 

Riding a bike down banked trails and continually improving speed and technique is pretty darn satisfying, and it's noticeable when you get better.

Riding up hill is just a way to get younger.

Was able to get both of my Covid shots at an earlier date than if I was in the Mountains.

Learned that I missed Boarding as much as I thought I would, and how incredibly lucky I am to have a home in Big Sky, summer or winter, (not that I didn't know already), but really hit home this year (spent all summer for the first time).

Made me realize that I dislike big cities even more than I realized.

Was finally able to dial in the stereo, to where my jaw just dropped.

So all in all it was a mixed bag, still missed riding, and will savor it if we ride for the last 3 weeks after having been vaccinated.

Looking forward to next year, with much more anticipation.

 

 

 

 

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1. Lubricating Allflex screws is absolutely essential, or they will strip.

2. I think the shape of the background of the "AIR" on old Burton Airs is supposed to resemble a stretched/squashed outline of the state of Vermont.  I never saw it until just recently, LOL.  Yes?

 

ck_air.jpg

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I learned:

How to modify my boots to allow better flexion between turns.

That I'm able to ride stiffer boards much more easily without the excessive ramp of my old boots forcing me onto the tail.

How to extend off my board in the turn rather than relying on the cuffs to support me.

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1 hour ago, Gremlin said:

I learned:

How to modify my boots to allow better flexion between turns.

That I'm able to ride stiffer boards much more easily without the excessive ramp of my old boots forcing me onto the tail.

How to extend off my board in the turn rather than relying on the cuffs to support me.

What brand are your old (hard?) boots?

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11 hours ago, Gremlin said:

I learned:

How to modify my boots to allow better flexion between turns.

That I'm able to ride stiffer boards much more easily without the excessive ramp of my old boots forcing me onto the tail.

How to extend off my board in the turn rather than relying on the cuffs to support me.

That's interesting. What is your weight? and how to modify your boots?

I am 168cm/135lbs and use MS951. The tongue was cut and cracked into a spider web and I get rid of all spring. Then I barely flex the boots.

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I've learned a new board can teach an old dog new tricks!

So my SF162 is suchhh a different beast!  I'm an old nose stomper that usually rode the most forward set of binding inserts.............but Thirst boards will dump your arse in the woods if you try to Over Drive it!

So I had to relearn what a neutral stance is all about.....and that meant I first had to get off the nose!  And each step had to be done one at a time to ride and evaluate the change.

1 -lowered my rear disk from a 6' to a 3'

2 - decreased my rear boot forward  lean by 50%

3 - changed BTS from red/blue to blue/blue

4- changed out Intuition liner from Power tongue to Power Wrap

5- changed my binding angles form 65/60 to 60/62

6 - moved front binding back one set of inserts off the nose

7 - moved both bindings back one set of inserts

8- moved front binding back one set of inserts

9 - Moved rear binding back one set of inserts

10- moved front binding back one set of inserts

I'm sure I left out a couple of steps but the results have been amazing! An effortless ride with maximum control that I enjoy enough that I have changed out all my boards to this neutral stance setup!

Thanks Mark Miller for teaching this Ol Dog some new tricks!

........... I'm A Better Rider For It!

 

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15 hours ago, barryj said:

I've learned a new board can teach an old dog new tricks!

So my SF162 is suchhh a different beast!  I'm an old nose stomper that usually rode the most forward set of binding inserts.............but Thirst boards will dump your arse in the woods if you try to Over Drive it!

So I had to relearn what a neutral stance is all about.....and that meant I first had to get off the nose!  And each step had to be done one at a time to ride and evaluate the change.

1 -lowered my rear disk from a 6' to a 3'

2 - decreased my rear boot forward  lean by 50%

3 - changed BTS from red/blue to blue/blue

4- changed out Intuition liner from Power tongue to Power Wrap

5- changed my binding angles form 65/60 to 60/62

6 - moved front binding back one set of inserts off the nose

7 - moved both bindings back one set of inserts

8- moved front binding back one set of inserts

9 - Moved rear binding back one set of inserts

10- moved front binding back one set of inserts

I'm sure I left out a couple of steps but the results have been amazing! An effortless ride with maximum control that I enjoy enough that I have changed out all my boards to this neutral stance setup!

Thanks Mark Miller for teaching this Ol Dog some new tricks!

........... I'm A Better Rider For It!

 

This is definitely a better love story than Twilight. 

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