Ski

I still don't know what either of you disagreed with me about. For more than 20 years, NASTAR HQ has requested that a pacesetter do exactly what 'Dude was explaining---pushing out of the wand and skiing a straight, tucked run down the course, not using any turning gates. We used to call it trying to reach terminal velocity, which may not be scientifically or mathmatically correct, but we weren't exactly rocket scientists. The pacesetter was then to compare this time with his pace time and it was supposed to be within a certain percentage. It's one way to measure if a course is too turny, or too straight. IMO, the alternative is to LOOK at the course, but NASTAR---especially in the early years---often deals with non-racing ski school employees for course sets.

They don't suggest it? Uh, yes they do. If they didn't want pacesetters to do it, then why would they have a name for it? We jokingly called it the Terminal Velocity time because that's kind of what it is...I only know this from the years I volunteered for NASTAR. You sure I was wrong, Rob?

No, it's really just something they suggest pacesetters to do once in a while and whenever a course set is radically changed. An experienced gate setter can look at any course and say whether it's within a certain time range. The reason for a terminal velocity check is to be sure a course isn't too turny or too straight.

Did you notice this story from that same link? NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A note found on the body of a suicide jumper led police to a French Quarter apartment where they found a woman's charred head in a pot, her arms and legs in the oven and her torso in the refrigerator, police said Wednesday. Zackery Bowen, 28, leapt from the seventh floor of a luxury hotel in the Quarter on Tuesday night, police said. His note, found in his pocket, identified the woman as his girlfriend but did not mention her name. The body was found in the second-floor apartment that Bowen and his girlfriend, Adriane Hall, had shared on the edge of the Quarter above a voodoo shop, according to the landlord. Authorities said they were trying to find Hall, but did not speculate on the identity of the dismembered woman. A woman who identified herself as Priestess Miriam Chamani in the Voodoo Spiritual Temple and Cultural Center below the apartment said Wednesday that the couple had recently moved in. 'You see people and never know what's going on with them,'' the woman said. Ain't that the freakin' truth?

Those ultimate poker dudes burning the candle at both ends.

I think they were both talking about me, 'Dude... I have two things happen to me on NASTAR courses: I almost always have at least one mistake...and I have this built in clock that makes me bust the rest of the course to make up for the mistake. If it's a big mistake, then I crash through all the remaining gates....you know, like we all should anyway. And so my times are strangely the same. In fact, I won a pair of GS:11's at Montage when Jim had a contest for who had the closest two times. My goal is to treat the first gate---and each subsequent gate---as if I'd already made a huge mistake. Ya know what I'm sayin'? Pacesetters are supposed to take a "terminal velocity" run. It's a tuck run, with no turns. The course is supposed to be set so it's within a certain amount of time of that tuck run.

It's been on ESPN, ESPN2, and OLN all at the same freaking time. I know some people really get into it, but some things just don't belong on TV. It was just a few weeks ago that they were having a poker tournament where players had to take speed boats from place to place to draw cards. And two boats collided and people died. I swear I'm not making it up. And that was the one poker tourny I would have watched...eh, if I'd known ahead there was going to be a good boat crash.

'Dude would obviously be a good pacesetter, since consistancy is the #1 quality NASTAR looks for. I mean, a mountain can send anyone they want that's going to be available to pace their courses, but those Golden Days that make some people happy (because the pacesetter has a bad day) tend to piss off more people in the end. Jeff would also be a good pacesetter, but he's still getting better each time on a course, so he'd be a pain in tha ass to people by the end of next February, since he'll probably be smoking his December pace. Hopefully, it'll be a nice day during trials, since it's a one-shot thing for the local pacesetters. If it rains, the times get really bad and all the local pacesetters walk away with really high handicaps. It rained last year at Hunter and longtime 12 handicappers came home with 20+ HC's.

OLN has gotten worse over the last four years...I'm just hoping they carry two races every weekend. But they always wait until the last minute to post their coverage schedule, mostly because they have to deal with so many countries and are usually just dubbing announcers over the video feed that isn't their own. I miss the two English guys, back when they'd show every run of the top 30 seeds. OLN used to carry the Solden openers, but not in the last couple of years. It's a great race to watch: a steep GS with lots of blowouts where the race crosses cat tracks. Lately, we've had to wait for the speed events at Lake Louise on NBC. Who knows...maybe it'll just be poker and bull riding all winter And we'll be stuck with choppy online feeds.

Women's GS in 11 days; Bode-time in 12 days. Both are GS on the Solden (Austria) glacier.

Not if it's to diss oldtimers...

Ha, new mod with an attitude.

I've never seen Rob race...I've seen him freeskiing and just can't picture those types of turns on a course. As to the announcers, you either love 'em or hate 'em and I'm not interested in goofy banter. BC's course would be better if it was flatter, so it would be more kid friendly. Instead, they jam too many gates on a tiny little course, which would be just fine if it was a slalom set.

Ha, I was keeping my mouth shut about that. Jeez, they had the world's worst NASTAR course and are going at a USSA program with half-ass effort and total hype. Let them prove something for a single season before passing on hype when someone is asking for real info. So far, BC is one of the Pocono ski areas that DOESN'T have a USSA race program or any certified coaches. CB, Blue, Shawnee, MC, Tanglwood, Elk, Sno, BB/JF are all local areas that offer USSA race programs and both group and individual adult race training. So far, BC has had a mini recreational race course with dorky announcers. But, as TP4 will tell you, they sure know how to treat their park kids. BC is first rate when it comes to anything to do with their terrain park. Our new owners at Sno Mountain would do well to learn from BC's terrain park people. (We still cool, TP4?)

I have to admit that your "Wax Chart" was the one link I missed. That pretty much spells it all out, although I'd still suggest a 'waxing for dummies' sort of link. I've been waxing/tuning my own race skis since the early 80's and probably wouldn't have ever tried your FluoroMax if you hadn't included a free sample at some point. I just didn't feel confident as to exactly which of the Swix LF's it was replacing for me. BTW, is there any way for you to accept PayPal at your site? Even if there's a service charge for using it, I always have a balance from selling gear and it's often like found money. I know it's the same for some of my friends, as well. Just thought I'd ask... Thanks, Dr. D!

Okay, so I switched from Swix LF6, LF7, and LF8 low fluoro waxes to your FluoroMax Racing Wax (warm and cold)...then corking in your 5-micron fluoro when it's 25F or above. This works for me and the price is certainly right. I race ASRA and my goals are more toward coaching than spending $50 for race preps. But as a former and future race parent, I can tell you that 99% of fellow parents are clueless when it comes to helping their kids choose good waxes. And coaches add more confusion than help, most of the time. I recall the CAT team having a waxing clinic, but I think it could be much more simple. Like: "If you are a recreational NASTAR racer, then I recommend the following: " or "If you are a J4/5, then I recommend......" and I think it would be incredibly helpful to have very specific recommendations for Masters, J1's, ASRA, and whatever else, even just for a starting point. I'd also add things like a good HC wax is just fine for a J3 slalom, along with any reasons a J3 might want to use the same HF or LF for both GS and slalom events, just to have a consistant feel. I have to tell you that I watched a coach explain to his kids the benefits of a rub on wax before a PARA event...and if coaches are recommending a crappy race day paste, then I can only imagine what non-skiing parents are giving their kids.

Yep...thanks, SMS: http://www.paskiandride.com/forums/index.p...ost&id=1058

I thought the tubing lodge and tubing runs were being installed next to WL, outside of what's currently inbounds. One of the reasons they cited for getting it off the main hill where it is now was because of liability issues---they saw skier/boarder vs. someone walking to the tubing area as an accident about to happen.

Heheheheh....moderators. A slope is just right when you can lean over and see your reflection.

Yeah, mounted one's can pivot, but unless you move the whole tower... Montage snowmakers have been forced to drag those fan guns around behind ATV's...and more than half are broken. Our resident snowmaking gurus know more than me, but the tower guns are efficient because they disperse the mix high in the air and they line the slopes. The fan guns are good for creating huge piles in specific spots. It just seems to me that each has an ideal use, but that lining slopes with tower guns would be ideal.

I was talking to a longtime employee this morning who felt they'd really struggle with early season passes and vacation package bookings for the XMas holiday because everyone is confused about the sale and what's going on at Sno Mountain. He said the owners were prepared and expect a slow start---and maybe even a 'write-off' season---because of all the bullshit. He said to enjoy the perfect season of lots of snow and less traffic than ever for one more year, then the hype will hit the masses.

The rep from the Michigan company spoke at the public meeting at the mountain...if I recall correctly, most were the tower mounted guns, which are cost effective and put out a ton of snow at higher temps. They are also less labor intensive, since they don't need to be constantly repositioned. Ha, it'd look like a war zone if almost 200 fan guns arrived on flatbed trucks. I imagine they are strategically lining certain slopes with the tower guns, then having fan guns for the wide open spots around the lodges and lifts. There seems to be a bit of a disconnect between the IT guy running the website and what's actually going on at the mountain. For instance, they are looking for menu input, yet haven't decided on actual operating hours? That's kind of odd IMO.

Come to think of it, "You Gotta Believe" was the slogan for the 1969 Mets. Munchak may not be a diehard baseball fan...

A few?