Ski

I like JF, although I've only been there a dozen or so times over the years. We'd mostly go when CB was waiting to get "all terrain" covered before opening for the season. JF just kind of says "F it" and opens. I remember the CB board gripes about all the Chinese people. And, yes, the lodge was always filled with about 75 percent Chinese people that plug rice steamers into every available outlet. Chinese food rules.

The only downside is that I end up getting off the lift after what was going to be my last run, then taking another---then another, etc... I always end up late for whatever I was supposed to be doing. Upper mountain parking lots are like having free vodka shots next to the bar exit.

It really is in a strange location. You go through private community after private community, then turn left into another private community. And it seems far because the speed limit is 25mph for the last seven or eight miles. One of the runs is 1.5 miles long, though, and they have tower guns up and down the black diamond. And it's cool because it's one of those park-at-the-top ski hills and the runs funnel down into a heavily wooded valley that seems pretty remote. I'll at least have a close alternative if those dumbass County Council members screw up Montage. They put Montage up for sale at $9.6 million, spent $20,000 to advertise in USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and NY Times, then found out that it's only worth $4 million. Like, uh, maybe you should find out what your property is worth before spending a small fortune advertising it at a ridiculously high price.

http://ski-bigbear.com/ Not a ton of vertical (650 ft.), but they beg you to come ski and charge adults $175 for an unlimited pass. We hiked around it to find a new grass skiing spot.

Watched a video last night of a 1999 World Cup GS at Beaver Creek. Bode was on K2's. He DNF'd in the second run, BTW.

Well, you don't slide as far... I ski every day that it doesn't rain or that we aren't at the shore and I've only crashed twice; one bad, one not so bad. Both created enormous grass stains that will never wash out. Getting hurt or not depends a lot on what you fall on. It's pretty much the same as running full speed down a grassy slope and tripping. You don't get twisting knee injuries because the skis are only 90cm. Your muscles are also pretty warm and loose by the time you start skiing, since you've jusy hiked your ass off uphill.

how about 170cm GS:9's for her? Yeah, I'd suggested she keep an eye out for used 9.20's in 170, which were all but being given away at the end of last season. I saw them go for $50...I have them in 180's that are my rock skis. The GS:11 is a smokin' ski. The best and fastest ski I've ever been on. In a short--for me--171, it doesn't break away from an icy arc at full speed down a diamond. I have yet to max out the ski. So a softer flexing, more forgiving GS:9, or the all-balls-out GS:11? Excellent question for her to think about.

A lot of it is confidence. Short skis will skid more than a longer ski that is tipped up into a carve. Worry about technique, not your ski length, Skigurl. If you carve turns like you did at Tanglwood, then you'll be just fine---and much faster, because the longer ski will carry the energy down the fall line. The women's Overall World Cup champ Anja Paerson uses a low center of gravity to her advantage, as opposed to just creating good angles. Focus on technique and the longer skis will be make holding your turns much easier.

The only thing you can do is make yourself stronger...

That would certainly limit my list of activities.

Did the GF go to Vegas?

If you buy them new, you can sell 80's for roughly the same price on EBay. 80cm skis hold their value and are a one of the most sought after ski lengths for kids. At 5 1/2, he'll likely be on 100's or 110's.

"I?ve heard from ski reps and ski instructors someone under the age of 5 shouldn't be on shaped skis, something about it messes the leg growth plates up or something (but I?m pretty sure skis' daughter's skis are shape so you might wanna look further into that) and the leashes can mess the child?s back up and later in life make them ski "in the backseat" They actually found that shaped skis were no problem; that children who were vulnerable, had the same risk whether parobolic, or not. Shape skis work for kids just like they do for adults; they make an easier carved turn. And Skigurl is 100% right about leashes: if you use them to "lower" the kid down the mountain, it teaches them to lean forward or backwards. A leash is MUCH safer than having the kid between your legs. But the leash is to be used exactly like turning a horse. Constantly pulling back just slows them down and teaches them nothing.

Will he be 4, 4 /1/2, or almost 5? Firstly, for about $100, you can get a seasonal rental for boots and skis (I'd advise you rent a helmet, too, which adds about $15). Also, don't bother with poles, they just get in the way. Or, if you are skidudebay savy, there are deals like this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=3684632017 Or even better, if you keep a look out. A good size for a 4-year-old is 80cm skis. Wanna have him skiing the first day? Get tip locks. They are Velcroe straps that are glued to the tips, then you clip the ends together. They keep the tips locks, yet flexible enough to steer the skis. A wedge lock, which is a bar that go behind the boot to keep the wedge shape, are okay, but not necessary. Then comes the lift harness. It allows you to pick the child up with a handle on their back and drop them on the lift seat and hoist them off and away from the lift at the top. Lastly, is the snowboarder's biggest enemy: the leash. A good leash, such as from Applerise, folds up into a pouch that the child wears around their hips, then you pull it out at the top. A kiddie leash is the most misused item; it's for turning the kid's hips, not lowering them down the mountain. When you need to come down a headwall, it's great to keep them under control, but a leash is meant to steer the kid's hips and get them to understand how to turn. Here's the Applerise website: http://www.applerise.com/merchant2/merchan...de=1000-1-DHSKI It's my opinion that ski class lessons for any kids under 7 turn out to be babysitting in the Poconos. If you are headed to Okemo, the lessons are to teach them to ski; here, they are to teach them to play and kill time. Make sure your kid is warm and has mittens or gloves that will stay on. Figure to keep their interest for two hours the first day, then more each subsequent day. A baggie with Swedish Fish, Lifesavers, or Skittles for the top of the lift. It makes the whole process of going up the lift a good thing. When you get off and head to a place to get ready, reward them with a Skittle. Coming down the left side of Sunbowl is a good starting point, with a good pitch, although the liftline starts in a crappy spot, where you end up poling and skating too much. It's a lot easier to stop skiing with him, pack up the leash, and pick him up in your arms while you still have enough slope to keep up speed to the lift line. Skiing with a leashed kid means you spend a lot of time snowplowing behind him. Be prepared to have sore hipflexer muscles. Lastly, I can loan you tip locks, the 1 piece ski bar, and the training video. Any way to give a little back to Brown!

Yeah, K2 beat out Hart as the best bump ski and it's what Mosley used for his 360 Iron Cross Mute Grab to win at Nagano in '98. They also have a top aerialist ski... But they signed Phil and Steve Mahre to headline their race product. Nothing like pulling out musty old athletes to hawk your high tech race boards. I've seen just about every World Cup race in the last four years and can't recall a pair of K2's, although lots of junior racers have them.

Here's the URL for the reviews I read: http://www.xtreme-xperience.com/Main/CustReviews.html Good info from actual users...

The six inch wheels give you the ability to to take them on dirt and grass slopes. From what I read, they are a pain to use on the 'street', or even cross country. They are designed for downhill. They have a braking system, although some people complained that it locked up and sent them crashing, so they removed it. Users complained that they had to get used to the feeling of being up so high. Would this mimick the leverage from a riser plate? Well, it would make sense. But you'd have to use them to know for sure. Most skiers would cringe at how fast you go, Skimom, so speed is relative.

It really is like skiing on spring snow when the temps are around 60 degrees. Grass skis don't skid at all, so you are forced to carve, which is why some people claim they are a good training tool. And since you don't skid, you also don't stop them, other than to turn back up the hill. There's no skate stop, or T stop. As far as gliding, when you come over a fairly steep headwall, you do get that "swooping" speed feeling. And you do ride them on their edges, which is something I'm just getting used to. Five minutes of hiking for every 30 seconds of skiing is a little tough, though.

Uh, Hindu, too...

Hey, 'Dude, Iranian grass skiers are dialed into the art of kicking out:

"Donuts! More donuts! Go get me more donuts, you little piece of crap!"

I've thought about trying the Coyote Rollerblades, which I believe are discontinued but can still be found on Skidudebay: http://search-desc.ebay.com/rollerblade-co...otextsearchedZ2 I was reading a forum devoted to them and it was pretty interesting. The only gripes were that they were hard get uphill; they are heavier than regular inlines; they don't work in sand or mud; and, they are taller than regular skates. Yeah, no shit. The positive comments were that they went REALLY fast downhill. They retailed for $350 and up, but I've seen pretty new ones go for under $100.

Haven't been down there in a long time. I used to work down the road from it in Bridgewater and used to look at it every day, wondering what it would be like to ski. The piles of rock would look like snow-capped peaks when there was a one or two inch snowfall. If I can get my MyTV vid cap unit working, I'll grab some vid caps... One of my friends caught an edge on his first turn and did the entire hill face first in the stones. The lesson learned was to not mix alcohol and rock quarry skiing. My only inquiry was on the barbed wire getting to the Lambertville quarry.

Yeah, there are lots of quarries, especially when you start keeping an eye out for them. One of the best and most easily accessable was the one on Rt. 22 in New Brunswick, near the Central Jersey Industrial Park.

"No Trespassing" "Guard Dogs" ...bastards!