Ski

If you are interested in trying your hand at a practice slalom course, drop me a PM. BTW, an awesome DVD that has great tips for slalom (and all race turns) is Al Hobart's "Carving Turns Made Easy".

Okay, so Ty and I got to BB around noon and were struck by how green everything was, despite so much snow through Tobyhanna and other places. The lot was fairly packed and the only snow was on Freedom and they made some effort to skiers left. Anyway, just by accident my ticket was free, since my jacket is red and my boots are blue. Ty was $20. The little park was crowded as hell, with maybe 500+ kids and only a handful of non-park people squeezing down the left side of the slope. Coverage was decent, with just a little muck at the lift. Lift lines were less than 10 minute, but always more than 5. On our first time down, Ty got bowled over rally hard by an out of control snowboarder and I was pretty scared. She was just shaken and not bruised. I asked the kid what the hell he was doing and he said he didn't know how to stop. I told him he was a fucking idiot. So I convinced Ty to 'get back on the horse' and we kept skiing, even though she was pretty shaken up. Later, when we are leaving, some 40-something guy comes up to me and asks why I yelled at his kid. I asked him where he was when his kid was balling down the slope without the ability to stop and running into people over and over. He said he paid for his ticket and so he could go wherever he wanted and I shouldn't yell at his kid. Then it got a little worse. My thought on the subject is that if a slope is crowded and your kid can't stop and is running into people, then there's something really wrong. I'd never just dump my kid on a slope and let him/her run into people. The kid was three times Ty's size and she got completely wiped out from behind. I saw the kid nearly go into the woods twice, as well as run into two groups of boarders waiting to drop. But everyone else he hit was bigger than him. So when I wouldn't apologize for yelling at his kid, he calls me a asshole and a few other names, so I told him he could take the first shot. I put down my skis and poles down and offered one freebie, but explained it better be an great one or he was in a crapload of trouble. I told him he should check a mirror and see what his teeth looked like because he was about to lose several of them. He decided against the freebie and slunk off to the parking lot and got into his pickup truck with Maryland plates. So, one day of skiing and one near fight. Ty and I had a decent time and totally respected landing areas and never barged an in-run. If you are a carving skier/boarder, the Freedom Park is not for you. Not with 500 other people. And it isn't the jibbers that make it too dangerous for little kids, but parents that don't teach their kids Doug's version of Smartstyle. Props to BB for being open and thanks for the comp ticket...

Yep. You start of with cross blocking using pole guards, then graduate to 'shinning' the gates. For some adults, beginning to shin gates can happen after a few times out, while for others it takes a few seasons....I don't recommend investing in a speed suit until people are hooked on GS and I don't recommend shin guards until they are hooked on slalom gates.

I never took the bar, Poc. I fell in love with journalism and went to work for newspapers. I did become involved with a law firm in Trenton around 1989 for a couple of years, spending most of my time filing motions on behalf of fathers (for free) in family court. I bet Judge Feinberg still remembers me...and not in a good way. There are a lot of dumb lawyers, Poc, but I wasn't smart enough to be a good one. Why? Are you in trouble again?

The Weather Channel just did a three or four minute feature on BB...it started with a Google Earth zoom-in to show exactly where it was "near the Poconos"...then described how New Yorkers should make the 100 mile trip and folks in Scranton could make the quick 40 minute trip. TWC just said there was lots of snow and didn't mention just one run being open.

Opening day could be a pain in the ass, eh, Nick?

I suppose they are looking at where the severe injuries are happening. It's almost like the parks, in a way, are catching up to what race slopes have to go through when it comes to fencing.

As of 4pm today...they said "We'll call everyone when we're ready to take them."

There's an entire culture of people who search out wet spots on grocery store floors to slip and fall, then cash in. People who make a living at it and---in many cases---the fact that they've filed prior similar lawsuits is not admissible. It's a little surprising that it hasn't reached the ski industry as much as it could have...just take a look at the things that line slopes and every one is a potential multi-million dollar suit. Last year, a kid on a group school trip hit some snowmaking gear just off a slope and was killed. Instant lawsuit. Okay, enough of this buzz kill.

Wow, deja vu...I was playing in a poker tourny and there was a lawyer at my table who was talking about skiing and how there were some upcoming class action lawsuits being put together against at least two eastern (he wasn't sure which) ski areas regarding big jumps. A class action is when there are multiple complainants who agree to combine their suits into one generally against a single party. His opinion was that the next big change in the ski industry was to do away with jumps and even most rails and other features. He believed even the filing of the suit will begin the process. If anyone thinks it's crazy, go ask an oldtimer about the "Jumping Forbidden" signs that used to be posted everywhere. Or, I guess, read that story. Jeez, am I right about freakin' lawyers?

Heheheh... Actually, it was written in the complaint as an "unexpected obstacle" that the newbie encountered and tried to do a "trick". The newbie was "enticed" by the obstacle. The court found the newbie mostly responsible, but if someone sues you for a billion dollars and you are found just 1% responsible, that's still 1% of a billion dollars. Lawyers suck. Judges are worse. Jurists are typically idiots. That's why lift tickets cost what they do....

Fluffy, I ski early and late season at BB. I'm GLAD they are opening 'cause it will save me a trip to ski a mid-mountain trail at Belleayre. If you take it personal that I pointed out how altitudes are the #1 factor in temps, then...... oh well. See ya on the slopes.... stoke x4

After I inflate my tires to the recommended psi. I was just kidding, Rob...we're all broken and twisted from summer wrecks.

That's awesome...I'll be at it next year. During the ASRA camps, I was only in Doug's group once, but he's probably the best race instructor I've ever met. Man, you're gonna come back and push Mike and Chris as our rabbit

Last year's...the intention is to run dual courses, but last year's late opening and bad early snowmaking just got them behind. We had a couple of dual courses, which were a blast and adds some juice even though your aren't really head-to-head (it's best time on each particular course). I've been talking to Dr.D and am placing a small order to get everyone started. So as soon as I run into everyone, I'll have vests and some fast wax.

Fluffy: BB's summit is one degree colder than Sno's. The mid-mountain lodge at Sno is about the same elevation as the BB lodge, so temps are about the same. It's about three degrees warmer at the North Face base than at it's summit, so when we 'suffer' having to ski the Sno Mountain diamond terrain as opposed to BB's diamond terrain, we are indeed enduring temps as much as four degrees warmer when we hit the lift line than the summit of BB. Sno Mountain is not in downtown Scranton. There are no city blocks absorbing heat on any of the Sno slopes. It's all about the elevation, son, which is why there's skiing in Hawaii. Ever since Joe got off his bike in a Maryland mall and kept asking a 15 yr. old girl to squeeze his 'muscular' thigh while on TV, I just can't really take him seriously.

That's funny.

On the home page? I don't see it....

I assume they are, at some point, going to plant the right trees. Stunted soft woods provide little protection and are even a hazard near the lifts...look at Elk's Slalom slope, for instance, where they were able to hold a slush cup with Us Ski Team racers when most areas were closed. That slope feels like a refrigerator door has been left open the way it just traps the cold and blocks the sun.

WNEP just ran a quick story showing Sno testing their guns tonight...no other info, just video of them blowing some snow some time after sunset.

You know, that's sorta why I beat on anyone that was bashing the sale. The guy is more of a middle-aged (eh, sorry if that sounds bad) skiing dude than a Center City lawyer. It's not like "Oh, shit" when he walks into the bar, but more like "Wadda ya have?". Now, about where they're moving the race trail......................... Gettin' a little stoked, eh Sean? It's going to be an over the top year...

Just for the record, Fluffy, BB's summit is 2275 ft. versus 1960 ft. at Sno. That means the summit of BB is ONE DEGREE colder than at Sno's summit. And there were flurries at Sno yesterday, as well.

Well, RR finds me...it's just about the only spam mailing I like to get...and it's especially good to receive because the specials are one day only.

Reliable Racing's 'wacky Wednesday' deal is on shin guards: https://www.reliableracing.com/detail.cfm?e...p;category=3590 They are $29.95, which is $30 off! Same deal for junior sizes and there's a special on junior pole half guards. We just picked up a set of adult and junior shin guards and they are just $70 DELIVERED My old one's were more duct tape than anything else.

I think the CB reps will be waiting for newbs (the possible $) to start showing up closer to Thanksgiving (or after) before chancing anymore abuse.