X-Games

I was going through some older columns, found this one that ran last year, it ran in February of 2009. It made me laugh as I still feel this way- enjoy.

I hate to admit this, but I didn't ski on Sunday. It was a beautiful day, but I had a few projects that took precedent and by the time I was done I decided to kick back on the couch and watch some television. A buddy had come over and we were chatting about skiing and low and behold Winter X-Games was on. We watched skier-x, skier slopestyle, snowboard super pipe and some crazy snowmobile freestyle contest.

The things these athletes were doing were unreal. It was impressive to see how far these sports have progressed, it was cool to see athletes like Shawn White who have grown up before our eyes. It was all good, well not all good. There was a darkness growing as we watched the events. Neither of us said anything at first, but it was there, then it came out- Dan said it first- "where were these events when we were kids?"

The door had been opened. Two late thirty somethings sitting on a couch watching television feeling like the gods of fate had cruelly either put them on the earth too early or had let the evils of a litigious society shape too much of their skiing youth in the 80's and early 90's. Ok you might be wondering where this is all going, but if you skied a great deal in the era of neon then you will remember the great ski movies that showed crazy jumps followed by the reality of ski patrol taking your ticket away because you caught a little bit of air- the era of the "NO JUMPING" sign.

I hated those signs. As an adolescent skier jumping was as much a part of skiing as being wet was a part of swimming. Being on skis allowed you to escape gravity for short periods of time. Sometimes you went way up in the air, other times you travelled great distances, sometimes you did both. But no matter what jumping was one of the coolest feelings around, yet doing so was equated with crime- and we're not talking white collar crime where you just get a little slap on the wrist, we're talking gritty crime where the patrol served as judge, jury, and executioner and would take you golden ticket away and leave you grounded at the base of the mountain without another ride up.

To alleviate this we used to bring several jackets and hats (this was well before helmets) and we'd go session a jump and when the patrol would come to nab us we would boogie down to the base at warp speed, blast out of our bindings, run into the lodge and change our jacket and then come back out and do it again. It was a great game and most of the time you could keep your ticket, but sometimes you'd get caught and either lose a corner of the ticket (again before scanning so they would actually cut part of your ticket off), or if you had already lost a corner they would take the ticket away.

I recently took a run with a long time patroller over at Shawnee Peak who had taken my pass when I was a young one and told me I could get it back if I brought him a pizza. No big deal, except he was in the patrol hut at the top of the mountain and I didn't have a ticket to ride the lift. I walked that pizza up to him and got my ticket back. I did get even though, we had the same size foot- so while he was scarfing down the pizza I took his skis and skied back down.

I bring all of this up as I have realized I have become one of those who now say, "when I was young…..," and Winter X-Games brings that out in me. So while I watch these amazing athletes twist, grab and slide through the terrain park, or as they bump shoulders as they race down a banked course full of jumps, I think back to those who went before them and paved the way by sacrificing their tickets so that jumping and skiing fast could live on, and someday make it to the big time. Ok that's corny, but funny.

As a side note, watching the Winter X-Games we also were treated to local skier and Ability Plus director at Attitash, Erik Corbett, making it to the semi-finals and placing top 5 in the mono-cross event in the Winter X-Games. Congratulations to Erik- great job.

My morning ski

I've been trying to get up early in the morning before work to skin up Shawnee Peak and get in my one run a day. It works out well as it is about a 40 minute ski up the mountain, followed by a few minutes back down. Basically it's an hour to an hour fifteen round trip- so I can get it done before the girls need help getting ready for school.

The tough part is that the sun really isn't up until almost 7am (although it is getting a few minutes earlier every day) so the ski down is done in very pale morning light. In fact earlier this week it was done more under moonlight- which I have to say was very cool.

I love having the mountain to myself early in the AM. I love being outside and getting in an ok work out that will have a better than OK payoff when it comes time to point the skis down the hill and head back down to the car.

The part my ego enjoys is how people react to it- which I find interesting, if you go to the gym at 5am people see that as normal, but skin up a mountain at 5am and suddenly your hardcore. The reality is it isn't that big of a deal, and in my humble opinion it is a lot harder to be motivated to run on a treadmill inside than it is to skin up a mountain under the stars and to enjoy a great sunrise when you get to the top. Add to that the turns you get on the way back down.


As a side note I want to wish my Dad a happy birthday today!

That's it from me. Now get out and ski.


sven

Out of Practice

Last night I helped out a friend who had gotten a new pair of backcountry XC skis by mounting up his bindings. This is something I used to do many times a day, sometimes up to 50 pair in a day if we were getting a new rental fleet ready or getting ready for a demo day. Of course when I was doing that I had a shop that was set up as a ski shop. It had good lighting. It had heat. It had the proper tools. It had good work space. And- it had jigs.

Last night I had my dimly lit garage with a small space heater creating a very small area that felt less cold. I had a Swix waxing table that was cluttered with bike tools, I had a drill with a bit that had a duct tape stop on it and the wrong size driver bit. And the best part- a paper jig.

I know there are many of you who have mounted with a paper jig, and so have I- but usually it was on a pair of my skis or at worst skis for my kids- so half the time I would eyeball the whole process, but these weren't my or any blood relatives skis. So I felt like the pressure was on and I really needed to get it perfect.

Long story short we got the skis mounted, with only one stripped screw, a mad hunt for a black bumper in the poor lighting (which we did find), and only a small amount of blood being lost on my part.

The part that cracked me up is that I got a good case of ski envy. The skis are the new Karhu 10th Mountains- a full metal edge waxless ski. Their wood core and pretty light. Very sweet. I really don't need a new pair of skis, but I also know that need has never been a part of the equation. Anyway- the skis are mounted and now it's time to get out and give them a run. With any luck I'll talk my buddy into heading up to ski Wildcat Valley Trail this weekend. Looks like I need to call Thom and get the update.

Until next time, get out and ski.

Sven