3rd Session - Real Snow, The WSG And Pain!
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
My third session of the summer was on real snow. Five of us headed to the chill factor[e] in Manchester last Saturday; it's the first time that I've been.
Real snow made a nice change from snowflex. The setup was good - especially the kicker. Much impressed. I'm not going to say to much about the slope and the facilities though because I'm putting all of that in a review for the wsg, which you should check out, if you haven't already. More on that later - when I've finished writing the review.
I should mention that I'm pretty pleased to be putting some reviews together for a guide that I've used since I first got into snowboarding - even if they're only uk slopes and not fully fledged resorts. Sick! Hopefully I'll do some more this summer.
So what about the shredding? Well, as I mentioned they had a pretty sweet kicker, nicely shaped and solid. I spent the majority of time spinning backside: 1s and 3s. They're far from being on lockdown, but the backside 3 is definitely getting more comfortable. I stomped at least two during the session, fairly smooth too.
We took a decent amount of video - for the time we had available anyway - and some photos of the slope too. I'm gonna sort that stuff out after I've finished the review...
And finally onto the pain. I mentioned before that I took a pretty hard slam last time I was at Halifax. Well, I (stupidly) managed to catch two heel edges on Saturday night sending me straight onto my back. How I managed that I don't know, but it happened. By time I got home the bottom of my back had the strangest swelling, not good!
The bruising is out now and centred around the spine, and seems as though the pain isn't going away, I headed to a sports injury clinic today. It's 35 notes for an half hour session, but it's worth it. The physio was painful, and the guy reckons I should have it x-rayed just to be on the safe side; I'll probably head back at the end of the week or the beginning of next for a second session.
It's annoying. I hope it gets sorted soon as there are plenty of things on that trick list that I wanna cross off...
2nd Session - It Rained
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Ever so slightly bigger crew last weekend: Ciara, Simon and I drove down to Halifax. I hadn't checked the forecast or anything like that, so I was all prepared with a handful of buckets and plenty of cheap washing up liquid...
I didn't need any of it. It rained. And what a difference that makes. I've ridden the snowflex once in the past whilst it was raining, but it was also really windy that day, so this was kind of like a first.
Such a good session. Ciara is starting to get the hang of hitting kickers - albeit the small one - and I was working on some backside 3s and the shifty-shifty. With the slope being wet everything was much smoother; it was easy to get air.
This time around we did take some video. I'm quite happy with the backside 3s I was spinning, the technique is coming together I think; there's a decent one on camera but it wasn't from the proper kicker so it doesn't count. In fact, I didn't get 'round to spinning at all off the big kicker - it was just straight stuff.
I was going fairly big though - bigger than I've been in the past for sure. I was even speed checking 'cos the slope was so fast! Anyhow, the only thing of note trick-wise was a handful of double shifties. It was the first time I'd tried one and to be honest they're not that hard. I'd say they're easier than boning and stalling a regular shifty (depending on the size of the air).
I got an ok shot on film, but it's quite far away. I'm probably going to look for something better before I cross it off the list. They felt good though.
I finished off the session with a pretty big slam: kinda big off the kicker and landed pretty much on my back. Ouch! That's on film too, but again I'm kinda small in the shot so it's a little hard to see what's going on...
I'll collect the video sometime in the future.
As a closing thought: I think I need to invest some time learning to ride on the 'flex. I'm getting caught out when I mess up the weight I'm putting on my edges, and sometimes the mistakes are a little painful :)
Labels: uk riding
1st Session - Hot And Dry
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Ciara and I drove down to Halifax last Saturday to shred the 'flex. It was hot, dry, and generally a bit poo.
Being there in the middle of the day when the sun is fully out is simply too much for the aged sprinkler system. They had some wax out, and I had my usual supply of washing up liquid, but neither availed. Dropping in from the ramp was fast enough, but by the time you hit the kicker it's simply too slow. Pretty much unusable.
The best I managed was a sketchy backside 3. No photos, no videos, nothing to cross off the list.
The lift stopped also, which seems to be a common occurrence. It doesn't bother me that much, but Ciara hates using the secondary lift!
So why then, am I looking forwards to going back? When it comes to a good Saturday afternoon session, am I being stupidly optimistic or are there other ways to unlock the potential of the slope?
I was talking to the guy who runs the place (I think); apparently the slope is totally different on evenings after the sun has gone down. I can believe that. The problem is that the opening times make it too costly for me to travel there, only to ride when the sun has gone in.
So I asked him about dousing the kicker with water. Apparently a solution of water and washing up liquid is best, which is what some of the regulars use. So next time I'm there, I'm gonna take a few buckets, plently of washing up liquid, and periodically lube the kicker.
I'm sure many people consider this to be a lot of effort. Especially considering that Cas' is marginally closer and doesn't suffer from a dry-slope... They may well be right - but I just really enjoy riding there. I like the kicker - when it's running smoothe it can be awesome. So for now, I'm placing my faith in the 'fax (and a handful of buckets).
Labels: uk riding
Damage Report
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Wow, there's been a whole load of inactivity around here...
In part this has been due to my laptop breaking. Between myself and Ciara, we managed to drop it; now it's dead. I really need to claim on my house insurance to get some money for it, but first I'm going to get the data off. That's what I've been saying for over a month now.
As well as the obvious obstacle of not having a computer, I've also been really busy at both work and home. Work has been work, but at home I've got a good amount of d.i.y renovation style things to be getting on with. It's time sapping.
And finally there's been a rather strange close of the season for me. Normally I ride sometime early in the season, perhaps January say, and then again later on, perhaps March-time. This year my riding was all done by the beginning of February. It was strange. With friends enjoying real snow holidays during March and April, it just didn't seem time to start thinking about my own summer riding...
The net effect has been that I've been quite removed from snowboarding over the last 6 weeks or so - hence the quietness around here. It's worth pointing out that Mal's comment on my previous post about Call of Duty is way off the mark; honestly, I've hardly played the game! :)
What's more, over the summer I plan to blog a little less frequently. For sure I've got a stack of work to do on the house, but I think what I enjoy most about blogging is writing and posting things that I've actually done with snowboarding. So I'll be looking to document my summer snowboarding trips to Castleford and Halifax (and perhaps other places too).
With that in mind, I have a first draft of a trick list I'd like to tick things off from this summer. I don't know how it's going to pan out, but here it is:
- any switch backside rotation, even a one, and the small kicker is allowed
- cab 3 or better and the small kicker is allowed
- nose grab and the small kicker is allowed
- barrel roll clean and the small kicker is allowed
- Shifty, shifty
- backside 180 melon or stale, stomped
- frontside 3, stomped
- frontside 3 melon, stomped
- backside 3, stomped
- backside 3, with any grab, stomped
- any five, no grab needed
To tick a trick off the list it needs to be on film. "Stopmed" is clearly a subjective phrase - it's more there for motivation than anything else - but I won't be classing anything sketchy as a make :) Also, unless stated, the trick has to be done on a reasonably sized kicker; at Halifax for example, that's the main kicker.
I have a few things I'd like to do on a skateboard also, but I'll leave that for another time. It's enough to say for the moment that I've skated 8 times already this year, which is more than double of the entire last year put together. That's cool.
One more thing before I sign off. I've sold my Burton Wheelie Locker after much internal debate, and have opted for the case + boardbag approach. I've already hooked up a boardbag (in the sale, nice one) and I'm looking around for a case to go along with it. I'll post some pics when I've got the new bags sorted.
Here's hoping to getting back on my board asap...
Some Days Are Better Than Others
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Last season I made a trip to Flims/Laax, Switzerland, and stayed in a chalet run by Jason and his company, SnowMotions. It was a great trip - with SnowMotions making it better still.
Since then I've been hoping to get out there this season - unfortunately that's not going to happen. That stupid thing called money, or lack of, is getting in the way. Still, I've been keeping in touch with Jason and how his season has been progressing; he sent me these shots just last week - with the caption "some days are better than others". No arguments there :) It seems he and his crew have been finding some sweet powder!
Powder Heaven... by Dave Blackburn // Riders: Simon, Dwayne, Jason // Arosa
Labels: photo collections, snowmotions
Red Tree Lodge, Fernie : Review
Thursday, March 13, 2008
I've looked into NonStop Snowboard quite a few times; they're a company that specialises in providing instructor courses and improvement courses in Canada. One of the resorts that they operate from is Fernie.
While we were out there I received a couple of emails from Tom Gordon-Walker at NonStop; it turns out he was reading my blog, sweet! Nice guy actually, and after chatting some, I figured it would be worth checking out the Red Tree Lodge, seems as though it's run by the NonStop peeps and he asked if I could let him know what I thought...
The Red Tree lodge offers both a restaurant and accommodation. Given that we were already sorted as far as digs go, Ciara and I were there for the food and drink only.
The first thing that I noticed was the atmosphere; a fairly young vibe, fresh and relaxed. The service was prompt and friendly, and continued to be so throughout the meal.
The food was good and there was a selection of local beers on offer. What was refreshing with the Red Tree Lodge was the menu itself - a little more varied than can be found elsewhere in Fernie.
To top it off, the price was nice. Nothing expensive, simply a fair meal. It's often the case that when new restaurants open they get some of the simple things wrong. Not so with the Red Tree. I was impressed throughout and would definitely recommend a visit it you're in Fernie!
As we were leaving I took a little look around the place. Having not stayed there I can't say much about the rest of the lodge - so here's the official scoop from NonStop:
Red Tree Lodge:
We are proud to be the new owners of a 40 bedroom ski lodge in the centre of Fernie. The ski lodge in Fernie, has undergone £500,000 and has a comfortable welcoming atmosphere with numerous social spaces and fantastic facilities.
As the owners of our own ski lodge and restaurant we can be confident that NONSTOP Ski is the only training company to not only offer first class ski coaching but also fantastic accommodation, meals and recreational facilities.
Bedrooms:
The ski lodge has spacious bedrooms each with brand new modern furnishing, queen size beds and ensuite bathrooms. Bedrooms have stunning views of the local mountains and some have private balconies.
Communal Sitting Rooms:
We wanted to ensure there are plenty of communal social spaces in the lodge where our clients can meet and socialise, chill out playing cards or watch a DVD. There are four communal sitting rooms spread throughout the lodge each of which has:
- Comfortable sofas and armchairs
- Cable TV & DVD player
- Wireless internet
Swimming Pool:
Yep, that's right... no ski lodge would be complete without its own indoor swimming pool and spacious hot tub and ours is no exception. So after a hard day riding powder you can loosen your muscles with a few lengths of the pool and a sociable soak in the hot tub.
Restaurant:
The lodge also has its own 100 seat restaurant and bar. We have designed this space with a really comfortable homey feel so that it becomes as popular a space to read, play cards and socialise as it is for eating. With a wood burning stove, plenty of comfortable sofas, dining tables, a well stocked bar and fantastic food this is the heart of the lodge. The restaurant is open to the public and serves dinner and breakfast for all our course participants prepared by our team of professional chefs.
Movie Theatre:
Films are good - especially after a hard days exercise on the mountain. We have therefore dedicated a whole room for watching movies. With an overhead projector and rows of comfortable chairs this is the place to sit back, unwind and enjoy an evening in with a good film.
Tuning Room:
If you want high performance it's important to keep your equipment in good shape. We have a room dedicated to tuning your skis or snowboard with tools and supplies for waxing, edge sharpening and gouge repair. Each of our courses includes a training session on how to tune your gear so you get the most out of your skis or snowboard.
Labels: fernie trip, review
Jenny Jones, Winter X Games And Cooler
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
The Cooler website has a pretty nice sequence of behind the scenes video clips from the women's Winter X Games. As you might expect, as well as some of the action, you also get to see some of the riders off the hill - with a lot of the focus on Jenny Jones. I've embedded the first of the three here, but you can see the others on Cooler.
The riding in the slopestyle is right up there, it's sick, the kickers are huge. Props to all the women riders - they're clearly pushing the standard. And right there in the mix is Jenny Jones; it's great to see a British rider ripping it up Internationally. She didn't make the podium in this contest, but she did pick up a win in Japan recently, taking home a cool $15,000. Nice one!
Afterbang Rated On "blogged"
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
I received an email recently letting me know that afterbang has been rated on the blog directory blogged. As of now, I'm currently in the top 10 of the snowboarding category, which is cool, but then there are only 25 snowboarding blogs listed...
Obviously the directory is aimed at helping people find good blogs in subject areas that they're interested in. The success of a directory like this depends on the number of blogs listed and the quality of the ratings and reviews. I searched for blogs to do with filming; unfortunately the result was disappointing.
For the time being, it seems that the blogs listed are either rated based on an editor's review, or are unrated. At least that's the case with the 10 or so that I've looked at. The rating for this blog, afterbang, is based on an editor's review. According to the FAQs, if a blog receives enough user rating's then the average user rating will be shown along with the editor's rating. There aren't that many user reviews yet...
I'm unsure whether or not this blog directory will take off, but no doubt some people will find it useful. Maybe I'll go back there in a while and see if there are better results for filming-related blogs?
If you've got the time perhaps you'd rate afterbang? I don't know what the criteria is, but with a bit of luck I might get enough reviews to show a user rating alongside the existing one...
Mart In Meribel
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
I was in work this weekend - Martin was riding the park in Meribel. That's not right. Anyway, I hear the whole weekend was pretty good and some of the park was nice too. I'm not bitter. Honest.
Here's a short clip, full of steez, erm, I mean steed :)
Labels: video
Solo Skate
Friday, February 29, 2008
I went for a skate last night, on my lonesome, over at Silksworth. I was really feeling the urge after skating last Saturday, plus, Martin set off to courchevel this morning on a super early flight, for a weekend of riding, so I felt like I was missing out. Lucky ass.
Despite a lack of mates it was really good. I love that skate park - the small bowl is just so addictive. I set out with two tricks in mind and was fairly surprised at my success. Note: given my current skill level on four wheels, trick should probably be read as movement, or basic move.
I could have stayed all night...
But I had things to do at home and my left leg got real sore. I must have tweaked something quite nicely last Saturday because the tightness came back last night, followed by wonky walking today.
Whilst I was there, I spent a little bit of time pondering over the ski slope they have. It's dendex you see. I even popped into the reception area to ask about the freestyle night they run. They do have one, that's a start. I also asked if there were any plans in the pipeline to resurface the hill with snowflex. There aren't; there just isn't any money.
It's a shame because the hill has real potential and the lift is good. Plus it's around 10 minutes from my house!
I see more skating on the cards. I should probably stretch next time.
Labels: skateboarding
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