Dialing It, Sending It, Killin' It, Feelin' It, Hittin' the Note...

....or whatever you wanna call it. I got it this weekend, twice. I've been touring on the Gotamas all winter, but haven't really and truly "got it" yet. Since I don't have a pass, I've spent quite a few days on them. They are a different sort of ski as mentioned in a different thread. They have a unique flex and certainly are big. I'm also using new boots (Scarpa Denalis) on Freerides, so it has been sort of a tricky set-up to adjust to. It wasn't like I couldn't ski them or was necessarily sking poorly on them, but I just wasn't "sending it" when I wanted to.

On Saturday we hiked up a local ridge and dropped off the back, towards the majestic Sawtooth Range. The skiing was good...the snow had held well and provided about 4 inches of chalk on a soft surface. I broke out my newly acquired mini disc and put in Thievery Corporation and cranked it, since the entire decent was no more than 28 degrees in angle and basically wide glades.

Wow.

The snow provided that perfect surface for big, cranking turns and the trees provided perfect features to dart in and out of. With "Shaolin Satelite" providing a mellow beat, I sent it, dialed it, felt it, killed it, etc. etc. etc. I'm not even sure my skiing was any different on the outside, but in the inside I was in dat special little room we all cherish. I specifically remember looking down at my big black Gotamas in mid-turn and smiling at one point, knowing I had mastered those draft horses or freight trains as the case may be.

Did the same tour on Sunday just to make sure I had truly attained Zen on these boards. Woke up to 6" of new, burying yesterday's tracks and providing a pure canvas to go to work on. Killed it immediately, cranking Super-G's at will and just laying into it.

Just had to share that some was gotten....and my boards have been tamed!

I know exactly what your talkin' bout. I only skied my NKOs a handful of days last year and was kinda worried I'd never get them dialed in. I just chalked it up to not being in the best shape and also Splat mentioned that it takes 5 days or so to dial them in. Well I strapped those badboys back on last week and in a magical moment it all just clicked. Now I'd like to profess my love for these skis. Sooooo goood.

Now if I could just get a little snow to take the Gotamas out... (shut up Tuffy)

is this when they hit the self-destructo button? ;)

Nice Rev, I know exactly how you feel. After cutting my tele-teethe last season on Volant Sins, I upped it this season to bigger, fatter, longer Stockli SS Pros.

Well, they scared the hell out of me and frankly owned me when I first rode 'em in Utah. But two deep days in Mammoth proved their undoing and on the secon day, January 3rd, to be precise, skiing bliss was acheived. It's as you described, when everything good falls into line and turns come naturally, easily, and seemingly without effort. It's days like those that really makes me come back for more. Thanks for the writeup and the reminder man.