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@DGamms
You bastard. I'll be 52 before the next ski season rolls around, and now you've made me really consider trying to get a 360 - my first ever - this next year.
I'm sure I'm not the oldest guy to try to toss a 360, but I'm not looking forward to the slam-fest either.
Suggestions?
[I'm in PDX, so Windells is not far away - but not sure I'm up for that. What's the cost, approx? I'm cheap, so that's probably not happening. :) ]
And BTW, sweet video. Really liked 'em. Awesome work!
I was just shown this old thread (thanks ill-advised strategy); it seems tangentially related, and the featured Mag is still active here, so:
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...99#post4974999
Thanks gregorys!Quote:
Originally Posted by gregorys
You aren’t too old to learn a 360, promise. My old man park partner was 44yo when he did his first 360 ever in my back yard, and 1.5 seasons later he is doing them consistently off 35-40 ft table tops.
But you will be subject to rule #1 of Old Man Park Skiing from the first post in this thread: acknowledge the risk, know that you will get hurt at some point to some degree, and make sure the risk/reward balance makes sense for you.
As for Windells, yeah it is pricey. Short of an on snow coach, I still think the best way to work up to your 360 is do your YouTube homework (Stomp It Tutorials, Empire Tutorials, Ski Addiction) and practice slow floaty 360s on a trampoline. Spin both ways, try not to wind up, and keep your eyes/head up on the horizon line as you spin.
It’s the off season so your on snow options are limited anyway :)
Resurrection of a dead thread... I want my two dollars!! ;)
Having blown my thumb on the bike this summer, I’m going to repeat what’s been said already. If you are an old man trying to progress in the park and you are using poles, get something like Pollard’s Paint Brush or the TW pole from Line. You can reverse the BMX grip and have the grab tab facing forward, and then position your hand with your thumb on top of it. That way, your thumb is never in harms way (i.e. never on the inside of the grip) when you short that 360/540/rail slide you’ve been working on. Seems trivial but I promise you this matters.
Pad up! I never go to the park without using my old man mountain bike hip and elbow pads. One crash on a rail and you will feel the difference.
Do your online homework. The stuff from Stomp It and Ski Addiction on YouTube has gotten really good in the past two years!!! Whatever trick you are working on, they’ve got an online tutorial made for you, both trampoline and snow.
Ski switch whenever you are bored! Getting comfortable looking over both shoulders at speed is key to taking off and landing backwards on jumps.
If you want to butter, get a dedicated noodle ski. An Armada El Dollo or Line Blend will change your perspective on what is possible when trying to nose butter on a pair of skis.
Last, and most important still: find a friend! Old man park partners are invaluable. If you can find a fellow old guy to challenge you in the park, you’ll progress much faster than trying to do it on your own.
I know many are bored from COVID inertia...
Lord knows I am.
Here's another repost. If you are terminally bored, give it a spin.
The skiing and videography is still as amateur as ever. But the message rings true, maybe now more so than ever before. There are no guarantees in life. Go get some while you still can, regardless of how old you are :)
https://vimeo.com/331146090
Always appreciate the stoke! Sorry to have missed you yesterday!
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Thanks for bumping this thread. Got my first pair of park skis last summer just after my 30th birthday which I know isn't that old, but feels old in the park. Spent this abbreviated season hitting bigger jumps in the park, starting to ski switch and trying to jump off everything I could every run. My season goal was to land a 3, which definitely didn't happen, so I guess I'll just be one year older when I do...
Yeah dmcd!! I bet you get that 360 next year.Quote:
Originally Posted by dmcd
And I love the Warren Miller reference above.
This was great, thanks for sharing!!! Dig this thread, spent a little time on the tramp yesterday working on some stuff I can’t do on skis yet, goals...Quote:
Originally Posted by DGamms
Thanks eskido!
Glad to hear you are on the tramp. It is a great tool for air awareness. Not all the tricks translate well to on skis/on snow, but lots do.
So bored I was looking through the little footage I got this inbounds season today. I had a second knee surgery in Dec 2019 so I didn’t get as much on snow time as I was hoping for.
But I got one new trick at least: Switch Blender 360 on the smallest jump in the entire resort ;). Size be damned, I’m still claiming that shit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6wN...ature=youtu.be
Lastly, an example of how NOT to hit a bigger table. This was the third jump in the Three Kings lower line at PC. I tried to Beaver Shooter it and failed badly. Oh well. Live to fight another day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33xh10KgqSQ
Alright, it’s the heart of the off season for skiing. And most of us have had enough boredom and bad news in the past several months to more than fill our quotas for the entire 2020 calendar year.
So here’s a little diversion: another crappy home video of some old guys crashing on skis. I still find Tech Talk to be a valuable resource for me, so I threw it in the credits as always.
Enjoy, be well, and stay safe and healthy out there!
(Seems like you have to click the video title to get the link to work)
https://vimeo.com/438732922
This thread is great. I'm starting to learn at 30 and it has been tough. Improvement solo is slow, and now i'm terrified of boxes after a few slip outs. They got into my head :(
A big thing that is helping me with jumps is just lapping the small ones. I noticed i'm putting my arms up in the air when I pop which is throwing my weight back. I'm gonna really try to keep the hands in sight the whole time next year.
I'd love to find a place in driving distance (day or two) of AZ to spend time with a pit.
I think what is really holding me back from trying spins is a deep fear of tearing an ACL. I love skiing so much, and it feels like starting late has me on a timer, so i'm terrified i'll miss days doing spins.
Depending on where you are in AZ, Park City is reasonable drive. The Woodward facility there is amazing.Quote:
Originally Posted by AZskibum
So glad this thread is back. Didn’t get much of it on film, but made a lot of progress in the park. Landed a few more 3s (shout out to dgamms showing the chill upper body in the air) and put together some tail garden laps I was truly proud of. This thread helps a lot
Az - I feel you. Stomped my first rail at 29. Been glad I kept at it.
Risk mgmt is easier with good prehab, a strong core and body armor.
Chicken, congrats on the 3s!!! It’s a great feeling to land that trick a few times in a row.Quote:
Originally Posted by SupreChicken
For those trying to learn spins or slide rails while using poles, I want to encourage you again to think about buying some poles with BMX grips and grab tabs. Pictures are worth many words... an example of such a pole from Line.
Attachment 335097Attachment 335098
By being able to place your thumb on top of the tab instead of on the inside of the grip, you are much less likely to suffer a skier’s thumb (UCL rupture) when you crash. Park poles and some elbow/hip pads are considered must have items for this old man park skier.
And AZ: come on up to Woodward PC anytime, I would try to join you there if that sounds fun. The first day of ramping to foam pits is kind of annoying because you have to get checked off on a bunch of safety requirements. But after that, it’s pretty much a free-for-all 2hr session of roller skis to foam pit for each subsequent day. Full disclosure: I haven’t been back since they shut down for COVID in April but word is the ramps and pits are open again.
Shit for snow in UT, but the park at PC has one big table top and 10-12 boxes and rails.
If any of you aspiring old man park skiers want to get some laps in here with company, let me know!
Also building the driveway rail this week for the low tide months, almost operational.
Open to all old man park mags of course :)
Attachment 351563
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...31&ref=m_notif
Gotta post this just because... life is short, complicated, and hard.
It’s been a terrible snow year for UT thus far, but that doesn’t stop old men from park skiing. Honestly, I’m grateful we get to ride lifts at all this year.
As always, offer stands: if anyone wants to join us in PC for old man park laps, you have an open invitation. :)
hell yeah. i'm still working up the balls to try to turn one. props for getting after it.
what are you park rat kids skiing on nowadays?
I may post a review in its own thread, but seems like a relevant thing here.
I sprang for Johnny Collinson’s 8 week workout - skierfit. I specifically wanted it to improve my balance and agility. I suspect it will help with park performance and safety.
Your question deserves a thousand word answer...Quote:
Originally Posted by stealurface831
But for the sake of brevity:
I’m on the J Skis Vacation 186cm this year. I love it. I’ve owned the Rossi Scimitar, Line Blend, Line Tom Wallisch, and a few handmade skis for PC riding over the last few seasons.
The Vacation is a nice mix of the above skis. It’s stiffer and provides more rebound pop than the Blends, it’s longer/wider/heavier than the Wallisch (which maxes out at 178cm long and 90mm underfoot), and it’s more tapered/rockered/softer in the tips/tails than the Scimitar. For PC low tide skiing with a park emphasis, it is great.
That being said: most kids skiing just park at PC are on the Armada ARV 96. The Line TW and Faction 1.0 and 2.0 probably follow after that. Some Head Caddys and Armada EDollos and K2 Poachers/Reckoners and Vishnus too.
Hell yeah Dgamms!
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Cool thread
But how old is “old” DGamms?
I respect your inquiry, Core Shot. Alternative facts abound these days...Quote:
Originally Posted by Core Shot
The cumulative age of the follow cam crew on that backflip is approaching 100... I’m on the younger end of that duo, but not by a whole lot.
Regardless: that’s the whole point of this thread. It’s never too late to try.
Ultimately, you will probably have greater regret for what you don’t attempt than what you do attempt as you enter the second half of your human life :)
I will take you up on some old man park laps. There is a hip over at Woodward that is calling my name for an alley oop 3.
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Couldn’t access/see the FB vid
but, as a fellow old man, I’m cheering your old man park shit
good job dude
i’d love to learn how to do a “helicopter” [old man term from back in the day]
Sounds good SirShred! I may be there 4p-6p tomorrow, PM me if you are heading over.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sirshredalot
Everybody complains that I ski too much park now. I feel like its the only place on the mountain that still scares and challenges me. Skiing steep and bumped out lines can be technical but I doubt there are too many inbound lines outside my skill level these days. Im really looking forward to more spring days of lapping the parks and hitting slushy jumps. Sure Ill probably get hurt but if you didn't fall, were you really trying? Where do you go for your skiing skill progression?
Another old man park season in the books in PC. Hope all the other aspiring old man park skiers had a good year. It was certainly weird here because of COVID.
Still trying to catch up to the skill level of the 9 yo park groms these days locally... watched a kid under 12 throw a double cork 10 this year.
The progression of this aspect of the sport still shows no limits as of now.
I was happy to get some of my biggest backflips done on snow at seasons end this year, and to walk away without injuries requiring surgery.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8K0X0nBrdOc
For those interested, Park City Woodward has their indoor ski ramps to foam pits open again.
There is also a good chance that I will rally a 2-3 person old man park crew for a week long session at Mt. Hood or Whistler this summer. I may have the daughters in tow. PM me if you have any interest.
Well be up at hood sporadically over the summer, give a shout!
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Will do! Heard one of your girls had a bad crash this year, hope everyone is doing ok...Quote:
Originally Posted by detrusor
She’s in week 6 of 6 weeks non weight bearing for a lateral tibial plateau compression fx and a grade 2 MCL. totally nothing crash and hooked a tip in a rut while sliding. Non operative and she’s gonna be ok but still kinda shaken by the whole thing. 8 gates from the bottom so we had hiked up, patrol asked her if she wanted a ride down and she said she could ski on one ski. We nixed that and a coach carried her
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Damn Rick, sorry to hear that. Hope she’s doing alright, we are sending healing vibes her way...Quote:
Originally Posted by detrusor
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ANSM_TiD0-A
Time for old men to get overly excited about the prospect of skiing park this winter.
That is all.
Carry on. ;)
The snow pack is thin here in Utah for December. I think that's true for most NA ski resorts so far.
So here's some old man park stoke to keep the morale up. Fair warning, half of the footage is family photos and the other half is ugly park skiing... so I guess it's just like the rest of my movies.
https://vimeo.com/653343741
As always, I wish the skiing, the filming, and the editing were higher quality.
But I'm also thankful to be skiing at all, and I'm thankful for all the knowledge I've gained from this forum. I put y'all Tech Talkers in the credits as always. :)
Shred on, all you maggots and fellow old dogs.
That’s awesome!
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Ok, that motivated me...well fucking done. Think there was a Montana guy cameo in there?
That kicked ass. Thanks for igniting the stoke, this motivates me to keep dragging my 36yo ass through the terrain park in quest of a clean 3.
Yeah NWFlow, a few Bozeman guys in there. Good peeps.
And thanks Jongle! Keep trying for that clean 360… it is the gateway drug to start your old man park habit.
Shameless bump…
But kind of fun to see the old man park thing at our local Woodward featured in a worldwide medium:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/17/t...icks-utah.html
I've been fighting the temptation to spend some time in the park and unfortunately your edit is just too good. At least one of the perks of being old is that in my case I finally have decent health insurance...Quote:
Originally Posted by DGamms
In all seriousness, after 35 years on skis I love it as much as ever, but progression is part of the addiction and one that's been lacking a little lately. For better or worse you may have inspired me to take on a little more risk in the pursuit thereof.
Awesome vid.