Fear of dumb questions / ugly video

[Than_Bogan]

With the tremendous growth of Horton's amazing little site in the last couple of years, I've noticed a bit of a trend toward folks seeming a bit intimidated to post on a board that has a ton of -35 and -38 skiers as frequent visitors, and even an occasional post from some of the world's best like Marcus/Matthew Brown, Chad Scott, Jamie Beauchesne, Ruth McCreary (ok soon-to-be-worlds-best), Brooks Wilson, and others.

 

I encourage everyone to put aside any fear!

 

The truth is none of us know what the hell we're doing, and we've all been wherever you are now. My massage therapist introduced me to a phrase that is absolutely awesome for so many things, but slalom skiing is one of the best examples:

 

"Confused on a higher level."

 

Each new speed or rope length is a reminder that you don't have a clue. And that's a big part of what keeps everyone addicted.

 

So while I may be confused at a higher level than most of the lurkers, and Jamie is confused at (way) higher level than I am, we're all just trying to figure this thing out.

 

So jump in!

[crashman]

Ugly video? you want ugly video? I got your ugly video right here. Of course this was taken before ya'll taught me about body position. Now my skiing more closely resembles Chris Parrish

Now enjoy Crashman tearing it up at the Waterbowl!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx5vpnifpm0

[Than_Bogan]

@crashman I've seen sooo much worse :).

[sunvalleylaw]

When I do find my little vid camera, (it got lost somewhere in the house, I think), I will go ahead and try to get a vid of me posted for review and amusement. It is what it is. If the good people here take time to look at what I am doing and give me some hints, that is just really cool! You guys can probably already tell that I am not afraid to join a discussion, though my knowledge is much less than most here. How else does one learn but by doing, and by hashing it out amongst one another, than doing some more? (if I do muddy up a discussion too much, feel free to tell me to shut it and go work on my leveraged position, or whatever. ;-)) Thanks @Horton, @Than, and all for making the 15 off'r club feel welcome!

 

I like that "clueless on a higher level". In my mountain bike group, where I chase some other big dawgs, we talk at the end about how we are all in pain on the climb. It is just the level of speed you maintain, so "pain on a different level".

[crashman]

@Brent back feels fine thanks for asking

@Than hopefully I'll look back on this video some day as an example of how far I've come but for now I'm having fun and that's all I really care about

 

somebody else please post an equally ugly or uglier video thanks

[Not_The_Pug]

@crashman, That boat looks familar? Conditions look great. Just remember, skiing only counts buoys, not how pretty the pass looks.

[colo_skier]

@crashman Were is Waterbowl?

[crashman]

@colo_skier the Waterbowl is in Muncie IN. It's a gravel pit so it's "dug in" a bit and those conditions are pretty typical of what we ski on 2-3 times per week.

[colo_skier]

Thanks. I found it and added it to my Goggle earth points of ski sites.

[crashman]

seriously? no other uglies out there? I was kind of hoping some other beginners would post up some vids so I can learn from what you're doing right and wrong. Don't make me post up a video of me skiing in open water from 2 years ago (hopefully @brent hasn't already found it)

 

@krlee your boat really seems to like the waterbowl- she spent the day pulling skiers ages 5- 51 today- the bimini top was the star of the party.

[kfennell]

I need some tips here, it looks like 1 ball was a 6 foot wall and I tripped over it, I think I didnt pull out for my gates far enough.

 

[ForrestGump]

@kfennell That was a sweet landing for your first jump. Now, like Mueller told me when he started teach me to jump....... You're not ready to go over the ramp until you can run the slalom course on your jump skis at 34mph.

[sunvalleylaw]

Ok, I faced my fears. Vid posted here, with hopefully a closer view to come. http://www.ballofspray.com/forum#/discussion/5807/newb-video-a-quest-for-a-better-leveraged-position

 

 

EDIT: Ok, here are the vids directly. GoPro doesn't work that great from the boat, but here is some ugly re-beginner for you.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rduaQyZNd7M&feature=plcp

 

[ScarletArrow]

@kfennell your intro was great...i was seriously watching for one ball, "i don't see how he's going to make it around one."

[sunvalleylaw]

@crashman, see my re-newb vids I linked a couple posts back. Plenty of ugly and re-beginner there! ;-)

[crashman]

well I'm not getting better quickly- but I am getting better and I'm having a ton of fun doing it. I'm trying not to improve so rapidly that I use up all of my personal bests before I turn 40!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcemecsSrTI