jimbrake

I, and a few others here, know alpine gear pretty well and I can't even tell what boot that was. That is a severely Frankensteined shell with the DIN sole sawed off, I assume to get the foot closer to the ski. I'm a fan of being stuck to the ski with both feet, too, but that just looks (is) like an ankle/tib/fib buster. That said, I'm a fan of Joel creating his best setup. I like snug/stiff rubber and soap.

@jercrane - I'm confused - are you talking about your skiing or my skiing? Because it sounds like you're talking about my skiing exactly. I'm lighter and fitter this year, but have been struggling more than ever. It's super difficult mentally because passes that were a no-brainer for years suddenly are a challenge. For me I think it has been too many years (I turn 62 in a couple of days) of skiing like it's 1980. Overpower, over turn, over load, too much movement, too much speed, and a surprisingly crappy stack that I thought for years was pretty good and no one was telling me otherwise. For the past week and half I've had a high-level coach watching me and it's helping me to reset my thinking. All I can tell you is simplify - try to nail the basics of stack and connection in the swing and forget about all the rest. When you get those into muscle memory, then you can worry about other details. Lots of other good advice on here from running easier passes to taking days off to doing other stuff off the water.

damn @cragginshred - you just taught me a new word. I thought I knew all the words. Now I do.

@Mateo_Vargas - that shot of Suyderhoud - your home site!

I've got three sets in on an ION-S. Just 28s and 32s at 34. What is a noticeable improvement (for me) on this ski is the offside. Coming from an EVO (a 2018, and not an EVO-S), the offside is much more "there" for me. Hard to describe - just more reliable, consistent, and solid on that side. Onside is similar to EVO, which for me was great. Ski speed is good, but the ION-S has a feeling of being more in the water than the EVO. Rounder tail bevels? I like it a lot. First three sets were with standard fin at stock settings. Next set will be with my Denali fin, which I felt was an improvement on the EVO over the standard fin.

Yes. Only two sets so far because our weather goes from spring! to WINTER to spring! to WINTER every few days. Things relatively normal at our lake except for the sanitizer wipes in the boat, not handling each others' equipment, personal distance, etc. I'm skiing sort of normal in terms of effort, but only 28s so far getting the muscles back into it. That said, my first set of the year I literally took one of the hardest slalom falls of my 60 years of slalom. Slow motion, accelerating out the front. Like a jump crash going "oh damn this is gonna hurt". Time to think about it, then BAM - one huge bounce off my right shoulder and neck, rotations in the air, then a final splash landing. Luckily just shook it off and kept skiing. Hope by June maybe we are back into full, normal, busy, lots of friends on the dock and in the boat, skiing.

@MillerTime38 - my question is who TF would ever get on a cruise ship ever, even in times of no pandemic?

A 7'6" egg and some garage board and ski organization.

@MarcusBrown - awesome interview with one of my (and most everyone's) heroes. Love that last little story you told about the A2 that you and Brett Muhlitner couldn't even get to the gate on and Bob ran 38 @ 36 on it. That is crazy and does demonstrate his amazing talent. I remember watching Bob at one of the CalCups at Berkeley Aquatic Park, when I was first getting into the sport - probably like '77 or '78. All the competitors were struggling just to get as far as they could at 35 and Bob ran it so easy, so connected, and so far ahead. You could just see his talent level was so far above all the others. I got to go to his '87 Worlds celebration dinner because I was training with Mark Solich back then and he and Bob were tight.

@Horton - seriously? After all these years? I am always joking. Always. Except for sometimes, but mostly always. Usually. (I do like to rely on people being able to figure that out though and not include a gratuitous "LOL" or funny emoji.)

@Mateo_Vargas - so you only look at the screen while you're driving and not the actual course ahead of you, right?

that was oddly disturbing to watch

@Mateo_Vargas - that has to be it.

@JackQ - that is some great skiing. Post some video if you got it. I want to see this "style of his own." I will likely learn something.

@ALPJr - I started slalom and jump behind a '74 Glastron tri-hull open bow with a Chrysler 130 hp outboard, so I can relate. The Santa Clara County Water Ski Club begrudgingly let my family join in 1976 with that boat (they really wanted us to have a Nautique or MC) and the most amazing thing to me is that my dad, with zero course or jump driving experience, and driving that dang boat, pulled me up through 36 mph long line and to jumps of about 120 feet. We didn't know any better at the time. Ignorance really is bliss sometimes.

As a serial "f bomber" myself, I have to agree with @lhoover and @MarcusBrown you know how much a fan of yours I am (a huge one, in case you weren't clear on that). My personal opinion is that an f bomb should be reserved for rare occasions to convey the severity and seriousness of something that absolutely needs conveying and not just sprinkled into casual conversation with no particular emphasis. That said I love all your podcasts and every time you drop an f bomb I think to myself "yeah, I probably would've said it the same way", but knowing that I shouldn't. I f bomb more than ever these days watching the news at night. My dog does not like it.

That's definitely more "Dirty Laundry" Horton. This one is "Hotel California" Horton. He should go back to this look.

@horton - if you like that pic, then check out the "Surfers of Bali" channel on YouTube.

The "new Hurley" - Bluestar Alliance. F them. Good on John John for walking away instead of dealing with their attorneys and other corporate kooks.

@cougfan - yes, such a tragedy. Three young girls, parents, and coaches. All terrible losses.

@cragginshred - yes, they are and that's some impressive climbing by you. You must not have put that video together, though, because I can't imagine you would've picked the music.

Such a bummer.

Jerry Puryear (who started Sierra Springs) had one and I pulled him for a jump set a Boca Reservoir by Truckee back in '81. So weird to drive, but you get used to it. Built in Sac.

@ToddF - What I like about that pic is the distance between the top of the pole and the bar. Probably a 16'+ pole? About 4+ feet short of the bar (including the depth of the box)? That is a HIGH bar. 19' something?