xrated

Is it still sore?

@MS nice to hear that you have open water. I'd be knocking on the door with beer if my dry suit was down here. Let me know when it hits wetsuit temps. Still well over 2' of ice up around McGregor and covered with snow. On the plus side we should be sucker spearing over fishing opener instead of chasing walleyes with all the city folks!

@MS do you have soft water? Lake up north went into winter a couple feet low after June flooding had it 3-4 high. Currently it is sitting under a couple feet of ice at least. With all the March and April snow it should be fine once it melts.

Can you even give steel away? Major pain but the dang things just don't break...we've tried a few times and it is always just a quick weld or new bolt away from good again. What are you replacing with?

@MS where was that? Got back out and stared down a black hole for the first time in 6 years this weekend...forgot how much I enjoy crappies!!!! Otherwise it is a snowmobile for me when it gets cold. cold temps don't keep me inside, there is always something to do, even if it is just a walk in the spruce bog or going out and listening to the ice make music.

@Brady, found stats in the US for 201-2012 34 total deaths, 20 skiers and boarders, 9 sledders. While it is true sledders used to be the major share due to good education and proactive thinking in the sled community we are become safer and safer. In fact going back to 2009-2010 it looks like the majority were not sleds. That I counted from avalanche.org No doubt Avy bags are playing a role as well. https://avalanche.state.co.us/acc/acc_us.php

@Brady you might want to check your dozens....http://utahavalanchecenter.org/avalanche-stats I can't find the site but I do believe last year sledders were not leading in avy statistics. Not calling you out or anything, just don't want people making assumptions about sledders based off your post.

@jipster43, not always. Doing so on a loaded slope with extreme avy ratings yes. Other times no.

I'd be interested to see what people have as well. Currently the skis just sit on a picnic table down by the dock while the suits and vests hang between two trees. An OK setup but with other people and other peoples savage children running around I don't like the idea of the skis sitting on the table waiting to be wrecked....dang savages already wrecked a perfectly good hammock.

@GregDavis, Braaaaapppppppp!!!!!! Love taking my YZ into the woods, though I think next year a few track days are in order. @Thager, what kind of sledding do you do? Winter time finds me on a sled. I love riding out west, but money, time, work and kids keeps me from going out each year. I tide over by playing on the lakes, swamps and rivers on north central MN. Love duck hunting, especially divers, but I let that slide when I started hanging out with my wife and the number of idiots grew greater then the ducks. Hoping to get back into it. Otherwise anything outside and with the kids. And for some reason (I blame my dad) I like cutting and splitting firewood....I shouldn't cause it is hard, nasty work and I should know better but I love the feeling after a day of it.

@thor_64 I can't tell you for under board shorts but all of my Under Armour stuff dries pretty quick be it compression or loose fit.

You guys are killing me with glass talk @skibrain and @thager! First year I met one of my ski buds he got busy and didn't pull things in time. In his defense it got real cold real fast. First weekend in November I went deer hunting at -10, came home, warmed up and pulled our duck hunting boat and dock/lift from 2" of crystal clear ice. Emaild buddy about his stuff and after a week of sub zero lows we cut his dock, lifts and pontoon out with chainsaws. Now he pulls on Labor Day which really sucks. http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg9/yz125x/Up%20North/iceboat.jpg

I'm with @gregy Billabong Platinum. Super light and comfy. I can put them on in the morning and wear them all day. But to be honest any of the new board shorts with the flex material that is light weight are pretty dang nice.

@thager I can't recall and I know I just had my last one. Wheatgrass Ale maybe?

At 15 years of age I wouldn't even sweat gaining muscle or strength, just worry about staying in shape. I was a scrawny kid all through school (OK still a small guy) but there is no way my body was ready for hitting weights or anything hard at 15. If you are gonna hit the weight room I'd just do easy enough weights and focus on endurance as said above. For what it is worth I graduated high school at 115. 2 years later I started hitting a gym hard. Went to 145 and it was lots of work to get there.

When I can ski, once I ditch the wetsuit I wear a neoprene rash guard almost every time. Only exception would be those 90 degree days when a guy can actually ski in the afternoon (public lake). I don't know that the top helps keep me any warmer in the water, but it sure helps once I'm out of the water.

another vote for @sunvalleylaw's list. Might I add, What is on/off side? No seriously I've never remembered it in all the times i've asked or been told.

@MS I might be interested in taking a look at that. Need a handle that the wife will be comfortable with.

@skibrain where does a guy find that golf course? Hmmm brake slides and berms in the traps!!!!!

@MattP at this point she is dropping and going in and I don't see her getting rid of the drop ski any time soon. I offered to try the velcro HO RTP that is sitting on my old ASX but she said no. She thinks she might get her foot in better with more time on the ski. Since our season is about done I'm not to worried about it but I'd like to have it figured out for her next year.

Thought they were a one size fits all type of deal. Guess it is off to Radars site to check.

Got the wife out skiing again today for her 3rd time ever. She did great, at least I think she did. When she got back in the boat besides saying she was sore, she said she couldn't get her foot into the RTP very far/well. She couldn't find/fit her foot into the opening so she ended up basically tiptoe on the rear. I know part of it is just her getting used to and comfortable with the motion. But I noticed on the Radar the top/tongue of the toe plate is attached to elastic which right now lets the top fall down towards the foot bed, thus making the opening for her foot smaller. Would it work to put a shoe horn in there for awhile to stretch that elastic out so it doesn't fall down so much? Or is that just a horrible ginger brain idea?

@6balls, you might change that after a day skiing with me when I am healthy!

@nando I'm with 6balls, where are you finding low water in MN? Cripes our lake was no wake for at least a month this summer.

@jlittle, ya lurking bum! Nice shot. How about that nice one where you are doing your best superman over the water?