While watching the winter...

X games, I could help but notice two things about single trick snowmobiling.  First, those guys are a little bit crazy to do that.  Second, they all are wearing motocross neck braces.  It got me wondering if  jumpers should be wearing them too.

  

 Potential problems I see are 

1) They are designed for impacts on solid surfaces, not water.  That could be a problem.

2) A restriction in the jumper's ability to turn his/her head    

3) Immobilization of the neck in an impact might make lower sections of the spine more vulnerable to serious injury

4) Lack of movement in the neck could mean that more force is transferred to the head, i.e., a negligible reduction in neck injuries could lead to a significant increase in concussions.  (although I would  take a concussion over a neck fracture anyday)

5) If there is a real benefit, would it be at all levels, or only for advanced jumpers?

I am no authority on this subject, so I have no answers.  I do think , however, that I have come up with some legitimate questions.  If other sports with similar impact speeds are using these neck braces, it seems to me jumpers should be, at least, looking into it. Anything short of not skiing in the first place that makes this

safer sounds like a great idea to me.  

Reasons for my recent...

online absence

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that last one is an exaggeration, but it has still been too cold to ski.

Time to start this thing again.

New toe tricks...

that  David, my tricking student, and I need to add to our runs in 2012.

for the teacher, the toe wrap in


It looks like I am starting the turn too early into the pull.  I have a lot of work to do on that one in the spring.


For the student, the toe wake back.

David needs to give his shoulders to the boat as he rotates.   He might be closer to landing this one than I am to standing up my new one.  

Looks like we both have a lot of time to ponder these.  

So last set...

triumph   gives way to an end-of-season buzzkill.




That  picture means nothing! Ski season is just peaking.



DAMN!  I AM GONNA FIND WHOMEVER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS CHANGE OF SEASONS AND KICK THEIR ASS(ES)!  I WANT TO PUNCH SOMEONE OR SOMETHING AND MAKE THEM BLEED!


Well, maybe if I sacrifice my slalom bindings to the waterski gods I can ski until Thanksgiving.

So sad...




Ok, I understand.  I need to commit myself to a productive offseason.  I guess I have to come up with some other blog topics for a few months as well.

By the way, the Kubler-Ross model of grieving is, obviously, just a load of psychobabble.  I don't go through any of those stages.

Before packing it in...

for the season, I wanted to get two tricks on camera: A backflip reverse sequence and a toe wake O.  A month or so ago, I got the first one (or two, for all you specificityphiles out there).


It's October 25th,  one day until the boat gets winterized and stored.    Ross, David, Mitch and I have a short time window to ski, so that means I get one short trick set and my 2011 season is over.  So  here goes...

Got it.  Hopefully I can fit that trick into my toe pass in 2012.

If you do not love...

this show, then shame on you.




Not only is The League piss-your-pants funny, the crass, biting interplay between characters is quite possibly the most realistic depiction of long-term male friendships anywhere on TV.

Oh Yeah, and there's Taco,



For the last three years, this show has eased the pain of the  advance of winter and the gradual end of ski season.

HOLY....

SHIT!



I think he brought it down a little.

Props to my tricking protegee for getting this on the web.  I am not sure if he actually shot the vid or not.