Intro and first day on a Donek (looong post)

Been lurking for a month or so now...

This is my first season snowboarding. I'm in the Seattle, WA area right
now but grew up in the deep south where the only ski I knew was pulled
behind a boat. After a stint in Japan, we moved here and I started
surfing most weekends for the last 5 years or so with some Carveboarding
in the hills on flat summer days. I take a lot of surfing photos (but
not this winter...) if you'd forgive a little self-pimpage:
http://www.crowmountain.net/

The problem was my wife does not dig surfing here, water's cold, waves
are usually big and sloppy, long drive, blah blah. On a wild hair, we
decided to give boarding a try this winter. We took a 2 hour private
lesson and she loved it. The 'falling leaf' thingy was cake but I
basically busted my ass every ten feet on the first run down the
beginner slope (Summit Central, Snoqualmie Pass) when trying to link
turns. The intructor, also a surfer in the summer, pointed out that I
was trying to turn the board like surfboard, stalling on the tail and
bringing the front around hard. Once I got the front weighting in my
head, all was well. He spent the next hour with my wife and I just
linked turns with the only a few falls.

Totally hooked and with no motivation to do any more winter surfing, I
got a deal on an 'all mountain freestyle' Option Sansalone 161 with
Salomon SP4s. I like it and it's very comfortable, easy to handle, etc
but noticeably flexy/twisty/bouncy when turning hard at higher(for me)
speeds. Earlier this month, after lots of shopping around and internet
research, I ordered a Donek Wide 161. My final choices were the Donek,
Prior FR, Option Vinson. The Option was the only one I could actually
see in person but the Donek was the least expensive and seemed to have
the best return policy. There was also lots of personal testimony
online, here and in other internet forums. Finally, Sean & co were very
responsive to questions so I ordered the Donek. I also picked up a pair
of Catek Freerides to go with the board.

The first run on the Donek was Queens at Crystal Mountain an easy but
slightly twisty green. Big Difference! First, I wasn't used to the
straight 90deg edge without detuned tips, I had a couple quick ouchies
from that on the icy cat track between the Chinook and Queen chairs...
From then on, it was fantastic. Even with my (utter lack of) technique,
I was able to point the nose downhill and just go with much more
confidence than the other board. This was especially the case on the
blue runs. Everything just felt connected, no twistyness at all. I
like the board a lot now and will probably enjoy it even more with a
slight base bevel and detuned tips.

I'm less sold on the Freeride bindings. Given my limited knowledge,
they seem like killer bindings, very stiff, bombproof construction and
the tilt/cant feature is super cool and comfortable! The only criticism
I have of the Catek Freerides is with the straps - they arent up to the
standard or the binding IMO. However, I'm not a tweaker at heart and
these things are a tweaker's binding. Starting in my late 30's, I'm
_never_ going to be a particularly advanced boarder. I'd just like to
be able to run the blues with confidence and get down a powdery black
every now and then without resorting to skidding sideways. So for me,
KISS is a good motto. I may change bindings to one of the stiffer
conventional strap systems.

One thing - I was using the Donek last night with my wife on her first
try at a blue run (Alpine, Summit Central) and the Donek does not like
to go slow. It was hard (for me) to turn going slow and skidding down
the hill while ecouraging her was downright painful. I'm glad I have
the other board around for when I'm fooling around going slow with the
kids. Although in a couple years, I imagine there's no board made that
will let me keep up with them...

C.

--
-she ain't revved til the rods is thrown

The only criticism
I have of the Catek Freerides is with the straps - they arent up to
the
standard or the binding IMO.

On the Catek forum, several people mention using straps from other
bindings on their Cateks in order to increase comfort mostly.

However, I'm not a tweaker at heart and
these things are a tweaker's binding.

Agreed. I've been on Catek plates for two years I still tweak them
every few times out.

Starting in my late 30's, I'm
_never_ going to be a particularly advanced boarder.

So certain are you? I'm 33 and never stop advancing my skills and I
know some guys in their 50's who can smoke me, and they are also still
advancing their skills. For some reason when I read your post, I
envision someone who *will*, over time, become an advanced rider!
Especially with your kids to encourage you

So for me,
KISS is a good motto. I may change bindings to one of the stiffer
conventional strap systems.

If you decide to sell your Cateks, put an ad on the forums at
www.catek.com and www.bomberonline.com. As long as they are not
damaged, you'll get good money for them. I think I saw a set of
Freerides advertsoed at $230 USD and sell very quickly, not sure what
the final price was.

One thing - I was using the Donek last night with my wife on her first
try at a blue run (Alpine, Summit Central) and the Donek does not like
to go slow. It was hard (for me) to turn going slow and skidding down
the hill while ecouraging her was downright painful.

I also have the Wide 161, and yes it does like to go fast. It will go
slow for you as you develop your technique, and in fact I found the
Doneks really encourage one to develop a solid technique that is based
on carving and not skidding. *This is one of the principle reasons why
I recommend these boards*. On a gentle slop, practice really putting
it on edge and letting the board carve all the way around... here's a
"silly but effective" drill:

http://www.bomberonline.com/articles/feel_the_carve.cfm

You can do this when you're riding gentle slopes with your wife.

I'm glad I have
the other board around for when I'm fooling around going slow with the
kids. Although in a couple years, I imagine there's no board made
that
will let me keep up with them...

That's cool!

If you decide you *do* want to keep up with them, and do so as safely as
possible, it's all about learning to carve well. You can develop this
skill without going fast at first, the speed will come later. Good
carving technique = many, many less edge catches. And you've got the
right board for that in your Donek.

-Mike T

I'm 33 as well but feel like my best years are behind me, I'm still becoming
a better rider every year but at the same time I won't push myself anymore
to do things that might really hurt me, body takes too long to recover. So
I tend to stick to the things I do well (deep powder steeps, tree riding,
backcountry, basic jumping, ect...)....no more pipe, no more 15 foot gap
table-tops, ect... But I agree with Mike that you will continue to advance,
its just a matter of what you are comfortable doing, I've just had too many
injuries over the years and have put myself into cruise-control, which is
still pretty advanced
Leave the hucking to the kids!

So certain are you? I'm 33 and never stop advancing my skills and I
know some guys in their 50's who can smoke me, and they are also still
advancing their skills. For some reason when I read your post, I
envision someone who *will*, over time, become an advanced rider!
Especially with your kids to encourage you

I tend to stick to the things I do well (deep powder steeps, tree
riding,
backcountry, basic jumping, ect...)....no more pipe, no more 15 foot
gap
table-tops, ect...

Same here... although I never was any good at the pipe and never did gap
jumps

There's no reason why one cannot spend a lifetime advancing in just the
areas jaycb74 mentions above. If that gets boring, try some hard boots
and an alpine board. Alpine can be an extremely technical discipline,
and I've found that it really helps my soft-boot freeriding as well.

Mike T

In article 1077819394.578953@sj-nntpcache-5,
says...
I'm 33 as well but feel like my best years are behind me, I'm still becoming
a better rider every year but at the same time I won't push myself anymore
to do things that might really hurt me, body takes too long to recover. So
I tend to stick to the things I do well (deep powder steeps, tree riding,
backcountry, basic jumping, ect...)....no more pipe, no more 15 foot gap
table-tops, ect... But I agree with Mike that you will continue to advance,
its just a matter of what you are comfortable doing, I've just had too many
injuries over the years and have put myself into cruise-control, which is
still pretty advanced
Leave the hucking to the kids!

So certain are you? I'm 33 and never stop advancing my skills and I
know some guys in their 50's who can smoke me, and they are also still
advancing their skills. For some reason when I read your post, I
envision someone who *will*, over time, become an advanced rider!
Especially with your kids to encourage you





Yes, that's exactly what I'm talking about. I know I'll get much better
than I am now but my joints have already suffered years of sports
already and are letting me know it's time to cruise, have fun and not be
so damn driven. Even so, the sense of personal accomplishment from
getting better is one of the biggest parts of having fun.

The best thing about boarding is if you fall, you get up and the
mountain is still there! This might sound strange but it's a RELAVATION
to someone used to sitting in the water for long periods of time waiting
for juuust the right wave with no one else in better position to rise up
out of the ocean, then choking and eating schitt on the drop...

I've only seen videos of tree riding in good powder but that's on my
'must do' list for next season. It looks amazingly fun. A trip to do
just that next season has pushed out a winter trip to Hawaii...

C.
--
-she ain't revved til the rods is thrown

Wide boards are hard to turn. How big are your feet? I'm a size 9 and prefer
no more than 25 cm waiste. Currently I'm riding a 24.5 waisted and it's just
about perfect.

In article ,
says...
Wide boards are hard to turn. How big are your feet? I'm a size 9 and prefer
no more than 25 cm waiste. Currently I'm riding a 24.5 waisted and it's just
about perfect.

I wear a size 11. Even with the Wide with a 26cm waist, there's a some
overhang especially on the rear foot (24/9 front/rear). However, the
Catek Freerides rest on a circular disk providing lift so I haven't
noticed any drag.

C.
--
-she ain't revved til the rods is thrown

drag isn't the problem it's transition.

"corbeau" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...
Wide boards are hard to turn. How big are your feet? I'm a size 9 and
prefer
no more than 25 cm waiste. Currently I'm riding a 24.5 waisted and it's
just
about perfect.

I wear a size 11. Even with the Wide with a 26cm waist, there's a some
overhang especially on the rear foot (24/9 front/rear). However, the
Catek Freerides rest on a circular disk providing lift so I haven't
noticed any drag.

C.
--
-she ain't revved til the rods is thrown

Hey, those are some very nice surfing pics. I tried it for the first
time this past summer down here on the north oregon coast... All I
gotta say is I have a lot of respect for good surfers now... it's damn
hard and exhausting. I enjoyed your pics a lot.

Sounds like the donek wide 161 is a good fit for you. My experience
with mine is about the same as yours. It has gotten easy to make tight
low speed turns as my technique has improved... but I still need to
work on tight slow turns on steep moguls and trees. It's the sidecut
and flex that determine how 'turny' the board is... the width really
only affects the time it takes to switch edges.

If my experience with surfing is any indication, you'll be a fantastic
snowboarder. It seems to me surfing takes a huge level of commitment
and determination compared to boarding.

In article ,
says...
Hey, those are some very nice surfing pics. I tried it for the first
time this past summer down here on the north oregon coast... All I
gotta say is I have a lot of respect for good surfers now... it's damn
hard and exhausting. I enjoyed your pics a lot.

I'm no great surfer but I manage to get down the line up to a few feet
overhead. Any more than that and I tend to stay behind the camera.

It's funny, for two sports that are so similar, they are very different.
In surfing, the workout is minutes(sometimes many minutes) of paddling
to put yourself into the right spot to ride a wave for a ten seconds, a
few more if you're lucky. In boarding, the workout is the ride itself.

For me, one wave is more a more intense experience than a comparable run
down the mountain. However, quantity and consistency more than make up
the difference for me during the stormy winter months.

C.
--
-she ain't revved til the rods is thrown