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The Official Michigan Winter Thread

490K views 8K replies 153 participants last post by  sabatoa 
#1 ·
Alright everyone since Summer is over, fall has just begun and we've already had our first rail jam of the year, it's time to start a new thread for the 10/11 winter.

Last year we had the "Southeast" michigan thread, but I think we should do all of Michigan. Sure, most of population lives in S/E michigan but we all ride the same resorts in the LP and even the UP if we get a chance, so we should have one thread to bring everyone together.

Cheers everyone we're probably only like 70 days from open resorts!
 
#3,693 ·
So Dave, about this Hawk Island thing. As you know I've never done park at all before but I want to start doing jumps (no rails, boxes, etc). What's the atmosphere like there? Everyone pretty cool or is everyone too cool for school? Which board do you think I should ride, my old Burton Bullet with Missions or my new Heritage with the Capos? I ask that last question because I don't really want to fuck up my new setup, but at the same time it is what I'll be riding most of the time anyways.

God I'm such a stupid noob.
 
#3,698 ·
Oh didn't see the second part of your Q. I think you'll be fine on the Heritage if you just want to do jumps. Or even just to "ride on" the butterbox, which basically you would just ride straight across it, no real risk of damaging your board. You're really not super likely to start damaging the base until you're doing sideways slides like boardslides/lipslides/spins on to features etc. Riding straight on for 50/50 is pretty easy on the base, unless it's a real urban feature, or a poorly maintained rail with burrs on it, etc., or made out of concrete like that ledge I hit at Crystal a few weeks ago LOL.
 
#3,694 ·
I'm a noob at park too bro.

The vibe at Hawk Island is cool. The main group of guys that's always there are older than your typical park rat, 19-23 years old I'd say. They're all college guys. A lot of them know Dave and me.

They're REALLY good but don't let that intimidate you, they're super cool. The jump will most likely be a great one to learn on, low consequence with no chance to land flat unless you knuckle and even that will be from a low height.
 
#3,697 ·
Second what Sam said everyone there is pretty chill and don't feel intimidated to ask someone,, like, hey I'm trying to learn X Y or Z can you give me some tips or watch me and tell me where I'm messing up? Etc.

They actually have a "butter box" there which is about 3' wide and maybe 8' or 10' long. That is an absolutely perfect feature to learn on, and it's still what I go to pretty often to try new stuff, low consequences.

I made it up there today but couldn't skip work until late... and wife is out of town so I had to be home by 5 for the nanny. About halfway there I almost turned around because it wasn't going to be worth it but I said "fuck it" I'm almost there.

Only ended up staying for about 40 minutes because I was pressed for time but it was all in good shape there today and the features were good. They had some jumps (smaller ones) and mostly rail features in addition to the hip, a wall-ride thingy, that butter-box I described above, and some other stuff.

I did hit two features the big rail and the big rail with the donkey dick for the first time today so I'm pretty stoked about that.
 
#3,699 ·
Well I made it there and stayed for a couple hours. When I left I didn't want to come back because I felt like I was starting all over from scratch. Everyone was cool but it was still humiliating. I only landed maybe 5 really small jumps out of a couple dozen tries. I'm sore. Got my ass kicked. On the way home I decided that I couldn't wait to go back and try again.

Those guys are really, really fucking good btw.
 
#3,706 ·
See how easy it is at Hawk to get a lot of hits in? That's one of the things that makes it so great for progressing.
Yeah for sure, once you get used to that damn tow cable. But I'll admit that even though everyone was cool, it was very intimidating how good they were. I did a lot of standing and staring.
 
#3,722 ·
Well, I took an early lunch today and sat in the park contemplating. It is so fucking nice out right now. As sad as it may sound, I've decided to wax up my boards tomorrow, clean up the edges, pack up my bindings and put them away for the season. Yes, yes it's a bummer. But spring is here and I've come to terms with it. Time for fishing and mushroom hunting up north and before too long hiking and laying around on the beach.

As for meetups, I'm down for anything whether it be snowboarding related or not. I like this group here.
 
#3,723 ·
Yeah, I grudgingly packed up my stuff and stored it last night too.

I tried convincing wifey for her blessing on letting me get out this weekend to Crystal but Leo conspired against me and was texting her on the side. Punks.

As always, I'm down for meetups. I'm always travelling out to Detroitland to meet up for non-snowboard stuff with Leo and get denied by Jay and Dave. It'd be cool to do something in Lansing/East Lansing and have you all come this direction and save me the drive for once :D
 
#3,724 ·
I tried convincing wifey for her blessing on letting me get out this weekend to Crystal but Leo conspired against me and was texting her on the side. Punks.
Dude, it's just as well and you know it. No way is one day out worth ruining next season (or the all the seasons for the rest of your life). If it was puking pow up north or something then I could see the desire to take the risk, but right now it's not worth it. Good job wifey and Leo.
 
#3,725 ·
I've given that same advice to others before. I get it. I do!

But in my case I really feel like I'm past the point where I could fark things up more.

But it's whatever. She feels so strongly about it that on the tiniest chance I did get hurt I'd never hear the end of it and so I just let it go, especially because I couldn't get clearance from the doc in time for the weekend.

ah well. The next time you guys are all riding, I'll be there too.
 
#3,730 ·
See you're doing it wrong. Just give her a high level example....lets say Chomps.....creepy old dude....van with no windows....Sega and candy in the back....down by the river...who gets girls he meets down here to follow him up north.....has she returned....we don't know? She will feel better about all of this. :laugh:
 
#3,743 ·
Well it's official then, if Saturday holds out and Dave and Sam are going then I will keep the dream alive and try to get out there as well. At least my repetitive ground-smacking will provide entertainment value for you guys.
 
#3,749 ·
You can't land everything LOL. Tweaked my right wrist on this one it's pretty sore today like full range of motion hurts but I'm still planning on next weekend.

I'd actually be out riding today again if I didn't have so much shit to do for Zoey's first birthday party tomorrow.
 

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#3,752 ·
Crystal was good today...think I got sunburned. What's up with the magic carpet on the Loki lift? That's one of the dumbest things I have ever seen. I had to back up on it multiple time because my board would go faster than the carpet. I hope these don't get incorporated all over the place. I forgot how short crystal's runs are, but the glades were actually decent once then snow softened up in the afternoon. Overall a solid way to end the season!
 
#3,756 ·
I actually think those carpets are nice, they seem to make lift line run smoother.

I found out that next Saturday won't work for me unless it was evening. My wife has something going on all day so I'm on kid duty. I can always bring them out anyways but I just won't be able to ride. Don't make your plans based on me though.
 
#3,758 ·
Thanks for the heads up, morning/mid-day probably works best for me since we got family in the area I figure I can take wife & kid to visit grandma (about 5 minutes from Hawk). I'll see what everyone else's schedules look like and try to accommodate as many ppl as possible.

BTW I think I may have sprained my wrist. It's definitely not broken but it is still pretty sore, perhaps more than when it immediately happened, and swollen just a bit. Any sort of "rotational" movement or too much pressure on it is painful.

Here is the un-edited video from my phone. Funny thing is I had just landed the same thing, and then two laps later (vindicated, because this was also in the video) I landed it again :)



It doesn't actually look like that bad of a fall -- and it really wasn't (aside from my helmet & goggles going all crooked LOL). I think I just was getting sloppy/lazy at that point and that's why I ate it.

Hopefully it's feeling a little less tender by next weekend, otherwise I'm just gonna ACE it up and deal with it.
 
#3,759 ·
Way to get after it though! Just ice that bitch up for a couple days, take Motrin for swelling, and wrap it with both ace and athletic tape and you'll be fine I'm sure.

Sucks about next weekend but my only other option is a sitter. I'm cool with just bringing the kids and hanging out though, they like that park. Since Sam can't ride anyways I can hang with him. I can always bring my board just in case...
 
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