The new and improved, TeleSteve.
With all the epic powder and ski days I have had since the beginning of October, I’m honestly starting to get a little over winter and snow. However, there’s still a 140″ base in the mountains right now, so the snow will be here for a while. Therefore, I’ve been looking for something to stoke the fire inside and keep me motivated for the rest of the season. Luckily, I think I’ve found the answer with a new telemark setup I’ve been playing with.
It’s fun to try out another type of skiing again and it’s probably been about 18 years since the last time I clipped into a cable binding. I remember the first day I tried it quite vividly however, and I was working as a lift operator on the Casper chair at JHMR. I remember that I found it quite easy to link tele-turns on the groomers, but had a harder time with it in the crud and bumps on the off-piste terrain. That was back in the early 90’s though and the telemark gear of today has improved greatly from the leather boots and Riva II bindings that I used back then. The plastic telemark boots, “active” cartridge and free-pivot bindings of today really add to the amount of power and control a skier has when they are free-heal skiing, so I figured I’d give it a try again.
Please tell me if I’m poodling!!!.
It hasn’t taken long for me to get hooked on the freedom and soulful feeling that the tele-turn provides. I’m wondering how far I will go with it and I now find myself gaping at pictures of Nick Devore and other tele-rippers as they surf the powder, with their one knee bent and powder billowing up in their faces. I’m sure my technique isn’t the best right now, but I know if I stick with it, I will no doubt get better as the days pass.
It’s strange, I know, to go from such a staunch and committed AT skier, to now a new lover of telemark skiing. But times change and I figure I might as well give it a real go before the whole world goes up in flames from a nuclear meltdown and global jihad. It’s a little ironic though, because I now have the sudden urge to grow out my hair. At least I can save some bucks with a few less trips to the barber and put it towards some extra granola and Odwalla at the local organic grocery store.
Horrible photoshop work for April 1st… 🙂
Leviticus 4:20 and 19:27 😉
F***er, you totally got me on that one. Damn it! Still laughing.
Hey Rando, Tele.? Are you getting old and giving up the steeps in the
‘Pine ? I distinctly remember you dissing a tele setup. I can’t believe you’re flipflopping like a politician making a decision. So do I get to look forward to you doing the ” Hossack McGowan ” on teles ? Possibly even airing out on “Igneous Rocks” ?!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Laters, Big Love, Doug
The faddish LTL-Chuck-Taylors of today aren’t a far cry from my Merrill Super Doubles of 1990. Happy AFD Steve!
Haha. Good one!
“free-heal” skiing, eh?
Free your heel and heal your mind!!!
the 140″ is no joke though!!
Very nice. It took me a minute, I’ll admit.
April Fool!!!
You are too funny!
Pretty soon you will have a dog shitting all over the boot track too.
Don’t forget the ragaae! And if you were a true core tele skier you’d rock the single beat down pole.
HA…I can’t believe I got you guys! Gotta love Photoshop…and a sense of humor. HAFD!!!
The first pic almost looks legit, rockin the surf style, cha buddy, nice turns.
You had me there just for a millisecond.
totally had me for sure
Before I visited, I was thinking that you were gonna have some sort of “I converted to tele” April Fool’s joke. I was not disappointed.
Way to free it up, Steve!
Rumour has it that AM dude at straightchuter has seen the light as well. He has quite a selection of AT gear for sale cheap on TGR.
it’s all about the fore/aft stability.
Dude, you stole my touque!