Monster Boards

I love my Blizzard Bonafides. They are hands-down the best skis I've ever owned. At 98mm underfoot, they're great in powder and crud. The rockered construction and the Flipcore technology make them equally at-home on groomers. I've skied them in Michigan and Colorado in a wide range of conditions and found them incredibly versatile. But, not QUITE the one ski quiver.

The past two seasons in Michigan have been unique. With nearly perfect snow, we've missed out on what I affectionately call "Michigan Boilerplate". If you've skied the Midwest or the East, you know what I mean. That thaw-freeze-that-freeze again snow that's then coated with a bit of man-made stuff. It's more like a hockey rink than a ski hill. This is tough stuff that demands a certain ski to really tame it. And the Bonafides are NOT that ski. Honestly, I really think the core issue is largely width. They're just too wide to get consistently on-edge. We've had some of those conditions in SE Michigan this year. So, I decided it was time to look for a hardpack ski. Stiff. Torsionally rigid. And with an edge like a hockey skate.

A quick visit to the always-resourceful Rob Parent at Sun & Snow Sports yields a few options. Oh, yeah, and I want something over 175cm and I won't ski them a ton, so I don't want to invest a fortune. At the last moment, Rob asks, "What about some Head Monsters? I have an M78 demo ski in 178cm that I'd let go for a good price...". Done. Here's my Visa.

This weekend I got them out on local ice bump, Mt. Brighton. Saturday is a perfect example of the day I bought these for. Started the day at around 1 degree F. High winds. A brutal round of freeze-thaw, followed by a chilly end to the week. The snow is ROCK hard.

In a word - HELL YEAH! True to their name, the Monsters grip like a demon. They're damp and stable, even on the chunkiest of ice. Even when the wind comes up and visibility drops to zero, I feel comfortable and confident. By the end of Sunday, I'm blasting through smooth, fast GS turns. Even pure ice isn't completely scary.

Are they perfect? Well, they just may be the heaviest ski I've ever owned, but I mostly notice that hauling them through the parking lot. And the graphics leave a lot to be desired. But for what I bought them for, they RIP! I am one very happy skier.

Spring Fling - Ten Lessons Learned

Picked up a few things while skiing in Colorado:

1. Some pretty damn good beer there. Both the Dillon Dam Brewery (try the Brown) and Backcountry Brewing (easily one of the best amber ales I've ever had) delivered great beer and mighty good food. 
2. It snows in Colorado. Even in Spring. Might want to think about that when offered the $80 SUV upgrade on your rental car. And factor it into your commute time to the mountain.
3. Staying slopeside is cool, but it was equally nice (and way cheaper) to stay at a hotel in a central location. Dillon Inn was great.
4. Seriously getting back in to cycling has really helped my fitness and my skiing by leaps and bounds. Long runs at high altitude were no issue. I owe that all to thousands of miles on a bicycle.
5. Paying for parking at a ski area is bullshit. Vail's model is quite clearly "pay to park close", but I was able to park for free with only a short shuttle ride at Beaver Creek and Breckenridge, and within easy walking distance at Keystone and A-Basin.
6. Arapahoe Basin is awesome. A true local gem. Reminds me of places I love like Solitude and Powder Mountain in Utah. Great terrain, cool people, and a great vibe. Plus, Ramrod is one of the best blue runs I've ever skied (should be a black easily). Fast. Steep. Scenic. I will definitely return to the Basin.
7. Breckenridge just isn't my cup of tea. Crowds. Tons of pretentious dining. Traffic. And their blue runs would be greens anywhere else. 
8. Still love Beaver Creek, and Keystone will become a new favorite. I really learned from chatting with the locals that all of the area can be great, but you have to consider some key factors. For example, chatting with one of the locals at the bar on my last night in town revealed that A-Basin is awesome, but you don't want to be up there on low-visibility days. Having a third of the resort above treeline makes it really disorienting.
9. My Blizzard Bonafides rule the mountain. They also got a lot of compliments on their appearance (they are a sweet-looking ski).
10. Pack for nearly everything in Spring out West. After two days of bluebird sunny skies and temps in the 50's I thought bringing the colder weather layers was a waste. Wrong. I ended up needing everything I had with me.
11. (Bonus Round) The Epic Pass is awesome. I had my choice of five mountains in Colorado, AND I got a pass to ski Mt. Brighton back home and stay in shape. Perfect!

Next year, who knows? Maybe I pull of two Western trips and get to both Colorado and Utah. Sure would be fun!

Spring Fling - Day Two

BEAVER! To avoid the weekend crowds, I got up early today and rolled westward to one of my favorite Colorado ski areas - Beaver Creek. I've always found great runs here and it's a tremendous place to rack up the vertical feet. I got in 39,120 feet today. That's a personal record and it puts me around 50,000 feet only two days in on the trip. Pretty solid, I think.

Experiencing true Western Spring skiing for the first time has been interesting. You just need to plan your day. Early on, stay low on south and east exposed runs. It starts off icy, but softens fairly quickly (especially in late March). Today I spent my morning on Larkspur lift, followed by an early lunch and then heading back mid-mountain for some time on Centennial/Cinch Express. My early lunch paid off with the hill nearly to myself for a solid hour. Just rippin' laps! Even hit some black diamonds today.

After two days out West on my Blizzard Bonafides, I am happy to proclaim them my favorite skis of all time. These boards just RIP! They're decent on ice, awesome on groomers, and cut through late afternoon mashed potatoes at an obscene pace. I've never had a ski I felt so comfortable skiing fast over variable terrain. I think the 187 length was a solid choice. I've always liked a longer ski for the stability and the way it just cuts through whatever's in your path. I'm actually having serious thoughts of selling my Volkl RTM 84's. At 171cm, they're just too short. And now with the Blizzard's I'll likely never ski them much.

Over the past two days, I have crystallized one thought - the GoPro has clearly jumped the shark. I can't even begin to count the number of really weak skiers I saw with them mounted to helmets, on "selfie poles" (ugh -- nothing says 'tool' like one of those on a rookie) and elsewhere. If you're struggling to snowplow down a steep blue with your jacket fully unzipped and flapping in the breeze, no one wants to see that on video. Ever. I suppose some of this is must my mindset. Even though I love photos and camera gear, there's really no appeal for the GoPro for me. If you're ripping Birds of Prey at Mach 10, cranking cork 720's in the park, or blasting a foot of fresh pow -- them maybe. Otherwise, leave it at home.

Tonight I took a trek over to Breckenridge to check out the brewery. What a ZOO! It was insane with traffic and no parking. I talked to a local and she said it's all college kids on break. For me, it was just a reminder that I don't enjoy that scene. Though I did find a really nice microbrewery (Backcountry Brewing) in Frisco with one of the best amber ales I've had in some time on tap. And, at happy hour pricing, I walked out after two beers and a massive smothered chicken burrito for $20!

Tomorrow, I'm thinking I'll try Arapahoe Basin. This would enable me to put another ski area notch in my belt. We'll see -- I'm a bit intimidated by its bad-ass reputation. If I don't like it, I can always bounce down the road to Keystone and I'll be quite happy! Coolest part is that Keystone's 7 miles from my hotel and A-Basin is only 14!

Shaping up to be a solid trip. We seem to be headed into flirting with some sketchy weather with some rain/frozen mix and wind in the forecast. Hoping it holds for my next three days of adventures. More to come!

-Sean-

A Body in Motion

Wow, is this Winter an improvement over last year. As most of the nation discovered not only what Polar Vortex meant, but how it felt, I specialized in one thing - getting fat. I watched way too much TV, moved way too little, and stopped doing the outdoor things I love. When I could find time to ski, the 3 degree high, coupled with 25mph winds kept me at home on the couch. Many days even my black lab/mutt, Lilly didn't want to go for much of a walk.

But this Winter not only is the weather a bit milder, I also went into the season with a plan. My plan was simple - diversity. Last year the gym was really all I had. This presents two problems - first, I hate gyms. And second, once the New Year's Resolution crowds showed up and the parking lot got choked with snow getting access was all but impossible.

New Blizzard Bonafides

Specialized Crux 'Cross Bike

This year the Epic Pass has allowed me to do some weekly outings to Mt. Brighton. My purchase of a CycleOps Fluid 2 trainer has me riding 3-4 times per week. I've managed to get my Specialized Crux Comp 'cross bike out a couple of times. And, I've been skiing at Caberfae (given our dry December, I had to wait a bit).

All of this has reminded me - a body in motion tends to stay in motion. And a body at rest will remain there. I'm happy to have found a groove and put my body in motion. So far, despite a December markedly bad eating and drinking choices, my weight is "reasonable".

The Road to Nowhere

Yesterday I crossed the next milestone - making a commitment to complete my first-ever Century ride. For the third year, I will be participating in the Susan G. Komen Ride for the Cure in August. Unlike past years where I signed up for a shorter distance and then had a stretch goal of the longer one, this year I will settle for no less than a full Century. I'm riding in memorial of a friend whose life was cut short too soon by this disease. As a side note, I also increased my fundraising goal. So, if you feel compelled to donate to support my effort, you can see my online page and make donations here.

The net result? I'm enjoying this Winter a whole bunch more enjoyable than last.

Initial Review: Blizzard Bonafide Skis

Short Review: Blizzard Bonafides are the best skis I've ever ridden.

If you're getting the idea that this is going to be a positive review, you're dead on. Picked these up at Sun & Snow Sports at the end of the season last year. This really started after how much I love my Volkl RTM 84 rockered skis. I've tended to have one mid-fat (84mm or so) ski and then one larger ski (100mm+) for fresh snow. I was quite happy with my prior Line Prophet 100's. I was generally pretty happy with these skis, though they were clearly primarily a powder ski. Really didn't handle Midwest hardpack all that well, and chattered insanely at speed on the hockey rinks of Michigan, plus turn initation wasn't especially great. My new Bonafides are 2013/2014 models, but the only difference are updated graphics (I prefer mine over this year's).

After a lot of debate, I settled on the Blizzard Bonafides in the 187cm length. I had some concern these would be too long, but also read that most rockered skis tend to ski shorter than their length would suggest. Also, my Volkls are 171's and I really wanted something longer for more stability at speed and in crud. As it turns out, my concerns were unwarranted. Turn initiation is easy and powerful - these are easier to turn than my 181cm Line's. Thank you rocker!

My main impression of these skis after a day at Caberfae Peaks on Saturday is that they're FAST. It's super-easy and comfortable to get up to warp speed on these beasts. And it's not that they're an uber-stiff speed ski, they just seem to encourage you to go fast because they're so smooth and strong. They feel rock solid at speed and cutting through crud. I'm really eager to get them out on some big terrain out West. Not to mention some deep pow!!!

They'll also throw down short radius turns surprisingly well. I got on them pretty hard in some tighter stuff on Saturday and they rocked it out. Easy turn initiation and reasonably tight radius. They're not mogul skis, but I'm no longer a mogul skier.

In reading some online reviews I've most frequently heard them compared to the Volkl Mantra. Most reviews mentioned the Mantra's stiffer tail as better for finishing turns on hardpack. I really didn't find this to be an issue for the Bonafides. Even when I really got on the tails at the exit of a turn there was no sign of wash-out. Perhaps it's just my skiing style, but it really wasn't even noticeable.

In the 30+ years of skiing, these are hands-down the best all-around boards I've been on. I've owned some legends over the years, but nothing that compares to the Blizzard Bonafide. I hesitate to use the term "one ski quiver" but these might just qualify.

-Sean-  

Time Flies

Holy crap - when did I last post? Geez, poor blog's been neglected. On the upside, I was having some pretty awesome outdoor adventures, but time flies! I'll post more on them soon, but here are some highlights from December:

• Three days steelhead fishing in Western NY - including getting a fish on the Niagara River, as well as a personal best record of 7 steelhead landed in a single day (hooked up on 11 total).
  
• My first visit to Lambeau Field for a Green Bay Packers home game. Not your conventional "outdoor" venture, but I was outside and it was cold! And awesome! Packers fans truly are the about the nicest people you could ever meet. As a Yooper (born in Michigan's Upper Peninsula), I reserve the right to cheer both the Lions and Packers, so this was a pretty cool experience!
  
• A week on the Big Island of Hawaii - including a visit to the volcanoes, as well as a day spent sportfishing on a beautiful 43' Merritt boat.
  
• The addition of a new cyclocross bike (and my first dirt road ride).
  
• My first outing on the new Blizzard Bonfide skis. In short - superfriggin' cool

So, uh yeah, been too busy to blog about all this cool stuff. As I said earlier, time flies. Stay tuned.

-Sean-

It's time...

Yesterday, I pulled the trigger on an Epic Pass ski season pass. After skiing Vail & Beaver Creek that past two years and seeing the value you get with this pass, it seemed worthwhile. Add to this Vail's decision to buy Michigan's Mt. Brighton (20 minutes from home for me), and it seems like a no-brainer.

Would I ski Mt. Brighton often enough to warrant a season pass? Nope. It's small, icy, and can get crowded at peak times. But the way I look at it, if I ski four days out West, I basically pay for the pass and get a free pass to a local hill. This Winter I'm committed to doing a better job to maintain my fitness. A couple of hours skiing on a Tuesday night will be a welcome alternative to the gym. Plus I have some local buddies who also have the pass. So, I think we'll be having some "Old Guy Ski Nights" this year!

Last day at Beaver Creek - one of my favorites!

In addition, my goal would be to try and sneak in a couple of trips out West. It's usually pretty economical to score a flight to Denver or Salt Lake, so this seems pretty doable. Again, anything over 4 days and I've paid for the pass and gotten Brighton for free. With the Epic I get unlimited days at Breckenridge and Keystone, plus some blackouts at Utah's Canyons and some Tahoe areas, as well as a total of 10 days to Vail & Beaver Creek. Seems like a solid deal. I prefer Utah, but I've definitely enjoyed Colorado these past two years (3' of snow in 4 days last year!!!).

I also scored on my regular season pass at Caberfae Peaks, in NW Michigan. When I've got a little more time, this gets me some better skiing than staying local. Plus, at $99 early season, it's also a no-brainer.

Already the days are getting shorter, the nights cooler, and just a hint of color has come to the maples in my yard. My new Blizzard Bonafide's and my trusty Volkl RTM 84's are waxed and ready to go.

Soon enough the snowflakes should start flying - looking forward to an outstanding season!

-Sean-

Eurotrash

In the years since I started downhill skiing seriously in High School, I've owned nearly every brand of ski around - K2, Rossignol, Olin (best ski ever from an explosives company), Kastle, Atomic, Fischer, Yamaha (yep, they made skis for a while, too), Line, and probably a few others I can't recall. I remember some great ones (the Olin 930s and Fischer RX9's immediately come to mind), some bad ones (the Atomics - can't recall the model but they flex about as much as a battleship), and some scary ones (K2 VO Slaloms).

Now I've ended up with two brands I've never owned, which is a bit surprising to me - Volkl and Blizzard. I've had the Volkl RTM 84's since late last season and written about them a few times here. Great all-around ski. Solid in all but the deepest powder, great on groomers, and even hold an edge well on ice. At 84mm underfoot, I'd call it a "mid". These are my first rockered skis, and the difference in turn initiation is definitely noticeable. In fact, on my first outing, I actually had to back off as I was overpowering them. My only real issue is the length - at 171cm - is a bit shorter than I think I'd like. At 6'0" and 205 pounds, I'd really like to be on the 176 or even the 181. But I scored a late season BARGAIN and that's all they had. I definitely give up some stability at higher speeds, though I do gain some maneuverability in tight spots.

I've really enjoyed the Volkls over the dozen or so days I've skied them. Which got me to thinking - maybe it's time to replace the fat boys (Line Prophet 100's) with a rockered ski. After all, the rocker trend started with powder boards. I already own a set of Marker bindings that could be readily swapped over. My last day skiing this year, I rode the chairlift with a guy on Blizzard Bonafide's. He'd just gotten them, but was really happy with his choice. On a recent visit to Sun and Snow Sports, I found out that owner Rob Parent is also skiing on these and loves them. I've really come to trust Rob's judgement, so this endorsement means a lot to me. After some dialogue, an end-of-season deal is struck and I'm buying a pair.

Next choice -- how long? Rob's still got most of the sizes in. I'm debating between the 180cm and 187cm. Most of the articles I found online suggest that a typical rockered board skis about 5-10cm shorter than it's traditional cambered equivalent. My Line's were 185cm. In general, I'd say that I liked that length overall, though I could have gone a touch shorter for better control in tighter quarters. Given those factors, I opted for the 187cm. I'm sure they'll be just fine in MI, as I tend to ski more fast, open runs here. Out West, I'm not much for trees, so I think they'll be solid. I don't ski a lot of tight spots out there and I think the added stability will be a benefit for skiing faster, and having more edge should help with mushy, tracked-out powder.

While I've owned a number of skis with European pedigrees, Volkl and Blizzard are two that really haven't been "Americanized" like Rossignol or Atomic. So, I guess I'm Eurotrash now! Time for a one-piece "fartbag" ski suit and a perpetually dangling cigarette.

BTW, the title of this post was intended in a fun, frivolous spirit - it was actually inspired by Cracker's "Eurotrash Girl". I'm just very entertained by the cultural differences when I head out West and encounter Germans and Swiss hiding out over here. Always been nice people and it's always an interesting chairlift ride!

Looking forward to unleashing these monsters next season!

-Sean-