Wizards 50th Birthday

So you actually fall?

I was under the impression that a loss of balance just results in sort of a stepping off. I know when I do wheelies on a bike and go too far, you just step off. It's not like you ride it out until you're flat on your back.

It would explain your trepidation. I've been sitting here like "what's the big deal?"

Quote: Wizard

I'd love to get one of these:

There's no room for a battery of any
good size, you won't be riding for
very long. It looks like it would be
hard on the back and legs.

Quote: Face

So you actually fall?

In a worst case scenario you could fall backwards and hit your head pretty hard on the ground. However, that has never happened to me. I have no logical excuse why I freeze up.

Quote: Face

It would explain your trepidation. I've been sitting here like "what's the big deal?"

Unigeezer does it three different ways.

I am beyond uncoordinated, but I have been skiing for a long time. When I was in my 40's I tried to snowboard and I discovered the face plant (see video around 50 second mark.


I would just face plant over and over and over. People would look at me and just laugh their ass off and say it is the same basic principles as skiing, but I was so bruised up and humiliated.

Ya know, I disagree with those unkind people. There's a HUGE difference between snow skiing and snowboarding, IMO. The balance is very different, and your legs are opposite/sideways. I'm an ok skier, but no luck whatsoever on riding a snowboard.

The only thing worse than repeated face plants are repeated face plants right under the ski lift. Gah.

Quote: beachbumbabs

Ya know, I disagree with those unkind people. There's a HUGE difference between snow skiing and snowboarding, IMO. The balance is very different, and your legs are opposite/sideways. I'm an ok skier, but no luck whatsoever on riding a snowboard.

The only thing worse than repeated face plants are repeated face plants right under the ski lift. Gah.

For real. I've never skied, but it's not hard to envision how severely different it is. You can't move your feet! That's a horrible revelation when you first step in. Even the slightest loss of balance causes your brain to engage foot movement to regain, and you can't do that. It's a whole new mental process you must create. Other than that it's the same, but that "other" is a not insignificant hurdle to overcome.

My advice to Wiz would be the same I did when I started boarding. Just know you're going to fall. My whole first month wasn't boarding practice, it was crash practice. Basically, it was learning how to fall the right way so you don't torque a shoulder or rip a hip out. I'd short hop onto the uni so it kicks out, and just do that over and over. Practice what it feels like, catch yourself over and over. Then far hop to where you go over forwards and catch yourself over and over. You're basically teaching the worry wart in your head that mistakes are containable so it doesn't freak out and try to take control.

It's been the same for me, whether boarding, skating, freestyle motocross, anything that takes physical skill that if done wrong results in injury. Know you're going to f#$% up in the beginning, so practice f#$%ing up safely. F#$% up often so you know where things go wrong. Don't rely on luck to keep you out of the danger zone, actively look for it. Live in it, become it, so you know exactly where it is. Only by knowing can you avoid it, and then the activity becomes fun. Failure is the first step of mastery.

Quote: beachbumbabs

The only thing worse than repeated face plants are repeated face plants right under the ski lift. Gah.

Try being a 40 year old man and coming up from a face plant to look at Cookie Monster (that's how easy the trail was).

I skied once, broke my arm. Last time
I ever did anything with snow except
shovel it.

You already went further than this last time Wizard, easily under 8 hours. I think you need to try the century.

As for the assist, I can understand the trepidation. It is hard to do, even under flat and wide conditions. Having to mount on a hill or at a crosswalk with traffic is tough. How about a telescopic walking stick that you could whip out of your backpack when needed, then put away once you were underway?

Quote: Ayecarumba

You already went further than this last time Wizard, easily under 8 hours. I think you need to try the century.

I don't think a century is in the cards unless I fall upon enough money to retire.

Quote:

As for the assist, I can understand the trepidation. It is hard to do, even under flat and wide conditions. Having to mount on a hill or at a crosswalk with traffic is tough. How about a telescopic walking stick that you could whip out of your backpack when needed, then put away once you were underway?

I've thought about that. I have telescoping walking sticks, but they aren't long enough. I should try with some pool cues or something, just to see what would happen. Still, I'm mad at myself that I am having so much trouble after a year of trying. This anger just feeds on itself and it what keeps me from success. Its a vicious circle.



Note how the guy in this video does it, using a can tied to a stick (starting at the 0:44 point).