tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:03:49 +0000News and commentary on snowboarding from a middle-aged guy in the Midwest who thinks that riding is too much fun to be left to the kids. See more on this topic at www.graysontrays.comhttp://graysontrays.com/blog/noreply@blogger.com (PolicyGuy)Blogger479125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-183583974388221747Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:19:00 +00002009-06-17T18:34:19.444-05:00resort businessIf you expected traffic to ski areas to be down this season, you'd be right. According to an AP story published on the site of KOB-TV, New Mexico, there were 57.1 million "skier visits" across the country, a year-to-year decline of 5.5 percent. (The 2007-08 had seen a record turnout of 60.5 million.) Coincidentally, traffic to all Colorado resorts dropped a total of 5.5 percent. (Technical note: http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/06/so-how-much-did-recession-hurt-ski.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-1192281597879602908Wed, 17 Jun 2009 03:04:00 +00002009-06-17T09:23:47.387-05:00snowboarding statisticsWriting at Transworld Business, Mike Lewis talks about trends in snowboarding and skiing--how many people participate, why, and what the ski and snowboard industry is doing to keep them going back for more.It's a long article, so I'll just highlight a few statistics.- Nearly 3 in 4 snowboarders are boys or men. No surprise there, if you look at your local hill.- Historically, only 15 percent of http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/06/who-starts-snowboarding-who-stops-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-2332403511413873073Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:18:00 +00002009-06-15T21:38:10.904-05:00snowboard bindingsI like Flow bindings, so I was disappointed to see they've gone "bling bling."Behold, bindings with 24k gold.Ridiculous.http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/06/bling-bling-no-thanks.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GraysOnTrays)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-7712524562059349373Thu, 11 Jun 2009 01:16:00 +00002009-06-10T22:24:53.782-05:00snowboarding cultureHang out in the snowboarding world long enough and you may encounter complaints about a particular snowboarder or snowboarding company "selling out." You will also hear talk about people who are "hard core" or simply "core," people who may be the salvation -- or curse -- of snowboarding.I'm an amateur sociologist, and even took a couple of graduate-level courses. So please bear with me if it http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/06/who-is-core-whats-wrong-with.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GraysOnTrays)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-6902644668791349375Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:03:00 +00002009-06-06T06:34:38.192-05:00skiing v. ridingattitudeCall me crazy, but I think that the opportunities offered by snowboarding, skiing, and other wintertime activities are too enjoyable to worry about how other people enjoy them.Even as we wind down snowboarding's third decade, the alleged feud between skiers and snowboarders still gets press. (Sometimes the attitudes are in fact not friendly; witness some online discussions when Taos Ski area http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/06/too-little-time-to-hate.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GraysOnTrays)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-155124007777137956Sun, 31 May 2009 18:46:00 +00002009-05-31T13:56:59.557-05:00Jesus said "unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3). Some people might say that snowboarding is heavenly, and there are certainly some comparisons between learning to ride and being like a toddler.First, consider the act of getting to stand up when your feet are locked into the bindings. It's awkward, isn't it? It http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/05/toddling-times.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GraysOnTrays)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-6819718544616016404Fri, 29 May 2009 03:10:00 +00002009-06-03T21:08:59.479-05:00A-basinOnce again a few us got together at Arapahoe Basin. It was a great time of snowboarding, sharing meals, and just hanging out, with some older riders. Even resorts elsewhere close for the season in March or April, A-Basin keeps going into June. Our gathering this year was May 13 and 14.(Yes, you can go snowboarding in May!)DEALING WITH THE ALTITUDEThis was my third visit to Summit County, and my http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/05/last-gasp-2.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GraysOnTrays)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-4506139444434132828Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:31:00 +00002009-05-05T22:29:12.501-05:00Midwestern snowboardingSome ski areas are owned and run by big companies (think Vail Resort) or enterprises that can boast of world-class terrain (think of the Aspen Ski Company). Then there are the industrialists who have a ski business on the side. The March/April 2009 edition of Enterprise Minnesota (article not online) has a one-page write-up of Vern Anderson and Paul Anderson, who are the brothers behind Andes http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/04/skiing-and-riding-on-plains.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GraysOnTrays)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-9134429031003221563Sun, 05 Apr 2009 18:35:00 +00002009-06-03T21:00:18.966-05:00As I looked out my kitchen window this morning, I saw an unusual sight: 3 inches of new snow. Had this happened a month ago, I would have been happy. Now I'm simply annoyed.Why? While the season for snowboarding and skiing continues in some places in the Rockies, here in the Midwest it's all but over, with only one or two areas still open. The nearest one is 4-5 hours away. Any place within a http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/04/its-snow-good.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GraysOnTrays)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-4337361798211025140Sat, 04 Apr 2009 14:47:00 +00002009-04-04T21:18:04.239-05:00NASJAGo to a convention and you'll probably come home with a bag of swag: Product samples, t-shirts with vendor logos, mouse pads, what have you. My recent convention to Lutsen, Minn. for the annual meeting of the North American Snowsports Journalists Association was no different.Whoever put the swag bag together did a good job of assembling a collection of items that not only have some homestyle http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/04/look-at-minnesota-and-north-shore.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GraysOnTrays)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-8005005778874916624Thu, 02 Apr 2009 02:09:00 +00002009-04-01T22:00:00.992-05:00snomobilesNASJAI'm still playing around with statistics related to snowmobile ownership. Here's another stat:States with the least room for snowmobiles1. New Hampshire2. Michigan3. Wisconsin4. Vermont5. MinnesotaAccording to this ranking, snowmobiling is more "dense" in New Hampshire than in any other state. That is, it puts a large number of snowmobiles in a relatively small space.If you adjust for population http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/04/nasja-2-density-of-snowmobile.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GraysOnTrays)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-3828232953347093091Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:50:00 +00002009-03-31T12:52:33.673-05:00NASJAI've already written about my morning on the second day of the NASJA convention, when I tried my hand at mushing a dog sled team. (For the record, I didn't say "mush!")In the afternoon I opted for an activity that was more familiar, and which required less effort on my part: snowmobiling.I will have some comments on the short expedition lately, but for now, here are some interesting facts about http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/03/nasja-day-2-snowmobile-ownership.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GraysOnTrays)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-810263754689415862Tue, 31 Mar 2009 02:38:00 +00002009-03-30T21:52:08.559-05:00My least favorite season of the year? Spring. The opening of the flowers? The woods coming to life? Meh. All I know is that spring has the cold of winter but none of the fun of snow. On a totally subjective note, I've decided that the most useless weather happens when the daily high is between 34 and 60F. In that range, it's too cold to (pleasantly) play a round of golf or ride a bike. And unlesshttp://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/03/i-hate-spring.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GraysOnTrays)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-5559185623985341592Sun, 29 Mar 2009 20:33:00 +00002009-06-03T20:59:13.399-05:00NASJADuring my previous two trips to the NASJA national convention, I skipped the optional, off-the-mountain activities. I expected that I wouldn't be returning to the particular venues (Crested Butte and three New Hampshire resorts) anytime soon, and I preferred to experience as much of the mountain as possible.But when the group of ski/snowboard writers and photographers decided to hold this year's http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/03/snowboarder-goes-to-dogs.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-2574531301995731293Sun, 29 Mar 2009 00:10:00 +00002009-03-28T20:40:31.005-05:00NASJALutsenMidwestern snowboardingBeing a Midwesterner, I've wondered how my fellow journalists would respond to their trip to Lutsen Mountain. Here are excerpts of what I found so far:Lutsen Mountains … a Midwest gemDan CassidyMaine TodayOne thing you won’t get at Lutsen is altitude sickness. No, that won’t happen here. However, you’ll ski more relaxed. The lifts are a little on the slow side. They’re the older two seats with a http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/03/others-speak-on-nasja-convention-at.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-2162639286378074714Sat, 28 Mar 2009 21:06:00 +00002009-03-28T16:24:02.474-05:00LutsenMidwestern snowboardingThe New York Times ran a review of Lutsen Mountains, where I spent a few days last week.It overstates the amount of vertical by about 100 feet, but offers the interesting fact that the gondola ride is a mile long. (Given the previous misstatement, I wonder if that's correct). The gondola is a nifty novelty for the Midwest, but it's fairly slow; don't plan on using it to make laps."Runs at the http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/03/ny-times-reviews-lutsen.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-5147992149512569160Sat, 28 Mar 2009 19:40:00 +00002009-03-28T15:14:15.086-05:00Midwestern snowboardingIn pursuit of a different topic, I came across an interesting discussion on the site EpicSki.com, titled "Why do we ski in the Midwest?" It's a great question for anyone who skis or rides. I'm not one of those riders who gets insulted when someone asks "Did you go skiing this weekend?" So when you read "ski," read it to include "snowboarding" as well.Here are some of the answers that people http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/03/why-midwestern-skiing-and-snowboarding.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-8474453447972125126Sat, 21 Mar 2009 03:05:00 +00002009-03-20T22:25:54.497-05:00NASJAWhile I'm spending a few days in Lutsen, Minnesota, with a bunch of ski writers and ski industry people, today I participated in two activities that have little to do with lift-served skiing or snowboarding.In the morning, I went to a dog-mushing expedition. In the afternoon, I participated in a 25-mile snowmobile ride.I'll have more about each activity later.http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/03/nasja-day-2-off-hill.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (GraysOnTrays)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-133804182087483137Fri, 20 Mar 2009 10:54:00 +00002009-06-03T20:55:28.845-05:00NASJAWhen I was out on the mountains yesterday, several skiers said to me, as we were going through the flats, "That's why I'm not on a snowboard."Yesterday I wrote about how snowboarders need to plan their routes carefully, to avoid extended flats. Yet I forgot to mention one other elements of the flats: Encountering one isn't going to ruin your day. Depending on your fitness level and experience http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/03/nasja-day-2-walking-riding-skiing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-7731291715038814071Fri, 20 Mar 2009 02:33:00 +00002009-03-19T22:09:30.793-05:00NASJAHere on the Minnesota north shore, I've been told that three decades ago you couldn't give away property. But now it's pricey real estate.So I asked my hostess for the evening, what changed? It's not as though the physical qualities of the land have changed much.There were several factors that could be at work:- Increased population in the state (more potential buyers)- Increased marketing http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/03/nasja-day-1-wealth-and-recreation.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-2070058673399778077Thu, 19 Mar 2009 22:23:00 +00002009-03-19T17:58:32.188-05:00NASJALutsenToday I spent the day on the four mountains at Lutsen Mountains. It was a blast, but it reminded me that when you're on a snowboard, you sometimes have to plan ahead. After all, most ski areas have, well, portions of their terrain that are best suited for skis.We started out descending from the Caribou Highlands (where many people picked up their skis) to the Bridge lift, which took us up to the http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/03/nasja-day-1-snowboarders-plan-ahead-at.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-5802951784204278323Thu, 19 Mar 2009 21:51:00 +00002009-03-19T17:14:18.573-05:00NASJAeconomics of winter sportsToday I had two more experiences that relate capitalism (commerce, business, free enterprise, if you will) and winter sports. First, I had several conversations about the development of Snowmass, which is perhaps my favorite mountain to ski or ride at. Snowmass is one of four mountains owned and run by the Aspen Ski Company. The SkiCo is, as far as I know, an enterprise that hopes to make a http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/03/nasja-day-1-capitalism-continued.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-272775153983639871Thu, 19 Mar 2009 02:55:00 +00002009-03-19T07:27:37.521-05:00NASJAeconomics of winter sportsIf you listen to some skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts, business sucks the soul out of their sports. But at last night's reception at the annual NASJA meeting, I was reminded that business--the organized, disciplined pursuit of an activity organized with the aim of making a profit--is key to our sports.For example, I talked with Art Bowles, who, if memory serves, oversaw the installation of http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/03/nasja-day-0-capitalism-and-life-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-4013131522573459328Wed, 18 Mar 2009 22:43:00 +00002009-03-18T17:49:46.420-05:00NASJAI'm sitting in my lodge room at the 2009 edition of the NASJA annual meeting. This is my third annual meeting, and I'm looking forward to, as always, learning something new about snow sports and snow sports journalism.What are "snow sports?" Obviously, activities that happen in the snow. Downhill skiing is the most obvious example. But there's more than way to enjoy the snow. There's also http://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/03/nasja-day-0-variety-of-snow-sports.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9360825.post-7466046781734522838Sun, 15 Mar 2009 20:14:00 +00002009-03-15T15:31:54.885-05:00NASTARYesterday I took part in another NASTAR day. It was a good illustration of the law of demand, which says that for most goods and services, demand goes up as price goes down. I've raced a total of four days this season. Here's the number of racers who participated on the same day as me, prior to yesterday: 39, 20, 21. How many people raced yesterday? 50.What was different about yesterday that madehttp://graysontrays.com/blog/2009/03/nastar-event-illustrates-laws-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John)0