EXIT 46: January 2nd Is Looking Incredible

Wesley Tucker · Post by **Wesley Tucker** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:23 pm

Hey, Y'all,

This Sunday IS ON. It's looking incredible all weekend. Today is Thursday the forecast for Sunday is 70s and sunny. What more could we ask for?

Same as last week: Start time is NOON. Bring brooms. I'll bring cones and whatever else is needed.

I hope Ga. Tom can make and maybe 66 wants to sneak out of the house after a full day of New Year's celebration?

Marion Karr · Post by **Marion Karr** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 4:26 am

Wesley,
I am definite! The weather is going to be incredible. I had 4 wisdom teeth taken out this afternoon but that won't stop me from coming down. I am stoked.

Long range forcast so far looks good for the 15th here.

See you on Sunday. I will bring the broom and the leaf blower.

Marion Karr · Post by **Marion Karr** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 11:42 pm

Wesley,
Dude, the weather for tomorrow looks absolutely absurd. I am looking at the calendar going what the heck? I have been busting my ass all day doing chores so I can go tomorrow. Can't wait to get to Exit 46. I won't crank up the leaf blower until you get there if I am there first. I am not sure about hunting on Sundays and I would hate to piss off the hunters by running a motor near their stuff....but heck, it can't be any louder than the freaking interstate.

Talk to you tomorrow.

Wesley Tucker · Post by **Wesley Tucker** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 1:10 pm

It's 7:15 AM and I have some bad news, guys: it looks like the high is only going to be 69º instead of 73.

Oh, well. Bring a sweater and some long johns.

See y'all on the hill.

Wesley Tucker · Post by **Wesley Tucker** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 3:51 am

Yes, Marion "North Carolina Longboarder" Karr skates, has a groove on and is stoked on slalom. Our session today at Exit 46 was very cool, although it was about close to being hot. When NCL started slather his shaved head with sun screen, I got concerned. Personally, I always found January sun impossible to burn me, but he seemed to think it was sunny and hot enough to warrant such efforts. Hey, dude, whatever is cool with you is cool with me!

We skated pretty steady for about three hours in 75-degree weather with a cloud now and then. I got there an hour before NCL and had the course ready and I was trying to find a line I could live with. Hey, 66, thought you'd like to know my hill is back to "normal": I think the lumber trucks are done and the street was clean as I've ever known it. Although it was still a little "stained" from red clay, the asphalt was dirt, tree bark and sand free. Marion and I both brought brooms and a blower, but all were unnecessary. All I had to do was set the course, chalk it and we were good to skate.

I set a pretty mild offset hybrid at a steady 6-foot spacing with a long straight stinger at the end. 50 cones made for a good workout. I kept it simple but not too easy as Marion is just learning. He had never run 6-foot spacing before. By the end of the day he was running 20-25 cones clean. Neither of us ever did run all 50 clean. He's a novice and I suck. But we're both getting a little better. By the 3:00 I felt like I had found a better groove and was starting to push a little. Unfortunately, by 3:00 I had been skating since 11:00 and was pretty well whipped in the mild heat. We gave it up and packed it in.

I think Marion was mildly surprised he did a little better than he thought he would. All he had ridden previously was some wide open longboard slalom with cones at 15-feet or more, so seeing something close to a hybrid was a little intimidating. After a little work, though, he did start finding a groove and began to see what it takes to get a line through a course. We worked a little on his stance (yes, I know how to ride nonparallel and no, I didn't teach him to do it.) He does, though, ride classic wide open surf stance and it took a few trip for him to see the advantages of getting that back foot pointed a little more forward. Most of his early cone hits were from that outrigger foot he had sticking off the side of the board! It works great for cruising and sliding, but is kind of a drag (literally) getting through six foot cones.

Me? I'm just trying to get my skate legs back and feel comfortable again at speed. Like I told Marion, the best way to skate better is to SKATE MORE. So I'm skating more. I really want to get back to that point in my riding where the simple stuff (pushing, coasting, turning, braking, etc.) is just instinctual without thinking about it. That's been lost in the past year or so and I need to really push getting it back. Sessions like today are the best therapy.

We're going to crash Statesville, North Carolina January 15 with the locals up there. NCL and I decided that (weather permitting) our next Exit 46 session will be January 30. We both agreed on a simple rule this winter: the EXPECTED FORECAST HIGH MUST BE AT LEAST 50 DEGREES! We'll fudge a little depending on the wind and such, but highs in the mid-30s or below ain't cutting it. Like I said, there is a reason we live in the South!

Dave Gale · Post by **Dave Gale** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 12:50 pm

Wesley ..it was grand talking to you on the "course" I could hear Marion's stoke via phone and can't wait to hook up on the 15th Lenny and I both need some cone runnin' partners!! But this 50* limit seems to be a bit off the mark of 35* you spoke of!!!
Se e ya' soon!
Enjoy,
Dave G

Marion Karr · Post by **Marion Karr** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 4:00 pm

Dudes,
Ok, its official...I totally suck...but heck, I expected that. It was an awesome day and the weather was absolutlely incredible.

Wesley, thanks for the lessons yesterday. I felt good about what we accomplished.
I know what I got to work on and by the time the crew gets here on the 15th I will be a little better I hope. Also, thanks for the great write up about our session.

Thanks again for a great day!

Dave G, Thanks for calling while we were at the session. That was hilarious.

The only negative, was man I look fat in those pics. My winter injuries are showing more than I thought...that's cool. Got to drop 20 but I will be at my fighting weight real soon...especially since I can't eat because of these freakin dry sockets from my wisdom teeth removal last Thursday. Hammering down Slimfast and eating yogurt for energy sucked. Man, I need some solid food!

Wesley, it was great to finally hook up. I am stoked about slalom and this was a great opportunity to ride and learn. Thank you.

See you all on the 15th here in Statesville. DownHill Billlies Rock!

Lenny, Dave G, you are hooked up at the house. I can take two more if you bring 'em.

Talk to you guys!

Wesley, you are the coolest. Thanks.

Brian Parsons · Post by **Brian Parsons** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 6:58 pm

WT, you should be ashamed of yourself. You had that big hill and you still put those cones in a straight line. Open that $%^# up and use that hill. NCL is a newbie and you make him skate that wimpy straight stuff. Come on. Where are the offsets, where are the off center, flowing, carving fast turns.

I am starting a new campaign that no cones can be in a straight line and all offsets have to be at a very minimum 3-6ft off the fall line. Lets put the power pump back into slalom and put this wiggle crap behind us.

Sheesh……

Wesley Tucker · Post by **Wesley Tucker** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 7:03 pm

Man, I am stoked!

Brian Parsons has volunteered to come all the way from Leesburg, VA to Exit 46 for our January 30th session and set the course!

That is so magnanimous of you, dude! All I can say is it'll be a pleasure to take care of the BBQ . . . and I'll even bring the cones!

Brian Parsons · Post by **Brian Parsons** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 7:15 pm

All I am saying is that you should be less consevative and think more left handed about course setting.....damn....I sound just like Slappy and LBK....maybe straight cones are OK....

Dude, if I can get a pass I am there.

I already made family plans for the 15th or I would be at the NC thing.

Wesley Tucker · Post by **Wesley Tucker** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 7:25 pm

Brian,

I was yankin' yer chain. Personally, what I hope is that we can session on this hill at least once a month and just jam through some cones. I would no more expect someone from NoVa or MD to head this way than I'd expect me to head up on a Thursday for a session at Walker. The only difference is I have to drive two hours to find a decent hill!

It is, though, a wide open session. Anyone and everyone is welcome to come. 66 and Marion both will attest to the fact that we got so much hill at this location we can set TWO 50 cones courses, one behind the other and still have plenty of run out for both.

Personally, I still think that straight cones with mild offsets is the best way to "figure out" what slalom is all about, which was Marion's goal yesterday. I just wanted to skate on a hill get all the stiffness out of my legs. Wiggling does that better than anything!

Oh, one last thing I forgot to mention last night. I got to the hill at 11:00 AM and left about 3:00. NCL was there at noon. NOT ONE SINGLE CAR. We had the street to ourselves. And as I've mentioned many times before, that's pretty much the way it will be til next fall when Deer Season opens. All that asphalt, no cars, a half mile of runout. What more could anyone ask?

Yeah, I know: maybe a bathroom and a McDonald's up on the corner, but hey, take it where you can find it!

Marion Karr · Post by **Marion Karr** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 8:11 pm

There's a Wendy's/Stuckey's/Truck Stop one exit up! Man, that place was popular...it's 2 miles from the hill.

Wesley Tucker · Post by **Wesley Tucker** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 10:03 pm

Brian Parsons wrote:Dude, if I can get a pass I am there.

Tell me, what is this "pass" of which you speak? Why have I not heard of it? Where do I apply so as to assure that I have a "pass?"

Funny. I never hear Slappy or Gilmour speak of a "pass" to go skateboarding. For some strange reason, though, of which I am not aware, it seems BP, 66, Tway, TK and now NCL with others among us who crave downhill speed are always seeking some sort of sign off and approval for their itinerary.

I've also noted from time to time that Vlad NEVER gets a pass but he skates anyway.

There is much I have yet to learn.

Join the ISSA 25 cone series. One cyber race every second month!

Regular sessions allow newbies to join our community and discover slalom racing.