Jumping Journal: February 02, 2006

Day 31.  Finally.  After taking the crash on the 50 back on Saturday I have taken the last several days off.  Actually, I was seriously considering taking tonight off as well since my behind is black and blue and still hurts, especially when in the car or in bed(strange thing is that the best way to ease the pain in the butt is to stretch it, err get into a inrun position.  That relieves the pain the quickest of anything).

 

I spent Monday evening watching/videoing a couple of the kids jumping the 50.  Rather strange watching someone jump instead of being their jumping with them.  Tuesday evening Cannonball, Dan, Esky and I spent the evening doing hill work on the 50.  Fresh, wet, heavy snow had fallen overnight and some during the early part of the day and combine that with a few different ideas that Cannonball brought back from US Masters, we spent the whole evening working on the hill.  Toward the end of the evening more wet snow was falling.  Wet snow is not very common around this part of the country.  When I used to live in Ohio wet snow was expected out of every storm, here in New Hampshire it is quite rare to get decent packing snow.  Wednesday evening I watched/videoed the high school that was held on the Andover 38.

 

Tonight I was really questioning whether I should jump or not.  I wanted to but knew that one crash right now on my behind would probably send me packing for several weeks.  I also knew that the weather forecast for tonight into tomorrow is for more rain.  Temps are suppose to be in the 40s the next two days and as Esky said tonight, this is about the best conditions that will be seen until at least mid week next week.  I said the heck with it and decided to put on the ski bibs and take some jumps.

 

The first jump was a total shocker.  I came down the inrun and about the time I got into the transition the speed picked up quite dramatically.  I was totally caught off guard.  The last time I dealt with this situation it was man-made conditions this was natural.  Last time I ended up AODing on the 40 at Vermont Academy.  This time I ended up frozen unable to do much of anything.  It was probably the second worst jump of the year on the 50.  My mind was sure making me try to go down on my butt, as usual right after the transition.  It didn't work though.

 

I went up for the second jump.  It went much better but still not a very good jump in terms of quality or distance.  Third, fourth, fifth and sixth jumps were pretty much the same way.  I was trying a couple of different things tonight and the verdict is still out as to whether or not it was actually working the way I wanted it to or not.  I will have to try to get some video taken of me while jumping on the 25.  It's a lot easier to get decent video on the 25 versus on the 50.

 

Now to wait on Mother Nature to see when I'll be out next.

 

Crash