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

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Andy Bittner

Hey, Jack... The answer is: Keep watching this site and keep showing up. People set up get togethers and practice sessions fairly regularly and occasional some of those are even up here at the Park and Ride lot.

Andy Bittner

Yeah, Slappy. I got an education like that one day. Back when I was a chauffeur we'd park at Gravelly Point or Roaches Run, waiting to service National Airport. I'd run up the parkway to use the bathrooms at the Marina. Eventually, I decided it was as good a place to park as either of the other two,...

Andy Bittner

Jack,

What else is there?

Yes, it's all slalom... longboard and regular.

Andy Bittner

The trailer was more exciting than the actual story. There was no specific raising of the issue of construction material. It was more like "Skateparks... Gee, aren't there a lot of them? Kids sure are lucky."

Andy Bittner

6:36 pm, Friday, June 25, 2004: If you're online and near a tv in the DC area. Channel 4 News is about to do something down at the Vans Park, and the teaser made specific mention of "concrete" as part of the issue.

Andy Bittner

"advocating wearing pads is just so square." Not the wearing of them, but the ADVOCATING of wearing them; that's what's square. Advocating the wearing of pads is square because, from the perspective of anyone wanting to continue to see himself as young and cool, the advocating of wearing pads is a d...

Andy Bittner

just a suggestion...

it might be wiser to re-schedule this race much later in the summer, giving everyone a fairer chance of making it. we're going to be racing again on the regular schedule in just a few weeks anyway.

Andy Bittner

I'm planning on being there, although I don't have a timer.

Also... I have a non-slalom friend who is planning a late Saturday afternoon trip to the new skatepark in Frederick, MD; just about a half-hour up I-270 from the Park and Race.

Andy Bittner

Hey! I hadn't been paying attention to this forum, but notice that I am listed amongst the writing staff for this recent edition of Slalom!. Although I had no idea that I was involved in this, please consider me completely willing, able and eager to be involved. I also have a sizable collection of s...

Andy Bittner

John, You really should've been coming to The Gatherings all along, and your comments reveal that you've definitely missed more than you've made. There is racing at The Gatherings and there always has been. At the same time, I never wanted The Gathering to be perceived as "a race", particularly not ...

Andy Bittner

Claude Regnier... experienced athletic coach and dedicated slalomer

Andy Bittner

This is a very interesting conversation, as so many fair and reasonable points of view are being given. Having been present and working with Jack in the days leading up to the '02 Worlds, it's clear to me that it costs (at least in the US) significant money to mount events of that scale, and I've al...

Andy Bittner

Anthony, et al., As of 8 a.m., we are still 99% wet pavement. There is no more rain anywhere in the area, per the Weather.com radar loop. It is quite breezy and I am watching the pavement just starting to dry in my parking lot (I live 1 mile from The Gathering Site). This makes for the third wet Sun...

Andy Bittner

Leo... It absolutely will not be the same without you there, and it's more of a shame, because I plan on not being as busy this year. We might've actually skated together. Everyone Else... The Pheasant Run Area at Seneca Creek State Park will take some sweeping before it is skateable in the morning....

Andy Bittner

Noah, Curious to know whether your friend who was checking out the P&R course, might've been in a flatbed tow truck. There was a flatbed tow truck idling in the lot when I pulled in. If that was your friend, then the person he saw was me, and I wasn't riding. I did stop by to check out Ohm's "twist"...

Andy Bittner

Went and looked at the Friday night course, which isn't all that twisted. However, a bigger twist may be the fact that the light sensors on some of the overhead parking lot lighting seem to be failing, which is causing several of the lamps over the course to cycle on and off fairly quickly.

Andy Bittner

Well, Wesley, that's a great deal, and that should be the finest 3-star Marriott you'll ever stay in, considering it sits just off the campus of Marriott International's Worldwide Corporate Headquarters and probably less than a quarter-mile from Bill Marriott's office. I'll be curious to hear.

Andy Bittner

So, as long as I put my C-62s back on, both of my present, normal set-ups will do. That's convenient.

Ick w/ wedged Mids

Quicksilver w/ Gullwings

Andy Bittner

Attempting to skate at Seneca Creek on Friday would involve skating in unrented, private picnic areas, which WILL be a problem with the park. Last year, I rented The Gathering Site on Friday for a workday, setting up for the coming event, pre-setting courses, etc. I made the mistake of publicizing t...

Andy Bittner

Seth, I'm not entirely certain what you're asking. I think you're asking whether the whole weekend ties together in an "overall" competition? It never really has in the past, but I'm not sure what Brian is planning for this year. From my perspective, when I held The (1st) Gathering: Spring Super Ses...

Andy Bittner

Kevin, I need to talk to Brian tonight, to be certain what is happening. I believe that Saturday morning will still be set aside for Juniors, and to be clear... at least from where I stand, when I said Juniors, I meant juniors, not necessarily beginners, particularly if they are adult beginners. I'd...

Andy Bittner

Vlad, I could be wrong, but something tells me that experience from last year's DCDC slalom might prove valuable. You were there, weren't you?That 15th St hill is definitely one of the pitchier slalom hills I've ever seen raced, and might be nearly as steep as Bicknell. I looked at Bicknell the last...

Andy Bittner

Get 'em, Vlad!

Andy Bittner

John, If it's a matter of trying out the pro course and being able to know where one might stand if moving up to the Pro level, that's one of the benefits to the occasional Open-type event. Of course, I'm talking about Open the way the rest of the sporting world tends to define it, not as being amat...

Andy Bittner

Corky, I understand and didn't mean the discussion shouldn't continue. I think you made some very interesting points. ...this issue of wanting to select Pro and Am class depending on disciplines are only touching a very few. Most feel comfortable either in Pro or Am for all disciplines. This seems e...

Andy Bittner

While duly noting that a significant majority of those responding to the poll have indicated an opinion that this moving back and forth between Am and Pro classes in the same event shouldn't be permitted at all.

Andy Bittner

Thanks, Jack. I knew someone would come up with some information on the earliest, formative days of slalom skateboarding in California. In fact, if I'd thought about it, I probably could've guessed it'd be you. For me the '65 Worlds and the '75 Del Mar are old news, but I'm not sure when or if I've ...

Andy Bittner

Eddy, That's really a very huge question and the answers would depend largely on who you heard them from. Obviously, the word slalom applies to a wide variety of completely dissimilar disciplines (skiing, skateboarding, water-skiing, automobiles, motorcycles, inline skates, soccer ball kicking, foot...

Andy Bittner

Corky, I think I understand your point, and I stand corrected as the dictionaries do include the more nebulous definitions for the words in question, usually last. I must admit though, the first thing I do is eliminate definitions that use a derivation of the word in question as part of the definiti...

Andy Bittner

Corky, I don't think the shortcomings are because their is no perfect system, necessarily, and I don't think it all boils down to what we "think" about professionalism as a skill level or choice. This word, "professional" is clearly defined in any number of English language dictionaries as well as t...

Andy Bittner

Will J... I don't know you, dude, but I like the way you think. You seem to be a hard-nosed, hardcore, no BS purist... right on! And whoever the person is that Jani quoted, "Oh, that course is too hard for me. Although I signed up as a Pro, I'll do better in the amateur course", should be eternally ...

Andy Bittner

Christopher, All of the advice you've been given is good. There is also a city-built (typical ramps and other features) skatepark in Gaithersburg, less than 2 miles from The Gathering site, and an even better ramp park (Ramptech-built) in Rockville, the next city south of Gaithersburg. Clearly these...

Andy Bittner

Alright, Tway... you beat on curling, but picked up the semi-obscure (at least in these parts) golf reference. ...and while we're at it, let's contact all of the major English language dictionaries to inform them that we're re-defining the words "professional" and "amateur" to mean "good" and "someh...

Andy Bittner

I know I'm often the odd man out on things like this, and at the same time I'm going to try to bring this topic back on subject. I think that we should stop trying to re-write the definitions of the words "Pro" (or "Professional") and "Amateur". An Amateur is a person who prefers, for any reason, to...

Andy Bittner

Besides... everytime I think of guys in black leather, my mind recalls the day I was told that Rob Halford is gay.

Andy Bittner

It's been decided Brittany. Please note the large, bold, black type a few posts up from here.

Andy Bittner

Don't be too hard on the locals, Christopher. Brian asked for opinions from everyone and we're getting them. While I have had to abdicate "the last word" on this event to Brian, I can assure you that everyone's opinion will get the appropriate weight and travel considerations and long distance sched...

Andy Bittner

I left just as the dual slalom was starting. If there'd been an opportunity to bet and I'd been a betting man, I would've had my money on the Russian. He's so thin, he seems to slice cleanly through the uphill wind.

Andy Bittner

The junior program is for ages 15 and under. Only juniors may participate in the junior programs. The rest of the activities will be for anyone who wants to be involved, including juniors. As for the number attending, based on previous years, I'd expect between 50 and 70 people, not all of whom will...

Andy Bittner

Well, Rick, we may hear from BoBo again, but I'm fairly certain we won't be hearing from QuadGal. I think she's already lost somewhere in BoBo's past. Also, for what it's worth, joking about the RI nightclub fire could be seen as being in pretty poor taste, considering that a.) BoBo wasn't even ther...

Andy Bittner

Jack, It is not out of the question that there could be a juniors-only race on Sunday, but with a significant portion of Saturday given to the juniors, a junior race on Sunday will not be of the highest priority. Weather, time and mass opinion will all be factors.

Andy Bittner

At this point, unless we find spare space and a very spare moment, I have no plans for mounting a cyber-slalom type race. We were very glad to host the Ncdsa.com Cyber Slalom Cup for two years, but even then, running on flat, with all those hills around, became a drag and seemed to use up time bette...

Andy Bittner

May 1 and 2 is set in stone. What is not set in stone is the location for Saturday. I am still working on buying the Cardinal area away from the people who are renting it.

Andy Bittner

I'll try to get the registration for T4G on the Contest Calendar on Tuesday, because... the best planned lays of mice and men oft go astray.

Andy Bittner

Good morning! Yes, Aaron, I will be putting The 4th Gathering on the Contest Calendar on Ncdsa.com. In fact, if the rest of today goes as planned, it'll be up there today. Hunter, The 4th Gathering is at Seneca Creek State Park, and has tradtionally been held in the Cardinal Picnic Area. However, fo...

Andy Bittner

Yeah, Dan, this probably should be posted under Sessions, but since you asked here, I'll answer here. Saturday's out for me. Saturday's are always harder for me, as I have a long term volunteer commitment to which I've promised two Saturdays a month. Sunday's supposed to be even nicer than Saturday,...

Andy Bittner

I'm going to be riding somewhere on Sunday. It may be with you guys, it may be up here in the Park and Ride or I may decide to go out to one of my private spots to train alone. (I never actually seem to do any training when I'm with a group) However, one way or another, I'm gonna be out there somewh...

Andy Bittner

It's too early for crickets. I did just hear a coyote howling though.

Andy Bittner

Past... Skoldberg vs Hutson (La Costa '01) I was a little medicated, but I think I recall this match-up as the finals of the B Class.

Future... GBJ vs BoBo (for cash)

Andy Bittner

Anthony, I'm so glad there is some agreement here. I was really afraid that I was going to come off as a "wet blanket" again. I'd like to make a very subtle distinction in the message though. In fact, if someone is going to tow from a moving vehicle, the best place to be towing from is the rear bump...

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

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

Search found 392 matches

Washington Marina

As Opposed To What?

In The News - June 25, 2004

Suggestion

...and that's news to me.

The Gatherings: The Concept

Coaches...

All Things To All People

Sunday Weather

Them That Was and The One That Will Be

Spies and Flies (on the wall)

Marriott at Marriott

nothing like a Classic

Seneca on Friday

Points...

Juniors

plunging fall lines

Blitz

Poll?

History!

Right On!

Skateparks in and around Gaithersburg, MD

Pro or Am

Opinions...

Virtual Slalom

Sorry, guyz

The 4th Gathering... Location and Notice

seasons...

History!