kinda off topic a little but right on Rene, at Avila i had to send Kim to the truck to fetch my old Vans i wore at La Costa! the new shoes i wore looked just like yours from foot braking at Avila after about 4 runs! my old vans are still together. I got a deal on some Osirus from the MB surf shop an...

everything helps when i have to travel. Jack Smith/PD/Gary F, were a big help explaining Morro Bay. there is nothing like local knowledge, if just where not to go! when Henry put on the 2001 L/C there was a dinner posted by Adam (NCDSA) and Henry listed hotels. that was a big help. the maps help. lo...

i have big feet, my new osirus are size 13. the hardest type of course for me is like the cyber slalom, quick push start and 6 ft center cones. i clip with my rear foot. 2 things help, point the rear foot a little forward, it takes a while and get the rear foot off the top of the rear truck, move it...

i have heard of people using a sheet of balsa wood. or strips. it can be glued to the deck and shaped as you like it. if you dont like it scrape it off. if you glue it down with rubber cement or white elmers if you don't like it it is reversable easily. grip tape right over all of it. i will be doin...

flashbacks are awesome. first they have a straight inner side. that gives the truck a wider feeling because the center is not inboard. second they feel predictable to me. i know when they are going to slide. try mixing them with Avalons, your board will fell different at first. Avalons up front, Fla...

I want to say thanks to FCR and all the hard work Jack, Don and John did. Put Jen in there too. without these people the whole race series wouldn't happen. then to people like Cavey Bryant whole drove the ramps and always helps out. the racers build the course. if you attend don't be afraid to help ...

one other thing, regardless of the bearing, clean them. even new bearing seem to benefit from cleaning. i cleaned some new sealed PT's with maybe one ride on them, they spool up faster. also with the sealed, which is all i ride, i removed the inner sheild. maybe more frequent cleaning will be needed...

i think (there i go again, when i think i gets in trouble) part of our issue in racing is the hill. we don't have set race courses like Daytona or Indianapolis. El Fuerte (La Costa) is a "known" entity and really a "friendly" hill. there are a bunch of seriously steep and scary hills out west. start...

board tuning is one of those things that every skater has to do. i am learning the hard way, trial and error. there is a lot of inconsistency and disinformation about bushings. Do-Dohs get slammed a lot, but they are about the only easily available square cut grommet for the bottom truck which won't...

i am a new-er, part time racer. i liked the wheel blocks at L/C 2001. at 2002 L/C, the new gates were different, but i can see how spectators like em. they leave no doubt as to the start. thankfully the ramps are pretty well designed. i need more practice. one thing that has helped is my taping the ...

being kind of a slalom newbie since i have only been back at it since the 2001, La Costa race and living remotely i learn things on my own and from e-coaches. i will call Cambrias "hill tamers" put a set of these on your board and there aren't too many hills that can't be controlled. get a bunch of ...

a lot of people have written this and that about bearings. without an involved discussion there are 3-5 bearings (or brands) that seem do do really well racing. i can say that i weigh over 200 lbs and have ridden a set of PT abec 7 sealed bearings for a month. no problems, the more i ride them, the ...

Adam, thanks for starting this up. it is tough for a first year racer from my prespective. i started racing again (last slalom event 1978) in Nov 2001 at La Costa. i was only able to make L/C this year and hopefully Morro Bay for 2002. my how racing has grown. new products are really pushing the env...