Random tips and tricks to make everyday riding more enjoyable

Day at the Park -
1. Ride through the park once or twice and check out the take offs and landings. Know how fast you should be going to approach each feature to be able to completely execute your maneuver. By just doing basic straight airs, this will let you be able to view everything well and help you to know how much speed you will need.
2. Whether you start with frontside or backside spins is up to you. Backside 3's will allow you to see your landing. If you are going to land blindly, say a backside 180, keep your heel edge up so you don't catch it.
3. When jumping, keep your knees bent and stay low. A low center of gravity will make performing tricks easier, also look better. For a flat spin, you want your shoulders to stay level. When you rush your spin, there is a tendency to drop your shoulders which will cause you to go off axis. This may become a bad habit if you don't stay in control.
4. Before landing a spin, find your landing in the air by knowing where you are in your spin. When performing frontside 3's try to land on toe edge slightly. This will keep you from catching your heel edge and knocking yourself out also it helps stop rotation. Before trying 180's or 540's, where you land switch stance, make sure you can ride switch.
Ace Use Their Laces - Tying Your Boots Correctly
1. Keeping your laces tight around your ankles is of utmost importance to support your ankle so it cannot twist or turn. However, by loosening it up on the upper portion of your boot this will give you a softer feeling for more comfort.
2. If your boots are tied too tight around the lower foot, this can cut off circulation and cause your toes to get cold and numb. Remember, you want to stay comfortable for maximum riding pleasure and performance. Leave a little room for wiggling down there.
3. Don't put your boots on too early. You shouldn't have them on any sooner than when you are ready to strap in for your first chair. If you put them on too early, your feet will sweat and then stay cold the rest of the day which is no fun. Cold, wet feet are miserable.
4. Don't be afraid to change the way you tie throughout the day. If you are just goofing around on the trails, buttering and nose pressing etc., keep them a little loose. If you want to shred the trees and powder, tighten them up for maximum response. Tie it, try it, and see how it feels.
Who Said Waxing is Only for Girls? - Waxing Your Board
1. There are a few things you'll need for waxing your board: an iron (don't try to iron clothes with it after you are done), wax (all condition wax is most beneficial), scouring pads, and a plastic scraper.
2. If you have a garage or shed, this is a good place to wax as it can get a little messy. Make sure to leave the doors and windows open for ventilation.
3. Scrape off old wax from your base, and if you have base cleaner hit it with that as well, though not necessary. Set iron temperature in the middle (maybe silk, synthetic fabric setting). If melting the wax creates a lot of smoke, it is too hot. Put wax to the iron and drip it all over the base not to forget the nose and tail.
4. Place iron on the base and smooth out wax drips, keeping iron moving to spread wax evenly. Allow wax to dry for about 30 minutes or more. Once dry, scrape wax until there is a thin layer on the base. Use scouring pad and buff off any excess wax. Repeat scraping and scouring until smooth.
"The Life & Times of Timothy MacAlistaire", Timothy MacAlistaire, 2008http://gapercentral.com
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