"The Turn"

**GoldMember** · 08-04-2006, 01:42 PM

hmmmm....that gf thing is troublesome. There's some real threatening undertones to comments like that. I told my then gf (now wife) that if she didn't ski, we had no future. Pretty much put an end to any negative commentary from her.

**johnnya** · 08-04-2006, 07:15 PM

Well put Xover.
My jongyness "turned" about 2 weeks ago when looking at a trailer to trackheads movie he's working on. The lines that caused me to commit to the life I wanted to live is when Bill Briggs exclaimes "Im going to make my life out of those three things, and thats it." Thanks for the inspiration.

**funkendrenchman** · 08-04-2006, 08:41 PM

Today, August 4th near Columbia Icefield in Banff National Park (elev. ~7000ft)

**BushwackerinPA** · 08-04-2006, 08:49 PM

FKNA summer snow.

**FREESKIER_FIVE-0** · 08-04-2006, 09:19 PM

x-that was beautiful man.

And finally, i find out that there is a name for this sensation.

I turned about three weeks ago. I took a nice digger on my motocross bike, and compressed two of my vertebrae. I waited three weeks, then went to the doctor. Dr. Rork with teton orthepedics told me that i couldnt even lift anything over 15 pounds if i didnt want back surgery. That pretty much made me think to myself that my summer was essentially over. 20 minutes fter my appointment, i purchased a pair of demo ants. thats when it started.

But for me, the turn doesnt stop. After eyeing the surrounding mountains, I found the glaciers/perminent snow fields. And then their was the frost the other day. Every experience and encounter gets me deeper into the vibe. Cant wait.

Funkendrenchman-thats beautiful too.

**Kya** · 08-04-2006, 10:33 PM

August and September are always the hardest for me. School starts up again and I have to go back to work

, yet fall's cool mornings and dead leaves are drenched with enticipation

For me "The Turn" will be official when we stoke up the woodburning stove again. I can't wait

**upallnight** · 08-04-2006, 11:33 PM

Originally Posted by FREESKIER_FIVE-0

x-that was beautiful man.

And finally, i find out that there is a name for this sensation.

I turned about three weeks ago. I took a nice digger on my motocross bike, and compressed two of my vertebrae. I waited three weeks, then went to the doctor. Dr. Rork with teton orthepedics told me that i couldnt even lift anything over 15 pounds if i didnt want back surgery. That pretty much made me think to myself that my summer was essentially over. 20 minutes fter my appointment, i purchased a pair of demo ants. thats when it started.

But for me, the turn doesnt stop. After eyeing the surrounding mountains, I found the glaciers/perminent snow fields. And then their was the frost the other day. Every experience and encounter gets me deeper into the vibe. Cant wait.

Funkendrenchman-thats beautiful too.

$hit....good luck, man. listen to rork -- he knows of what he speaks...

**leroy jenkins** · 08-05-2006, 05:55 PM

I don't really think that I ever turned away after ski season ended. I have been dreaming of skiing all summer, but the past week has brought more jonesing and daydreaming of lines that I thought possible. I got a new acrteryx jacket, and today it was raining, so it gave me an excuse to field test it. Standing there in the rain, in my ski jacket, I just kept telling myself, "Its coming..."

**snowsprite** · 08-07-2006, 07:09 AM

Bump...because this is a very necessary transitional thread!

Sprite

**BigDaddy** · 08-07-2006, 08:06 AM

Originally Posted by FrankZappa

The teaser cool temps this time of year begin a slow cycle of the turn for me. More akin to false peaks leading to the true summit. But the real apex occurs after Indian summer has started. The freezing temperatures begin to do their magic, if only for a few hours a day. Appreciation of the last of the warm days for a good long while. These days lasting and lasting 'til you begin to go crazy thinking it's never gonna begin to start snowing. The ground starts to freeze on certain aspects and you take a subconscious mental note of this & wonder what effects it'll have on the snowpak and the consequences of the avy cycles that it may or may not cause later.
The "white ribbons of death" have appeared; you've maybe gone out on them a couple or three times. The legs burned, and you ache for some decent terrain. Maybe there's a little snow clinging to the north slopes, you even decide to trash some old sticks out there. But it's not ready... yet.
Nothing you can do but sit back and wait. So you take it easy, on a whim you go for what must be that last hike through the forest of the season. It's not really a "hike" though. It is a recon mission for the up coming season... that line that you glimpsed from the road last winter... does it go?... how long is it?... does it connect to another?
The day is warm, but nothing like that last one a mere few weeks ago. Something is different. The sky has an amazing hue of blue. The aspen leaves have all fallen. The smell of the air has a fresh damp smell to it. "Wow! This has to be the best time of year,” you think to yourself.
Then it happens. The “turn” – the “real turn.” It comes into the high country and begins laying its winter wrap. Then only a day or two later, it does it again.
By the time you get out again it is a different season. Like day and night. Almost instantaneously everything is transformed.
It's not bad, considering there was almost nothing last week.
And the best part is... It's only going to get better... for a long, long time.

Thanks for the bump Sprite... there is some worthy prose here!

On a personal note, my turn will occure when insulation is installed September in the long awaited ski house... then it's two months of finish work and it's actually ready for use?! Yes definitley, a turn is a come'n...

CS · 08-07-2006, 09:05 AM

Heh, the first thing I though of when I saw the thread title was this:

But as for the other "turn", I did sorta start feeling the jones the other day, but some dh riding in Mammoth and some ideas for Empire have me wanting to ride my bike more. So, the snow can wait.

**flatNshallow** · 08-07-2006, 11:27 AM

I've been advised that it is my best interest not to turn for at least another 4 - 6 weeks. She may only be 5'4", 106#... but when she uses that tone, I listen.

**natty dread** · 08-07-2006, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by CS

Heh, the first thing I though of when I saw the thread title was this:

My thoughts exactly!

Nice thread X.

**puma** · 08-07-2006, 11:34 AM

Very well said X. Nice to see others out there that are as crazy as me. We are not even in Mid August yet, and we wait with anticpation. I can't wait...

**FrankZappa** · 08-07-2006, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by Xover

... and the air begins to thicken with stoke
... keep bringing it, for the love of ULLR, keep bringing it folks

This is good! C'mon folks, sacrifice and bleed your heart and soul for ULLR.

**snowsprite** · 08-07-2006, 02:21 PM

I have never stopped dreaming about the snow, but recently my dreams began getting even colder and snowier--and the skiing more frequent and intense.

Even in my dream-life it's turning.

Sprite

**Arno** · 08-08-2006, 12:55 AM

First time I needed lights on my bike after my monday evening gym session - the nights are drawing in!

Edit.... and the Snow for the Euros thread is active again. Something is surely stirring

**JoshP** · 08-08-2006, 08:52 AM

Goddammit, now you have me thinking about the ski season, and it is still at least 3 months away, and I just finally got psyched to climb.

Nicely written X.

**goldenboy** · 08-08-2006, 04:18 PM

Year in and year out, only one thing officially makes the turn for me: the first issue of Powder. It sounds like some people have their copy, but not me, not yet. I guess "the turn" will be any day now.

**GoldMember** · 08-08-2006, 04:24 PM

Really, even though I tend to think about skiing 24/7/365, the turn doesn't truly happen for me until Labor Day weekend. That's when the local shops start having pre-season sales and new stuff on hand. I can spend all that Saturday at my favorite shop just looking at the new shit and spewing stories with the owners. I usually walk on air on the way out. Could be just that my wallet's a lot lighter and I've lost ballast....

**DJMingus** · 08-08-2006, 04:35 PM

I have been way stoked most of this summer for next season. I wish I could say I have felt 'the turn' in the weather but that hasn't hit me yet. We did spend the weekend in Telluride and just being in a ski town and doing a lot of hiking pushed the stoke along. Can't WAIT to make some turns in some pow.

Apart from powder days my favorite part of the year is coming now. I love the fall days - climbing, hiking and biking is all best in the fall.

**ninjabirdman** · 08-08-2006, 04:54 PM

i woke up this morning and it was cool, cloudy and smelled like rain. i think the last time it rained might have been april. i was almost ready to believe that it wasn't the middle of august.

like sprite said, i never really stopped dreaming of snow, but the turn is happening for me as winter moves from a dream to an impending reality. new skis sitting in the corner of my room are just calling out for snow!

**Cono Este** · 08-08-2006, 05:17 PM

I wont lie to anyone I'm really pissed off, but in honor of 1000th post I will make the turn.

AFter a devastating life event that has plagued me for 2 yrs, forced my wife to move us all to St. Louis, she has finally realized I need to be closer to the mountains to put this behind me. Its in sight, but I have a house project to finish first.

I have done all I can do to strap the fuggers that blindsided me. No amount of phonecalls or faxes will get anyone to do they're job. I probably bought my lawyer a new yacht, and alot of hookers and blow for some asshole, but its time I get back on track, scoop some new skis, book some trips and enjoy what I have to be grateful for. My family, my kids, my skills, and the good people I continue to meet in here.

There is light at the end at the end of the tunnel.

**FrankZappa** · 08-08-2006, 05:26 PM

Originally Posted by Cono Este

I wont lie to anyone I'm really pissed off, but in honor of 1000th post I will make the turn.

AFter a devastating life event that has plagued me for 2 yrs, forced my wife to move us all to St. Louis, she has finally realized I need to be closer to the mountains to put this behind me. Its in sight, but I have a house project to finish first.

I have done all I can do to strap the fuggers that blindsided me. No amount of phonecalls or faxes will get anyone to do they're job. I probably bought my lawyer a new yacht, and alot of hookers and blow for some asshole, but its time I get back on track, scoop some new skis, book some trips and enjoy what I have to be grateful for. My family, my kids, my skills, and the good people I continue to meet in here.

There is light at the end at the end of the tunnel.

Focus on that light, man, and "the turn" will come to you. As a matter of fact, it'll be here before you know it.