Made it out on the water today after work. The wind was out of the North again which meant skiing at the dam at Lake Waco. Once we got across the lake we found the water to be glass, perfect for a good slalom run. I went first and got three really good runs up and down the 2 mile long stretch by the dam. Did notice as I was preparing to get in the water that the velcro strap on my Connelly Vision binding was finally starting to tear. It is 8 years old so I guess it is about time, just needs to last for the rest of this year because a new ski is on the budget for this winter.
Jenny skied slalom next and is doing well cutting across the wake. She is still a little slow on her turns because of nerves, not wanting to wipe out. Which she did once but it wasn't that bad, she slid out of the turn on her rear-end because her body got out of alignment. Her shoulder was much better today so we assume that when it popped out on Saturday she must have pinched a nerve which caused her not to be able to get up just after it happened. She skied a little faster today than normal, 31mph vs. the usual 30mph. She gets slack on her right side turn but not quite on her left side turn.
Then I was back in the water to ride the backwards pair. I wanted to get more practice crossing the wake backwards, which was a lot of fun. This was the first time I rode two backwards since I was able to get on slalom backwards a few weeks ago. Much more stable on two, of course, and I was able to work on my form, alignment and was able to cut across both wakes smoothly in both directions. I also did a couple of skier's salutes with the left ski but wasn't quite comfortable enough yet to get the right ski up. Jenny thought about trying the backwards skis for a split second but decided to get a little swimming done instead.
1.25 hours skiing, 2 skiers, 4 skis used, 2 ropes used
Here's to making fishermen leave your water alone.
Jerry
Monday, August 31, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Blustery ski trip
Well, it was a trip skiing in which the wind changed directions halfway thru and it made for a bit of rough skiing. Jenny and I went out at 8am (late start I know) and both skied with a toe hold for the first time. We were skiing on a slalom from one of our pairs which was a bit different in itself. Not used to such an easy ride on slalom, in fact I was able to get a side-slide done in both directions on the slalom. Quite fun. We were both successful at the toe-hold although neither of us is an expert yet.
About 9am we picked up Amanda, a former intern from Jenny's work. She skied for just the second time. I then rode the backwards slalom for quite a while and worked on balance and control. Jenny then skied on slalom and is really starting to cut well. She stopped to take a break and then her shoulder popped when trying to pull out again and had to stop. Amanda skied again and did a much better job the second go round with her balance.
Around 11am we picked up Shawn from the dock and he started out on slalom. He pulled out of deep water twice and is starting to look much smoother on slalom. After he was nice and tired, Jenny skied on tricks for the first time in several years. She started to try a side-slide and was getting pretty close to doing it just needs to keep her hands down. She was more concerned though with trying to stop without falling (see videos). Then it was my turn on tricks, my outside the wake helicopter is getting much smoother. Next time I'll have to try on the other side of the wake.
Lastly, Shawn gave the trick skis a try. He got up with an immediate shocked look on his face and commented afterwards that it was nothing like what he expected. He skied several times on them and was learning some control. He made it over the wake once but fell shortly afterwards. We loaded the boat up at about noon.
4 hours of skiing, 4 skiers, 8 skies used, 5 ropes used.
'Til next time,
Jerry
About 9am we picked up Amanda, a former intern from Jenny's work. She skied for just the second time. I then rode the backwards slalom for quite a while and worked on balance and control. Jenny then skied on slalom and is really starting to cut well. She stopped to take a break and then her shoulder popped when trying to pull out again and had to stop. Amanda skied again and did a much better job the second go round with her balance.
Around 11am we picked up Shawn from the dock and he started out on slalom. He pulled out of deep water twice and is starting to look much smoother on slalom. After he was nice and tired, Jenny skied on tricks for the first time in several years. She started to try a side-slide and was getting pretty close to doing it just needs to keep her hands down. She was more concerned though with trying to stop without falling (see videos). Then it was my turn on tricks, my outside the wake helicopter is getting much smoother. Next time I'll have to try on the other side of the wake.
Lastly, Shawn gave the trick skis a try. He got up with an immediate shocked look on his face and commented afterwards that it was nothing like what he expected. He skied several times on them and was learning some control. He made it over the wake once but fell shortly afterwards. We loaded the boat up at about noon.
4 hours of skiing, 4 skiers, 8 skies used, 5 ropes used.
'Til next time,
Jerry
Ski Trip - Saturday 8/22/09
So to update on last Saturday's ski trip, we launched the boat at sunrise - 7am. We had one other skier with us, Chris who is one of Jenny's co-workers. He has been skiing most of his life and is very smooth on slalom. There was absolutely no wind and we all skied slalom first. This was the ski run where I crossed the wake successfully for the first time on backwards slalom.
After two hours of great skiing on smooth water, we went back to the dock to swap out skiers. Chris had to go start some house chores for the weekend but we picked up another co-worker of Jenny's and other friends. Seth and his fiance Laura, Seth's brother Jeffery and Micah, former intern from Jenny's work. This group all wanted to wakeboard so we started off with Seth. This was his second time riding the wakeboard and he crossed both wakes with ease. Jeffery was not successful in getting up the first attempt and unfortunately ran out of time before he was able to try again. Laura got up for the first time, but had to leave before she could get the hang of it and ski away down the lake. Micah started with crossing the wake on wakeboard and then started jumping the wake. He was getting the entire board out of the water and after a couple of nasty falls learned to control the landing and ski away. Jenny then rode the wakeboard and had a successful run with a spill. I rode trick skis and did multiple turns including a helicopter outside the wake.
After two hours with this group they had to leave to attend a family function (except for Micah, he stayed). Since we were taking a lunch break by the dock, Jenny called one more of her co-workers - Shawn. He came out to meet us at about noon for the final part of our day on the lake. Shawn started off skiing on two. He had skied before but not this year yet so it took him a little bit to get back into the groove. Once he was comfortable again, we put Micah out there with him. They skied very well together, crossing the wake chasing each other, until the very end when they realized that they could "go after" each other. Then it became how to spray the other person and make them fall. That eventually happened and Micah then rode two by himself. Jenny and I both skied slalom again. Then we taught Shawn how to do a deep water start on slalom. Micah wakeboarded again and learned to do an Ollie outside of the wake. He tried and could not master the Switchstance. Jenny then rode the wakeboard again for a short run. I then rode the wakeboard, performed a couple of Ollies and then had one horrible face plant trying to do a Switchstance while crossing the wake. Jenny said that was it, I was too tired to continue and I agreed. So at about 2pm we headed in. A very successful day on the lake and the wind never exceeded 5 mph.
7 hours of skiing, 8 skiers, 10 skis used, 1 wakeboard, 7 ropes used.
Hopefully more later today after today's ski run.
Jerry
After two hours of great skiing on smooth water, we went back to the dock to swap out skiers. Chris had to go start some house chores for the weekend but we picked up another co-worker of Jenny's and other friends. Seth and his fiance Laura, Seth's brother Jeffery and Micah, former intern from Jenny's work. This group all wanted to wakeboard so we started off with Seth. This was his second time riding the wakeboard and he crossed both wakes with ease. Jeffery was not successful in getting up the first attempt and unfortunately ran out of time before he was able to try again. Laura got up for the first time, but had to leave before she could get the hang of it and ski away down the lake. Micah started with crossing the wake on wakeboard and then started jumping the wake. He was getting the entire board out of the water and after a couple of nasty falls learned to control the landing and ski away. Jenny then rode the wakeboard and had a successful run with a spill. I rode trick skis and did multiple turns including a helicopter outside the wake.
After two hours with this group they had to leave to attend a family function (except for Micah, he stayed). Since we were taking a lunch break by the dock, Jenny called one more of her co-workers - Shawn. He came out to meet us at about noon for the final part of our day on the lake. Shawn started off skiing on two. He had skied before but not this year yet so it took him a little bit to get back into the groove. Once he was comfortable again, we put Micah out there with him. They skied very well together, crossing the wake chasing each other, until the very end when they realized that they could "go after" each other. Then it became how to spray the other person and make them fall. That eventually happened and Micah then rode two by himself. Jenny and I both skied slalom again. Then we taught Shawn how to do a deep water start on slalom. Micah wakeboarded again and learned to do an Ollie outside of the wake. He tried and could not master the Switchstance. Jenny then rode the wakeboard again for a short run. I then rode the wakeboard, performed a couple of Ollies and then had one horrible face plant trying to do a Switchstance while crossing the wake. Jenny said that was it, I was too tired to continue and I agreed. So at about 2pm we headed in. A very successful day on the lake and the wind never exceeded 5 mph.
7 hours of skiing, 8 skiers, 10 skis used, 1 wakeboard, 7 ropes used.
Hopefully more later today after today's ski run.
Jerry
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Autumn is rapidly approaching
This has been a tough week around the house. 2 days of afternoon threatening weather (not much rain though) and 2 days of working late for Jenny. That equals not being on the water since Saturday. Yuck, the days are getting shorter and it will soon be too difficult to ski during the week after work. But, I do want to recap last Friday and Saturday before I forget.
Friday evening we met up with a family from our bible study group. Bruce (who has been skiing since he was a kid) and his wife Janet and their 2 kids, Parker and Ava. We got Bruce up right away on slalom and he got 2 really good passes in. Then it was on to teaching the kids to ski. Ava went first and followed instructions beautifully. She popped right up and skied away (see the video for proof). After instructing her to let go so I could give her a little instruction on her form, she was up again and really loving it.
So then it was Parker's turn and he popped right out as well (again see video for proof). And he even started steering and almost took on the wake. After 2 runs it was time for Jenny and I. Jenny rode slalom and I rode tricks and slalom. We were running out of daylight but Ava really wanted to get another run in so we put her back out but this time she doubled with her dad. It was a great sight (see video). Unfortunately the sun started going down so we had to call it a night. All that in about 2 hours on an evening with a 10-15 mph wind. It sure is great to know where to go to find smooth water on my lake.
I'll recap Saturday tomorrow - we were on the water from 7am to 2pm and had 6 different people rotate in and out of the boat with us during that time.
Here's to smooth water and no water gnats (jet skis).
Jerry
Friday evening we met up with a family from our bible study group. Bruce (who has been skiing since he was a kid) and his wife Janet and their 2 kids, Parker and Ava. We got Bruce up right away on slalom and he got 2 really good passes in. Then it was on to teaching the kids to ski. Ava went first and followed instructions beautifully. She popped right up and skied away (see the video for proof). After instructing her to let go so I could give her a little instruction on her form, she was up again and really loving it.
So then it was Parker's turn and he popped right out as well (again see video for proof). And he even started steering and almost took on the wake. After 2 runs it was time for Jenny and I. Jenny rode slalom and I rode tricks and slalom. We were running out of daylight but Ava really wanted to get another run in so we put her back out but this time she doubled with her dad. It was a great sight (see video). Unfortunately the sun started going down so we had to call it a night. All that in about 2 hours on an evening with a 10-15 mph wind. It sure is great to know where to go to find smooth water on my lake.
I'll recap Saturday tomorrow - we were on the water from 7am to 2pm and had 6 different people rotate in and out of the boat with us during that time.
Here's to smooth water and no water gnats (jet skis).
Jerry
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Introduction
I've been thinking about starting a blog to track our water skiing escapades and finally sat down to do it. So, a little about ourselves:
Jerry, 35 years old - learned to ski at 7 years old; skis on pair, slalom, tricks, slalom trick, shoe skis, ski skat, backwards skis, backwards slalom, wakeboard and barefoot once.
Jenny, 34 years old - learned to ski at 24 years old; skis on pair, slalom, tricks and wakeboard.
There are also a large selection of family and friends that we will post about and post pictures/videos of. We ski behind a 2003 Glastron SX17. Our home lake is Lake Waco in Waco, TX. We also have a standing tradition of a water skiing vacation with family & friends at Lake Tenkiller in Northeast Oklahoma. As a family we have vacationed at Lake Tenkiller almost every year since 1960. A tradition that my grandparents, Loren & Emma Lou Davis, started and continued until we took over in 2001 after we bought his boat from him.
Together, Jenny and I love to teach people how to ski. We are both excellent boat drivers and have taught dozens of people/kids to ski. It is great to have TWO skilled teachers in the boat for beginners because we can both share our own versions of what works for each of us. For kids, Jenny gets in the water with them and instructs them "hands on" until they get comfortable on their own.
Enough about us for now. My intention is to post after each day that we get to water ski. I'll also be posting excerts from our family journal that we have kept during our vacations at Lake Tenkiller.
Much more to follow.
May your winds be calm and your water be glass.
Jerry, 35 years old - learned to ski at 7 years old; skis on pair, slalom, tricks, slalom trick, shoe skis, ski skat, backwards skis, backwards slalom, wakeboard and barefoot once.
Jenny, 34 years old - learned to ski at 24 years old; skis on pair, slalom, tricks and wakeboard.
There are also a large selection of family and friends that we will post about and post pictures/videos of. We ski behind a 2003 Glastron SX17. Our home lake is Lake Waco in Waco, TX. We also have a standing tradition of a water skiing vacation with family & friends at Lake Tenkiller in Northeast Oklahoma. As a family we have vacationed at Lake Tenkiller almost every year since 1960. A tradition that my grandparents, Loren & Emma Lou Davis, started and continued until we took over in 2001 after we bought his boat from him.
Together, Jenny and I love to teach people how to ski. We are both excellent boat drivers and have taught dozens of people/kids to ski. It is great to have TWO skilled teachers in the boat for beginners because we can both share our own versions of what works for each of us. For kids, Jenny gets in the water with them and instructs them "hands on" until they get comfortable on their own.
Enough about us for now. My intention is to post after each day that we get to water ski. I'll also be posting excerts from our family journal that we have kept during our vacations at Lake Tenkiller.
Much more to follow.
May your winds be calm and your water be glass.
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