Check out JBear!!!!!

I just wanted to share with everyone John's latest accomplishments. I've been working with him since last Oct. on this and I think he's finally got it.

He's been working really hard but the progress just hasn't been there for him until the last few weeks. I must say that I'm pretty proud of him. He's gone from the trainers and the boom as high as it goes to this in three weeks. There were a number of boom height adjustments with and without trainers in those three weeks and he's been nailing almost all of his starts now.

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks!!!!!

The ducktail on the front of his head is really gay but he is going bacerds so I guess in some weird way it's still OK.

Congrats John!!!!!!!!!!!

The only thing is you can't see where you're going?!!? LOL

Very nice John, wish I could do that! Eddie, maybe you could give me a few pointers someday?

Way to go John, thats awesome.

Nice job jbear! congrats on the accomplishment!
-Brad

JBear you stud! It's cool when us old dogs learn new tricks!! Great Job Jbear and Eddie!!!

I gotta give Eddie a congrats as well. I know how good of a teacher he is. I'm thinking he had something to do with pulling jbear out of his 25 year bacerds retirement!!!

Congrats on the step up Jbear.

You have inspired me to give footing a try next season. Who said you cant teach an old dog new tricks. You look to be a similiar year model to myself jbear. How does the body take the falls these days. I try to keep up with my 20 year old kids on the wakeboard & often pay the pain penalty.

I remember the first time I was in a ski boat with a footer behind. He was about 18 years old and was going very well all of a sudden things went wrong and I remember seeing his body contort as he hit & tumbled. He got back in the boat and was very quiet for the next few days. I made a mental note that day if it hurts a 18 year old that much I was past learning this water sport.

Since then I have much more watersking, kneeboarding and wake boarding experience but every time I think of giving footing a go the memory of his contorted body returns.

Nice John! Glad to see you are still out there.
Larry's correct that you are setting the bar pretty high for us old guys!
Now you need to get out there real retro with only a Speedo and a ski belt on. No BF suit!!

Larry,

Used to bring Alex to train with this guy in Adams, Wisco, up near the Dells, skied on his Cranberry farm holding ponds, worked on Trick/Jump/Barefoot, he was an amazing skier, used to jump in with nothing but shorts and do back deeps, front to backs, whatever.

Eddie you may have know of him or his brothers, all show skiers, IIRC Cary Talszman was his name.

quinner wrote: Larry, Used to bring Alex to train with this guy in Adams, Wisco, up near the Dells, skied on his Cranberry farm holding ponds, worked on Trick/Jump/Barefoot, he was an amazing skier, used to jump in with nothing but shorts and do back deeps, front to backs, whatever. Eddie you may have know of him or his brothers, all show skiers, IIRC Cary Talszman was his name.

Quinner,
You're right. His name is Kerry Tolzman. He skied with Badgerland for a couple years when I was on the team. Awesome skier. He's the only guy to date who has qualified for and skied in barefoot nationals and traditional three event nationals in the same year. He's also one of the only guys left in the country that barefoot jumps feet to feet. He doesn't go as long as the inverted guys are going but it's cooler than hell to watch him jump. His brother is awesome too and both skied for Tommy Bartlett for years.

I went up to his place a couple years to help him harvest his cranberries in the fall. I love skiing there. He dug out those man made lakes himself with a Caterpillar. I've been up there a number of times to get some instruction and just to ski. Since I helped with his cranberries, he's always told me I can come up there anytime I want.

He had a training school there one time for women only that I took my daughter up to for the day when she was in high school. He brought in Jennifer Leachman to teach it and it was amazing to watch her.

It's been a while since I've talked with him. He's very good at about any skiing regimin you can think of and an awesome instructor too. Well worth your time to go up there.

CQ,

Ya know, I heard that he was having some issues at the farm. Before I left WI, he was talking about buying a ski resort in Montana I think. He was thinking that he could run the cranberry farm and ski school in WI during the summer and then after the cranberry harvest head to Montana to run the resort for the winter. Haven't heard anything from him since then. I know at one point in time he was trying to sell parcells of his property along side the lakes for high end lake homes. Have no idea how either of those ventures turned out.

Good Job!

Now its time to learn baccerds step offs!!!

Ill def. be down next spring and will have to ski with you guys some morning!!

Tim

jbear wrote: I am actually getting pretty regular

That's great news JBear, do you think the deepwater starts in a speedo had anything to do with it?

Congratulations Jbear,but judging by the pictures above, looks like you had to make the choice
between spending your money on either Hairspray or Absorbine Jr that week!!!

75 Tique wrote: You've set the bar pretty high for us oldsters John. Bacerds is definitely on my to-do list this summer. Tim gave me some tips last season, but I didnt get too far. This season (and with my own boom now, which will help) I'm determined to make it. Good for you, you are an inspiration.

John, As you can imagine, I couldn't let that challenge stay unanswered for too terribly long. My form isn't quite where yours is yet and I gotta ditch the sneakers in another outing or two, but I gotta say, this felt pretty good.

Thanks for your tips on the phone the other night...really helped.