Today was GMan’s turn to play scientist. He decided to try Mentos and diet Coke…….in the back yard.
Go here for a video.
Don’t eat the brown snow!
JMans science project
Food coloring, colored sugar, a few plastic cups and a few other odds and ends. All combined with a six year old imagination and you’ll have yourself a very nice science project…..and mess, but it’s worth it.
Much better.
A little of this and a little if that and shake it up.
Perhaps it needs a little something….
The end result. Not sure if this will run the car but it looks like something that came from an oil refinery!
Typical engineer….talking to my shoes.
JMan’s first official snowboarding lesson
JMan hit the slopes…..well slight grade this am for his first snowboarding lesson. He did really well and GMan and I had a good time hanging out and playing in the snow.
JMan with other little boarders. He’s holding up his hand!
GMan covered in snow
JMan (orange helmet)…….probably wondering when he’ll be able to do a double back flip of the deck of the jump he’s look at!
For information on Nashoba Valley go here.
Zaftigs
New England Aqurinum
Today we visited the New England Aqurinum.
We all had a blast walking around and checking all the exhibits. The petting zoo is cool! You can pet Stingrays and Sharks!
JMan pats a Stingray
GMans turn.
Jellyfish
Penguins
The boys
Myrtle
Lunch!
Lenore, JMan and JMan
GMan at his cutest
Not to be out done by his brother here’s GMan at his cutest
Funny tee shirt
All done. It’s not cheap but it’s fun!
Vanity Plate
This is a good one. Clearly these folks have Old Boston roots.
Thanks Brad.
GMans boarding gear
At the end of last season I again leased snowboarding gear for GMan and JMan. Zimmermanns in Nashua NH is the best deal in town. We got a board boots and bindings for $99. The bindings are speed entry Flows and the boot at also Flows, board is Rossignoi. However, we also got free season junior passes to Bretton Woods and a free other day passes with purchase of adult lift ticked to other mountains. All in all it’s a sweet deal.
For more information on Zimmermanns go here.
Flow NX2-SE Bindings
I’m not getting any younger and having to sit down to strap in is getting old. Last season I was just bending over and strapping in but GMan had Flows and was always waiting around for me. This season I picked up a pair of Flow NX2-SE from Vince at Zimmermanns in Nashua NH. Vince is a no frills, no pressure sales guy who’s really into boarding and is very helpful and friendly……look him up if you need anything related to snow!
Anyhow, now that the shameless plug is done here’s my first impressions of the bindings……..I like them. I tried then on in the house a few time prior to yesterday first time on the mountain trip. You still have to reach down, but it’s a lot easier than fumbling with two straps and all that cranking. Clearly it’s a lot better than sitting down, because you need to get up and yes it’s hard.
You do need to commit to putting your free boot in, meaning find a flat spot or keep your board perpendicular to the mountain and go for it. It’s at this point gravity could take over, but for the most part I found it very manageable. With regular bindings you place your boot on the board and strap the board to you boot….so to speak. On these you need to get your boot into the binding then pull up on the back latch to lock in. It’s the getting the boot in that’s different. However, it worked very well and believe it or not I beat GMan a few times!
Guess you can teach an old dog new tricks and something to keep in mind, you can still strap in and unstrap like regular bindings which is nice. Mind you, getting the board off while sitting on the ground by unlocking the back strap is work but it’s possible.
For more information the bindings go here.
For more information on Zimmermanns go here.
A funny thing that JMan said
The other evening while having dinner I was relaying a story about my grandmother. Many years ago when I was about 6 or 7 my grandmother bought a color TV. She was the first on the street to have on and we’d all pile into her living room and watch anything….as it was color!
JMan was very interested in my story and when I paused for a few seconds he asked the following question…..” What color was the TV?”
After we picked ourselves off the floor I explained that old TV’s were black and white and used a black and white photo to explain the difference.
The photo has nothing to do with the story……but it’s cute.
JMan’s ice art work
alan j quinn 