I believe your magazine, if funding is available, should go to the different
mountains that approve of snow bikes and find the riders at those resorts.  I ride
at the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort. On the same tip you should also go to
resorts that do not allow snow bikes and interview them to see why and what we can
do to get these bikes accepted.  I also believe you should hold an interview with a
man named Sid Roslund.  He is on the ANSI committee for the NSAA.  He is the one who
can make amends to ANSI B-77, which states that No Foot Passenger will be allowed to
board a chair lift without something that slides on the snow and attaches to the
lower torso.  This may not be a problem for a couple ski bike companies, since their
riders have skis on their feet.  For us snow bike companies, we do not have skis on
our feet because we ride the bike with pedals or pegs, which I feel makes it more of
a bike.  Hmmm maybe there can be an article about the difference between Snow Biking
 and Ski Biking. 
 
Mike

Submitted 2/15/2005

My First Time

by Eugene Harrand Rio Rancho, NM. Age 45

      Once you’ve done it, you’ll never forget your first time. I remember being very reluctant to try it, and had to be goaded into it by my brother Alan. “Give it a try girly-boy. If you don’t like it, put your skis back on,” he pressed as he sat on his rented ski-bike at Angle Fire, NM. Still trying to figure out how they could allow ski-bikes on the slopes, I remembered how snowboarders were first welcomed to the mountain.  

      I managed to put Alan off for several weekends by insisting that my first love, skiing, was the only “true” alpine sport and that ski-bikes are not allowed at most resorts. He continued to insist that I had no idea what I was missing, and I have to admit he did look like he was having fun. I finally gave in, justifying the cost of renting the equipment with my desire to combine my first love with my second love, downhill mountain biking. I rented the canary yellow Brenter ski-bike with matching short foot skis, and reminded myself to keep an open mind - because maintaining a low profile would be impossible.  

      Having been an alpine skier for 35 years, I was able to pick up the bike, load and unload the lift with no difficulty using the short foot skis. Before the first run was over, I felt comfortable with my ability to stop and control the direction of travel. I arrived at the bottom with a grin and an extreme desire to get back to the top of the mountain. With each ride, I found the thrill grew as my speed increased and control improved. Hooked like a junky before the noon hour, I skipped lunch just to get a few more rides down the mountain. By the end of the day, I knew the next move was to search the Internet for equipment suppliers because renting was not going to be cost effective. 

      The rest is pretty much history. Some might say I have become obsessed with collecting ski-bikes and turning down invitations to ski Taos. But it feels more like an addiction that keeps me lusting for more. If you're looking for something new to try, I must warn all those who dare that they will never forget their first time on a ski-bike. -E.H.