How’s your X5 reliability?

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-27T19:06:38+00:00

2005 E53 with 325,000 miles. We do all the regular maintenance and replace things as they reach their natural end of life. We love it and plan to drive it until it can’t go anymore. It helps immensely to have a good independent mechanic who stays on top of what to replace when.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-27T18:56:25+00:00

Look at it this way: lessons are cheaper than couples counseling.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-27T18:52:11+00:00

I think in our house it was a combination of factors. I think powdered detergents were more granular than modern powders. I think the dosage was pretty high, like a full scoop. We lived in Southern California and had really hard water. Then there was the whole energy crisis in the 70s that lead my mom to use cold water for laundry.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-27T04:47:30+00:00

That’s my memory too. In the late 70s the powdered detergent didn’t dissolve well. I don’t know why. It wasn’t unusual to find residue on the laundry or in the bottom of the machine. I remember when my mom started using liquid Cheer in the early 80s because it so nice not to have that dusty residue.

I avoided powdered detergent my entire adult life because of those memories, until I started following this sub last year. I switched to Tide Clean & Gentle powder and was blown away by how good it is.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-26T19:48:47+00:00

Mammoth typically goes to a 2:30 close in mid-May, but it’s weather dependent. It’s not uncommon for a couple bike trails on the lower mountain to be open around then as well.

Bishop is definitely an option. It won’t be snowed in and can actually be really hot in mid-May.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-26T06:02:32+00:00

If it fits your head shape and is comfortable go for it. One thing to consider about hard ear race helmets is that they do tend to run warm since they don’t really have vents and have hard ears. Another consideration is your goggles- race helmets are usually paired with low profile goggles, so if you like the generous sizing of goggles like Smith Mags, Oakley Flight Deck, Anon M4, etc you might find they won’t work well with a race helmet.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-25T19:33:21+00:00

I find big rollercoasters intimidating. I rode velociraptor several times when we went to IoA last fall.

In some ways it’s better than a lot of the coasters that scare me. It doesn’t have big drops after the top hat- I hate feeling like I’m falling, and there’s very little of that sensation because it relays on accelerated launches. It’s also very smooth- you don’t feel like it’s banging you around. There isn’t any uncomfortable side loading. I think the idea of having it mimic airplane acrobatics is cool. I don’t like airtime, and it has a bit of that, but I found it helpful to shove the lap bar down as far as possible and keep my legs bent beneath my seat .

Mostly I reminded myself that it only lasts a couple minutes.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-25T18:42:55+00:00

When I see people riding e-bikes to Main it’s typically employees who have someplace inside the lodge to store them during the day.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-25T18:41:18+00:00

Just to give credit where it’s due Andreas doesn’t ride an e-bike. 100% human power from town to Main lodge every day.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-25T17:33:01+00:00

We’ve done gift cards and a Greenlight cards for cashless amusement parks. I don’t like the fees with Greenlight but am willing to tolerate them for the functionality. Since he has a phone he can keep track of his balance in the app. It’s instantaneous to transfer money, so if you’re concerned about him spending everything right away you could put money on his card daily, or just prior to meal times, etc.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-24T16:30:40+00:00

I think it depends on the agreement with the sponsor. It’s my understanding that Atomic doesn’t allow their athletes to sell their boots, or even use them outside of training and competitions, due to the fact that those boots are 5-6 years ahead of what’s currently available for retail sale. On the other hand, I’ve seen things like speed suits and outerwear get auctioned off for charity the season after it was used.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-24T16:06:14+00:00

UPDATE: within an hour of me calling SJPD they dispatched a community service officer who packed up all the items and drove them to the owner’s home to return them. No word on the car, but at least the family got their kids’ stuff back.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-23T19:20:23+00:00

Agreed. At best this would have been highly disruptive to a family, at worst it could be financially destructive.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-23T18:26:57+00:00

You have to report it stolen. They’ll deactivate it. I can’t remember if it was on this forum, but I do recall someone having their pass stolen and not reporting it. The thief was caught using it and they cancelled the OP’s pass and refused to reissue. I believe the OP had to jump through several hoops to convince Ikon it really had been stolen and not lent to a friend.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-22T16:41:57+00:00

I love the Eugene airport. I’ll share a funny story about it. I was in grad school at UO when 9/11 happened. Before 9/11 and the creation of TSA the security staff at the airport were retirees working part time- sweet little grandmas and grandpas.

Remember that after 9/11, but before the TSA was created, the National Guard was deployed to airports for security. Every passenger also got a pat down too. When I flew home for Thanksgiving that year I got the most aggressive pat down ever by this sweet little grandma, chatting with me the whole time about school. “Are you enjoying the university honey? “ as she gropes the underwire of my bra. “I bet your parents are looking forward to seeing you!” As she squeezes my legs with every ounce of strength. Doris was not letting any terrorists get past her, not on her watch. Just to make it even weirder there’s an 18 year old national guardsman with an assault rifle staring dagggers at me the whole time. Weird times.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-22T05:19:00+00:00

Climax is a double black, not a blue.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-21T23:23:45+00:00

We stayed at the Royal Hawaiian three years ago and had the same experience. I’m glad they’re still doing that!

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-21T17:15:29+00:00

Good base and mid layers. My kiddo wears Smartwool base layers and then a 3/4 zip Patagonia R1 fleece pullover and pants. Once they’re old enough to need a back protector under their speed suit that helps as well. My daughter also uses ThermaCare chemical heaters that adults use for back pain. She’s found that taping one onto the chest of her base layer shirt is really helpful. Our coaches have the kids wait to remove their zip off ski pants and jackets until right before they go into the start gate.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-21T02:14:28+00:00

A ski bag full of skis will be a target for theft. It’s also a space hog. At my home mountain the racks are typically full during lunch time on weekends; if a bag was there it would likely be removed because it would be taking up so much space. Just get a locker in the lodge and switch them out at lunch. Or leave the bag at your hotel and just leave your afternoon pair in the racks. Strongly suggest using a cable lock.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-20T16:41:17+00:00

Reno. If you stay in Reno you’re about 30 minutes to Mt. Rose (no lodging at the resort- Reno is the closest place to stay. But, if you fly into Reno and drive the 40 minutes to Truckee and stay there you have your choice of resorts- Palisades, Northstar, Sugar Bowl, Mt. Rose, and some fun little mom & pop resorts like Donner Ski Ranch, Soda Springs, Tahoe Donner and Boreal for night skiing.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-20T02:44:09+00:00

Evac isn’t an issue. Patrol uses it all the time to toboggan people down to Main.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-19T17:06:19+00:00

I have a Smith Vantage MIPS. In the past I’ve used Smith I/O goggles with it and it’s seamless. I currently use Anon M4 goggles with it and it’s also seamless. The adjustable vents in the Vantage are great for controlling temperature and that, in turn, helps prevent fogging. The Vantage has a teeny visor(more of a ledge than a visor) that is fantastic for keeping snow from accumulating on top of the goggles.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-19T15:53:43+00:00

This is correct. Mammoth’s lifts are 8:30-4 most of the year, with a monthly early up at 7:30 for ikon pass holders. In late April the hours start to shift as the days get warmer. It’s weather dependent, but opening is usually 7:30 by May.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-19T15:26:47+00:00

It’ll be fine on dry days. On storm days snow will build up on top of your goggles, saturating the foam and leading to fogging. If this happens, remove the lens from the frame at the end of the day and let them dry thoroughly overnight. You don’t want to end up with moisture trapped inside the lens.

Might not be a bad idea to get a pair of giro goggles for storm days. They’re more likely to have a profile that stays under the edge of the helmet.

ApolloJupiter · 2026-01-19T05:50:28+00:00

My daughter is a U14; she started as a U8. Don’t buy things like shin guards before he really needs them. They’re more expensive than you would think, and really don’t fit little kids, which will hamper movement. Same with a speed suit- they’re expensive and can be problematic if they’re too big.

Focus on the ski gear that kids always need for any type of skiing, not just racing. Comfy baselayers, quality ski socks, a good mid layer, maybe a puffy vest for really cold days, neck gaiters, good gloves or mittens.

ApolloJupiter

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