Assignment: Acquire and evaluate (only two pre-production prototype models known to exist).

Assigned to: Dirt Rag's Special Operations Team known only as: The Committee.

The Committee's Report:

2/1/00 Target Acquired: Arrived Pittsburgh, PA via special courier. Hastily assembled skis to frame, and hauled target to local woods (under cover of darkness) for trial runs. Powder conditions proved suitable. Serious downhill with abrupt transition was well within suspension capability. Inherent stability and "bicycle-like" handling was impressive. Watch out for roots buried under snow-ouch! (Shin guards recommended for "backyard" use).

2/2/00 Ski's Tuned: The roots and rocks of the local woods, combined with the reckless abandon of a few subsequently removed Committee members, led to considerable damage to the skis. At this time the skis are not in the final production models, alternatives are being fully investigated. There is a delicate balance between flexibility and durability. The flexibility of the ski and the increased sidecut radius are the largest factors of edge grip. Soft skis conform to the snow's surface, but lack durability. On groomed trails, soft skis are plenty durable. If planning on adventuring into uncharted territories, a back-up set is highly recommended. P-Tex detox was successful for the Committee's Technical Advisor.

2/5/00 Winter X-Games, Mt. Snow, VT: Lift access denied by lift operator. Used "media representative" cover story, requested management intervention. Discussed with ski patrol, to no availnervous about 50,000 spectators on the mountain. Time For Plan B.

2/9/00 Plan B: Contacted operative (inside connection) at Laurel Mountain Ski Resort, Laughlintown, PA. The resort offered a great variety of terrain, limited crowd, nice halfpipe and very reasonable lift ticket price. Got needed clearance for unique evaluation. Proceeded to put target through it's paces, while dodging a few onlookers. Rider impressions follow

Turning: lean hard, moto-flat-track style. Keep outside elbow up, inside leg up and forward (just in case). Great upper body workout: saw that handlebar as you feel for edge control on the front ski.

Jumping: Scout the jump first (mid-jump peeking may shift weight forward, producing head auger). If you place your feet on the pegs, bend your knees and shift your butt rearward-no problem. Three foot drops like buttah! Felt neutral in the air. However, the front ski's airborne attitude was slightly "nose down," which made us leery of getting too aggressive (a stronger spring is in the works to fix this).

On the Lift: Put the Mono Trac in front of you; pick it up and hold it as the chair scoops you up. Best to get a chair with one less person than capacity, to make room for the bike. Holding the bike for the duration was not too difficult.

Off the Lift: Hold bike in front of you and walk briskly off the chair. The operator was also willing to stop the chair for a moment, another option.

Overall: Plenty of smiles per hour. Once you got a few runs under your belt and felt comfortable, you could bomb straight down, then slide her into a turn to slow down.