No photoshop on mine, but I am also in the frozen North. Maybe there is just something in the air up here 🙂
I’m not surprised that some people enjoy exactly the things that I find are drawbacks on the 29er HT. That’s the beauty of bikes. They are all good really and a feature that may bug somebody may delight somebody else (or even the same person on a different day).
The “slow burner” comment has some resonance with me too. I was out last night playing on some little drops and roots, trying to land the wheels together and loft the front over things. While it is undoubtedly harder than on my 26″ full suss, it is not impossible and would no doubt come with more practice. I guess that’s true of most bikes really and those of us who frequently change bikes in search of the ideal combination may be better served by sticking with one for long enough to really learn how to get the best out of it.