J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by pavelski

I know that if you asked skiers to list 20 "essential" skiing tools no one would select this one!

Yet it is like you computer question? Not will the computer crash but WHEN will it crash!

So it is with this essential skiing tool. The question is not will I need it, but when will I need it!

Trust me you will need it. The day you will need it and you followed my advice a got it, you will thank me!

I bought mine 20 years ago and all my friends laughted , my kids all said, "Rent it silly man" Until they needed it fast and it was not available. Pavel to the rescue!

This essential tool is the crutches. Yes you read correctly those two units that go under arms to support you! If you are a serious athlete they will come handy often!

The reason in buying rather than renting is that you will "modify" them to suit your needs.

Let me explain.

The pads on all models are hard and designed for serious movements.You must get dense foam and sew on a sleeve to hold this foam.

I am sure all skiers will understand the problem with the "standard" models and I am sure they will all say, "why didn't I think of that" once they read the following passage.

The challenge is using the crutches ( besides the pain)is that your hands are not free, so how do you get that great coffee to TV room? How do you bring that novel to reading room? How do you carry your Ipod or pencils?

Here is the solution. I call my model the GT 2000 model!
Take some old ski boot liners. Two different sizes are better. A child's liner and a 27.5 adult is the best combination.
Insert liners between wooden vertical shafts just below hand rest and drill in two small screws to hold liners in place.

Make sure liner toes are facing out! Now you have two "pockets" very much like cowboys have on their saddles.

They can hold coffee mug in large liner and toasts in smaller!

My reading glasses now are never lost since they are tucked into the small liner.

When that pain cycle kicks in and you are desperately looking for the morphine pill , it is tucked into the toe section of the liner.

That TV zapper lost all the time? With GT model you just keep it tucked in larger liner so that when wife comes to watch her Sex in the City or Desperate Wifes program, you just innocently look the other way while you watching your Warren Miller movie! It will take some time for her to find the zapper! They never think of looking into the boot liner! I get at least 15 minutes of extra movie time!

So do not wait till THAT day! It will happen. Make your GT crutch model now!

Freezywater,

Have you seen Matrix movie? What is real and what is cyber-generated "identities".
This fellow Jan,,,the verdict is not yet out on him!

We hear this and that but is he really skiing or just hiding in the local pub to avoid all the work?

Is it a ghost or is real real! Many years from now skiers will read these lines floating in cyberspace and argue if Pavel really existed or perhaps he is a "cyber creation" made up by Dave!

After reading some of my "free" adventures you will also wonder!

So until I get a "notorized" document stating that Jan was seen skiing.......

He does like to "twik" our minds!

Thank you,,it is Field of Dreams. We shall call his Fields of snow!

One great marketing genius once said in a conference two words and concepts can sell ANYTHING!

SEX and FREE
Never noticed how the word SEX is "changed" by a letter or a prononciation and is found on cars, DVD, sporting goods etc...

Let us eliminate that one now! We will not we discuss this first term, thus my reputation will remain intact! I might later if Mike's lets me, speak however of one Spring skiing day when all came together and many "interesting" events occurred!

Now to answer some of your questions.

1. All techniques and strategies are legal!

2. They apply in all skiing contexts. North America, Europe, Japan and yes even Russia!

3.Yes you can if you are imaginative transfer this knowledge to other activities.I windsurfed in the Dominicain Republic at Cabarete for 2 weeks with just the plane paid!

4.No you can not apply this knowledge this season unless you are a fast learner.

5.As in all free projects there are conditions. You must meet this conditions.

6.You must also be a canoe and not a log to enjoy these "perks"1

7.You must be a "committed skier" to really use these techniques.


Next week I will present the essential qualities you need for this project. You will evaluate yourself and determine if you have what it takes!


Just a small story to wet your appetites and to prove that indeed you can ski for free.

I was in Utah for several weeks on a organized tour. I happen to meet a nice man on this trip and so we presented ourselves together at the Snowbirds ticket booth!
The ticket girl ( a nice Mormon) noticed that my partner was of a certain age!
She asked him, "do you have your passport?"
He takes out his passport. She checks it and behold,,,,she gives him a free SEASON PASS! Seems they do respect their "elders" there!
I never carry my passport so she just looked at my weather beaten face, scars around ears, my pleading old old eyes and yes I got a free season's pass to Snowbird!

The number 1 lesson!

Stop all face lifting plans!
Toughen that face with lots of canoing, hiking and try to look a little "dementiated" at ticket office....


Ok ok I hear grouns,,,,The better one are coming! This did happen!

Please stop sending me emails with offers!!!!

If you have read some of my other messages you know I often say, "nothing is free"! So what gives?

I still believe that nothing is free, but in this series of messages I will share with you some "unknown" ways to ski "free"!

Let me first define free!

Free to me means no exchange of money! No card swipe! No travel checks signed!

So how does it work! That is what you are going to learn here! It is not a scam! I am not selling some magic potion!

I realize that we are on the net ( thus I have lots of readers over my shoulder) and not all skiers "deserve" this knowledge. They will abuse it!
There will be three levels of information;
Level one which will be this site, this section. Every week you will get a new way to ski for free.

Level two will be for the ski tuning class since they worked so hard and folowed course.

Level three is the final "for your eyes only" message via email which I will set up!This will be by invitation only and you will have to be "worthy" of this knowledge!

I see you all thinking,,,another scam. Trust me if you get to level three you will get like I did,,,One week of skiing at five resorts all lodging paid, all transportation paid and all meals paid! I have letters to prove it!

Now how to get to level three!

I am sure you have not noticed that one skier has been "silent" for some time!
He contributed greatly in making this site the "thinking skier" site with his many messages.

He needs your help now!

I am sure you middle aged men will identify with his "situation"!

As skiers at one point have said, "that is it,,I am going to move to a ski resort. Change my life!" Well he did.

Changed countries, changed life styles and even is getting a "new" member of his family in December! He has been getting ready for this new "member" for the past two-three weeks. At middle age it is not so easy, plus he did not have much previous experience in this area!

All sorts of "problems" crop up! New technologies to master, the rooms have to be ready, the food situation has to be fixed. Of course all the "invitations" have to be sent! In short he is exhausted by the end of the day! (and the door is yet not fixed, that light switch needs work etc.....)

So fellow skiers on this site I ask you to provide psychological, social and emotional support to Jan! Send via PM all sorts of positive messages! Send to him suggestions if you have done this "middle-aged" change! I am sure he feels alone now !

Let me be the first to tell him that I think often of his new life and the courage it took to "make the move".
December will come soon. The "baby" will be fine and in a couple of years it will not seem so bad!

There is a baseball movie in which a man builds an old fashion baseball park so that "older" players can play! The famous saying in this movie is, "built it and they will come". So it is in skiing!

And they will come!!!

I have a pair which I have used in all sorts of conditions. They are not for soft to the knee snow conditions. In eastern USA ski runs they are like Porsche 911. Very responsive and fast. You do not have to be racer to ski them, however you must like speed and "feather-touch" control!

My favorite skis beside Head SL world Cup and Fischer SL world Cup!

Get some!

Rossfra8,

You are very correct in your "perception" about having all sorts of options on skis. Many are sales gimmicks.

I tend to avoid any first generation ski which has such "gimmicks"!

Here is an excellent example.Rossignold Mutix ski has a series of "arms" to dampen vibration and also to change ski radius. After two testing sessions, I discovered that these arms had some problems. I sent report to head office and now they changed the design and composition . I happen to have two pairs of the first generation skis! Try to get the new designed arms! A real problem!!

Volkl tend to be more expensive then any ski!However if you know where to look you can get great deals in April!

The Volkl company has come up with a very interesting system to render their skis more "versatile"!

Inside the core of the ski they have two very thin wires which go from tail to tips. At tips there are two very small "springs" which are anchored to tip area.

At tail you have a dial mechanism which allows you to "tune" your Volkl ski .
This at 0, I presume it is the larger value thus giving you a larger turn radius performance.

As you dial up ( place "springs" under tension) the tip becomes more stable!

First generation system, Jan careful!

My GTI Volks ski car has a very similiar system for my sun roof. Guess what happened to wire! It took me 3 hours to take off roof, another 2 hours to insert new wire!

Make sure if you buy this model that you get in writing some form of "protection".

Mind you Volkl are great skis and have great service record!