J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by pavelski

Dave, asked a very important question!

My hint 3: Do not rush into battle , was a reference to this issue. You realize that if you wait until the very end of month , you can read all answers then just add yours.But then it would be no fun to all others.

But we are here to have fun and learn also! Winning is not the only goal so rather than make it a heavy "win...win" contest let us enjoy each others observations!

Post your answers on public forum! I really think we will have fun discovering how observant you all are!

I must also warn you. You must think before you look!

Hint 1: observe everywhere.

Hint 2: the more precise you are the better.

Hint 3: do not rush into battle

Hint 4: look again

Hint 5 : know the "gestalt" theory of figure and ground.


We have to make it just a "little" difficult for you since you are all skiing fanatics! Can we agree that you have to have at least 15 specific entries to be allowed in the contest!

Please do not say. "ski"


Remember now,,,any item related to skiing!



Have fun.

I am now "closed" as far as this contest is concerned!

Prize is Spyder black polar fleece jacket size large!

Several persons have sent me private messages in regards to my comments, giving me even more interesting experiences.

They however felt that their experiences were not ski related.

Yes this is a "fitness" section, but one aspect of fitness is getting back on feet to ski! To do that you must learn to survive the hospital stay!

I urge all those who wrote to me to share their experiences and possible "survival techniques"

For example one that I used was the following. I hate being the patient in 13-C. My name is PAVEL! I wanted to hear, "Good Morning Pavel" So my grand-children drew a great picture with a name under it! It was posted over my bed!
It made nurses, physicians, physios, etc... call me Pavel! They did!

I also asked, before anyone touched me, "and what is your name and what do you do?"

I became human to them!

Please share your experiences.

Carbon poles is the way to go in the future!

The major problems with carbon poles is not while skiing but in the transportation on planes. You see they are very strong while you ski, but they have a poor, "crush" level. Most skiers just place them along skis in ski bag when they travel. The handlers toss bags and can easily "crush" shaft.

The function of poles has changed greatly with the new skis. They are more used as "feelers" while skiing and "helpers" on flat portions of the ski resort.Just watch the WC GS races. Some racers set edges with no pole action!


As far as price let me share a secret with you! The production cost is $14. I got 100 pairs for that price 10 years ago. Here is how you can do it.

I found by chance a golf shop that makes personalized golf shafts! That is they make the handles, shafts and heads for the customer. Speaking to owner I made him realize that golf shafts and ski poles are very similar!
He had no idea what skiing was, but he was a business man and saw a potential market. So we entered in an agreement. He would produce 100 shafts of my specifications, with my colors and I would show him how to "put them on the market".He had a "factory" in Taiwan.

In two weeks I had 100 painted blank shafts. You can buy carbine pole tips at 75 cents each. Basket rings at 2$ and basket collars at $15 for 100!

I had lots of ski pole handles since I hate to see broken poles just thrown away. I recycle them.

I have used these poles for 10 years now in very very hostile situations and they have not broken!I gave some to the National Ski Patrol and they report no breakage.

If any of you fly fish you will understand the next comment. The carbon poles have a "feel" to them and transmit information so much more than alu poles. The swing weight of these poles is so light that a "slight flick" of wrist and you are in perfect ski position!

Once you have used such poles for one day, you will never go back to alu poles! As far as cost,,,,do the math over 10 years and I am sure you will see that it is cost effective!

Now if you think outside the box like me, look around at companies that make golf shafts, or fly rods and make them a proposition!

Hirsty, if you want, I will look up my Asian owner and if you want 100 poles delivered to you, it can be done! At 14$ per pole it is a bargain!

You can be the UK pole man!

I have permission to post picture on site! We have agreed how to do so. In the next few days I will "liberate" myself from this cage and take some pictures.

Then the quiz will be on!

Snowgirl,

No need to buy them, I can show you how to make them!

You know of course there are some running shoes that have blinking lights for serious runners or children!

Well the diameter of my little girl's ski pole is just the right diameter to allow batteries inside the pole! With simple connections, a drill, some tiny lights you can have a light pole!

Great hit in kids slopes on a foggy day!


Another solution is to buy tiny blinking lights that you get at pet shops. People use them to clip to pets collars so they can be "watched". They look like hair clips with tiny batteries. They actually have three different color options!

Just clip to pole straps. Again great for foggy days.


Now for the "supreme" light option! In my area in car store they sell a triangular strobe light which is used for emergencies if car breaks down.It can be seen 2 km. away from car! It has three options. Full light, short duration pulse and 2 second pulse.
I always carry this light in my ski jacket. One day a very very heavy "London" fog ski day! You could not see 2 meters ahead!

Clipped light to my rear ski jacket flap and avoided getting rammed several times.

Hope this gives you ideas about lights!

Well to be honest it is not free! You will have to use your mind and eyes to get it!

You will have to win this jacket! For the persons who know my previous quizzes I always deliver! You just pay shipping!

Yes another Pavel quiz coming up!

But his is a special quiz. One in which Google search will not help you! One in which you will need some "wise" skiers to advice you!

A quiz which will make you a better observer of ski equipment. Perhaps make you appreciate the origins of your equipment!


Here are the rules.

The quiz will last one month starting when the picture is posted on this site. ( I must get permission from the site Guru)

You are allowed as many entries as you want.

There are Quiz strategies which you will discover as you go along which may help "later" entries

This quiz requires excellent up to do computers since it is based on a picture.

I will not give any "hints" even if Mike tantalizes me once the picture is posted!


The winner will be the person who provides the most precise and correct items found on picture. I stress the word "precise" since two persons can have same number of correct items , but one has given me detail information about items while the other just gave "global" generic identifications.

You will understand issue once you see picture!


So off we go on our search! Tune up your computers and I must warn you ( or encourage you), the skiers that have "visual arts" competencies and great computer multi-media possibilities will be having the "inside track" on this Spyder polar fleece jacket!

Once I get OK from Dave ( the site Guru) and can get to source of items, the picture will be posted!

Bandit,

Again the principle, Too much of anything can be counter-productive.

I tested myself to see how much pain I could take and "dialed" up! I got that feeling you describe and my muscle refused to flex for three hours!

No more self mutilation!

By the way all you skiers, Bandit has it all! Great car, great bikes, great women and great skis! Go see his blog!