J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by pavelski

Trencher,

In French we say . "Nous sommes commes des atoms crochu" I short it means we are like two atoms.

The more I read your comments and replies, the more I see myself.

Case in point. your suggestions about the drugs. For years I discovered this " strategy"! The problem is you are going to have many questions about this. I leave you the pleasure of educating the younger or "un initiated" fellow skiers about this issue.

Keep the faith that snow will come.

Trencher,
We all have such stories. Last year a skier on this site bought a pair of Markers for 20$. Then contacted me because he did not have in the package sent a very special screw for the front unit.
You see Marker has a triangle set of screws for the front binding with the apex screw having a very special configuration so that it can fit into a slot.

Are you really "saving" money in such cases?

Nice to "hear" from you!

I will be "silent" for some time since I am having an operation in two days. Will look forward to reading your comments on this site.

Think snow!

Time for another true Pavel ski story. Some of you will doubt this, but I promise this really happened!

Several years ago I made an inventory of all the skis I had and since my wife was complaining that all the skis in the garage were not allowing her to park her car I had to get rid of about 15 pair of skis.

I posted on a ski site all the skis I had for sale.

Three days later I get an email. Here it is.

"Dear Esteemed sir,
I am Matthew Ubede, son of the late Minister of Mines of Nigeria. My father was massacred by President's Injani Kubyde forces during the rebellion and before he died he left me 30 million dollars in diamonds in a swiss bank. I want to buy your illustrious skis since I have skied in my country and wish to attaain the lofty position in the Olympic trials as supreme hiller!

Since you are a reliable Christian ( me???) and honest I am willing with the blessing from above to share with this bounty. I would buy your skis from this diamond lot if you can send me some minor information about your address and bank account so that I can deposit the 30 million!

I was touched by the reponse and since it was a low ski day I was wondering about skiing in Nigeria. I pride myself in knowing trivia about skiing so I began to investigate.

I wondered how such emails were generated.
I pictured a writer dressed in a long white dusty shirt in a cottage hooked up to an old IBM computer trying to imagine what a ski was.

I wondered if there was a whole village of writers , a real cottage industry of writers with pre selected texts responding to ski sale messages.

Or perhaps all former Nigerian ski team members are herded into a huge room and given quotas to fill in order to finance the Nigerian ski team for the next Olympics

I did say that it was a slow ski week and I am know to get to the bottom of issues so I began my mission.

I replied, " Dearest Honorable Son,
I am privilaged to obtain rare blessing from such important person such as you. Yes my skis would do well in your blessed land. Yes they are still desirious to be in your country. I would be honored to send my bank name and account but before I do so could we talk about the ski lenth and side cut.

Your Honorable Christian Servant,
Pavel.

Two days later I get another email. Longer more long 17th. vocabulary and yes a phone number.
I had already traced the internet server and knew the client name and code. I also had already the message rate per hour from this client. I also had the 58 other internet servers the client was using in 16 countries. Plus I had the method of payment for the server service and its source.
( Amazing what info you can get via internet when you know people and techniques)

I called my honorable friend Matthew ( after checking with phone company where this phone was located. Yes Nigeria).

Here is the conversation ;
Pavel I am so honored to share this wealth with you. 30 million seems so much for my old skis! Perhaps just 15 million would be enough.

Matthew: I insist, I insist at least 20 million for you!!!!

P: You are so kind! By the way do you want Slalom or Downhill skis? Do you want me to wax them for you since I will have to buy special wax for + 40 ski weather?

M: Yes Yes downhill olympic skis will be fine since I am just starting this. Yes by all means do wax the top and bottom. Also rub a clear shine! ( I hear in the back a rooster ) Now about your bank account.

P: Before I endeavour to move forward with your blessed proposition, I would humbly request to know is you want a 2 degree bevel edge or a 5 degree beveled edge. The lord does note these things.

M: Yes yes I am prepared to transfer all the 30 million, but you are right I will discuss with my staff this degree question.

I will not go into detail since I am sure you are chuckling already in front of your screen but this type of interaction kept on going for three weeks. Of course each message gave me more information about the person, his organization and methods.

I never lost hope for the 30 million for my old skis since I remembered a cartoon I saw some time ago in which two men were in a huge,,,I mean huge two masted yacht with one asking the other how he made his fortune.
" Simple," he replied. " I answered an email from Nigeria"



Till next Pavel ski story,
Dream on.

I love the issues you bring up Ellistine. It makes one refelect!

You can not put a set figure on the "life" of a ski since the conditions are so variable.

I ski everyday so, does my ski have a shorter life?

I say no since what is more important than ski days on slope is how you ski and where you ski.

Let me explain.

The number one factor is where you ski. That is the skiing surface. I have seen some skiers go over rocks, grass, fallen trees and even gravel roads in parking area. Such skis are "finished" after one season.

Assuming you take care of your skis, then the next factor is how you ski.
An effective skier is in sync with ski, that is the skiers uses the ski design to get "optimal" performance from ski. He/she does not "force" ski to do something beyond its physical design. I have seen many skiers try skiing in large mogul fields in which the ski is between two deep moguls. The ski is bend in the "valley" to its limite. This ski will not last a year.

I have seen skier slide sideways on ice in steep icy slopes and then stop on icy grooves. Such skiing will "degenerate" and ski structure.

I have seen skiers "hit" with their tips the walls of cabins or trees. Same result.


Also how the skier "tunes" his/her ski has great importance. I once bought a race ski that was four months old for $50. The racer had over tuned his ski and thus it had no edge. I mean NO edge at all since it had been filed on stone machine after every race!!

Now for the issue of keeping a ski for 20 years.
The design and improvements of skis is so much more pronounced these years that after 4-5 years skis are "outdated"! I mean not the look of the ski ( color, lettering, etc..) but the internal design.
Major changes are coming in the next 5 years in the design and feel of new skis. Yes there is a lot of "hype" concerning "revolutionary" designs which is just hot air, but there are some real changes coming.

I find after 4 years ( with skiing every week if not everyday) my ski "seems" to lack zing. Is it me or is it the ski? I do not know but let me tell you a small study I did last year.

Whenever I get any new skis, I always measure it on my bench. That is I have kept records of all my new skis in terms of ; tip flex ( with same weight over 20 years), ski torsion, tip curve, ski camber ( space between two skis when placed base to base).

I measure the skis at the end of every ski year.

I am amazed how well skis are built. In the 70's skis tended to get flat after 2 years of skiing. Now the camber of the modern ski holds up after 4 years.

The tips on many "older" skis was a problem area. Often skis would delaminate or just curve upward causing a longer more pronounced curve! No more.

The ski companies really are doing a great job!

I suspect the factor which will become very important in this discussion will be the ratio or index which I call skier/length index.
I find many skiers have gone overboard with the "short" ski selection. Ski reps have "sold" to ski store sales persons the idea that shorter is better. So I see more and more 250 lbs 6'2" male skiers on 165 cm skis.

Great for the ski store and ski companies since that skier will be back sooner. No 165 cm. ski can "hold" such a skier for more than a few months.

I now have a set of "top level" skis that are delaminated which I show my tuning class in order to demonstrate that even $1,000 pair of skis can "break down".

What is very interesting is that most break at the ski core/ski plate interface zone. Either the plate is too long or too hard!

By the way skiing on "plastic" is really a different feel and you really have to take the time to adjust.

Now try skiing on sand dunes. That will ruin a ski in seconds, not to mention the skier! I still am finding sand in the most unusual parts of my body. Last time I was in the hospital taking X-rays the technician had to do a second pass. I heard he kept X-ray plate to show his class!!!

But then that is another store for this forum!

How to "clean" your body after sand skiing!!!!

Keep asking interesting questions Ellistine!

Powderhound,

There is no doubt that educated Brits know where Nova Scotia is and its primary appeal, seafood , seacoast,,and oh,,its great people.

I have confirmation that Mike Edwards , a fanatic skier and also a graduate from the Ski Tuning class will prepare a regional report.

The goal of these reports is to offer a "real skier" outlook on the region with no "selling" of a ski center or hotel.

Of course no one expects you to come to Nova Scotia just to ski, but your company might just one day sent you on a conference, a work project and you might be tempted to bring your skis and meet Mike on the slopes.

I have found in my travels that getting "advice" from locals about ski slopes, bars, customs has made my stay more profitable. That is the goal of these reports.

You will also have another from Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia by November 2007.

You will be better "informed" on your choices.

Hope this helps fellow skiers.
Pavel

Seems this part of the site is "short".

Let us change that.

I have some " skiing experience" in this country and will offer some "insight" of some skiing there.This is not to promote tourism since I do not work for this industry, rather it is to get some ideas of what is offered for skiers and what to expect.

I will ask my friends in Nova Scotia to prepare a short "exposé" of this area!

Nova Scotia???? Never heard of it!
Well you are going to have quite an education if Mike Edwards accepts to present this wonderful province and its skiing potential.

Meanwhile take out your atlas or Google maps and educate yourself on where this province is. Mike will provide all the "secrets" of this place.

Presenting Mike and his province........

Cooldaddy,
If you have a chance try the Atomic B5. They are just that more stable and "zippy" than the regular Metrons.
Tried them at Sunday River and they are now one of my regular skis.

Welcome to the Atomic family.

The great popularity of UTUBE has made me think of the power of this media and you!

May I propose a "SIN BINE" section where skiers can send in pictures and videos of all the "sins" they witness on ski trips.

It would have two functions;
1. The educate the new skiers to "acceptable" behavior
2.Sanction those "sinners" who say they were not aware of what they were doing.
"
Yes the internet can be "entertaining" but it can also be educational and create change in the skiing world. Perhaps the ski resort managements will view these and use them as "staff" training videos!

Can you "send in" some pictures or videos of skiing sins?