Messages posted by : pavelski
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Alistair,
My wife and girl love skiing. Just not my style of skiing! So we go on ski trips together,,but we rarely ski together. We have accepted that we have different skiing needs and we do not "force" the other to change! Yes I will do one or two runs with them,,but the I am off to the clouds! They love to sleep in. I love to be the first on slope! They love the relaxed slow non-stressful runs. I love the skier free steeper faster trails ! As long as we all love skiing and at end of day feel happy, that is what counts! My wife is all elegance, perfect carve skiing. I am more the Icarus,,looking for that great up-draft, that lip for take off, that soft snow for that fast carve! I do my best soaring from 8:30 till 11 am. Then when the crowds come,,,,I find narrower trails chutes with less skiers,,yes slower but still,,,, We have stopped trying to convert each other to "our" skiing! We just enjoy skiing for the inner happiness it gives us! Hope you and your wife find this "balance" of happiness, respect and yet mutual sharing of the mountain! All I know is that often my wife and girl go off skiing and do not invite me. In the evening all I hear is,,how great the day was! How nice this man was ! How nice the snow was!!!! Just enjoy each other! Pavel |
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Tino,
Please do not get me wrong,,,,I am a cruiser looking for that extra speed when I ski alone with no one (or few skiers) in my slope! I know exactly what you feel. That "on the edge" feeling with your heart in your throat, the thighs straining, the wind playing with your hair, and the skis on the very edge of the "take off" ! Yes I have felt the "free fall", zero gravity plunge! Yes I know that feeling as you go over a lip and there is no resistance, no sound and just your heart going, "bump,,,,bump,,,,,bump,,,," Then the "haaaaaaaa" ! That is why I have some 181 cm. Head Supershapes ! Stable at any speed! My point in the story was that there is another side to this passion! That sometimes slow has its good points!. Send me your email and I will send you a picture I took at 5 PM at the top of a run. I am sure you will catch your breath! You will understand why stopping "sometimes" for such a view is worth it,,,since that view will last you a summer and many more! I understand your "passion" and share in it,,,but to do speed you have to know how to 'harness" it! Few do so well! Keep on soaring! Pavel |
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I am a ski fanatic . I now admit it to myself and to others, but for many years I hid this passion ( some would say "obsession" ) !
I have all the ski magazines since the 1970s. Yes all ! In the Summer months I read them and realize how true some of the older articles still are! Some of you would know a man called Bill Grout. He is a guru in the skiing world and this story is more about the" Icarus Neurosis" and skiing than about him, however it is worth the while to Google his name! He wrote an article in the 1984 SKIING magazine entitled, "The Merits of Skiing Slowly" ! In short his article goes like this. His wife skied so slowly that, "Rocky Mountain barnacles would grow on the bottom of the skis" ! Like all husbands he tried several methods to "cure" her of this "poor" skiing behavior,,,never realizing what all husbands discover sooner or later. That is,,,,the women is always right !!! The article is about how Bill Groot, the publisher, the ski instructor, the ski media man accepted that his wife had a point in skiing S,,,,,,,L,,,,,,O,,,,,W....,L,,,,,Y,,,,,,,,,,,ZZZZZZZZZZZ !!!!!!!! ( I will get to Icarus soon) Here was his conclusion why we should ski slowly ! ( I add ,,,,,,,,,,,,sometimes) 1. Skiing slowly is good for your technique. 2. Skiing slowly will give you an new appreciation for the mountains. 3. Skiing slowly is safer ( [i]imagine someone saying this in 1987 ) 4. Skiing slowly develops patience. ( I call it ,,letting the ski do work ,,,,wait for ski to turn) 5.Skiing slowly makes it easier to meet others on hill. 6. Skiing slowly is an important part of testing ( demoing) a new ski ! And the very last point is the most important one Bill Grout forwards. SKIING SLOWLY SAVES MARRIAGES !!!!!! What does Bill Grout's article have to do with Icarus ? First I assume you know about Icarus,,,,,if not please Google Icarus first! Most male skiers and some female skiers are like Icarus. They want to go faster,,, higher,,,till they get to their level of incompetence and then go beyond! The feeling of freedom, of the wind ,,,,of the power ( of those wings) is too much and so 90% of males are doomed for that Icarus fall! Yes, going slowly some of the time is good ,,if not essential. I love to soar. I admit that sometimes like Icarus,,I went too far, but I never went over the edge! I always flew with safety in mind. Extra room on both side of slope "if there is a crash",,, ( notice I wrote if ),,,quick set edge just on lip when a steep section was coming ,,(just to see how steep it was ), etc,,, I also take one hour per day when I ski S......L.....O.....W.....L..Y even when my sons bug me about it! Try doing a slow slow perfect carve! Really really hard! Try taking one ski off and slowly skiing with just one ski,,,slowly !!!! Really really hard!!!! Try lifting that INSIDE ski and putting all the weight (yes 100%) on the inside ski edge of the downhill ski! Really really hard! ( Please no technical debate here) Try skiing slowly with both boots unbuckled. I am sure knees will shake! In short,,you budding Icarus wanttobees! Speed is not the way to fly! The sun always wins! For you older Icarus wanttobees,,,save your marriages. Slow down. Enjoy the view. Try this! Stop at a quiet well wooded part of the ski slope! Ask your wife/girl friend to come closer! Kiss her! Then look at her face! It will shine,,,,then a smile will come over her face! She will be asking you SOON ,,,when will the next ski trip be!!!!! Trust me, I tried it ! It works ! That is why now I do at least three ski trips with wife ( at her request). Seems those kisses are better than the wax I apply to make her ski better! If you can read Bill Grout's article, "The Merits of Skiing Slowly " Respectfully Pavel |
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If Tony allows me,,,I would like to focus on one of his sins!
Pausing for Tony's answer,,,,,,,,,,,,, silence !!!!!! So I will continue. Tony mentions in his confessions of ski sins that his ski edges are rusting by the time they get home! 99% of skiers are guilty of this sin ! You ski all day. Those skis give you such pleasure. They bring you to heights of emotional pleasure (or pain) you have never felt ! Then what do you all do at end of day ? Take the ski throw them in truck ( boot). You then you think of your and your social life ! Your very best skiing partner,,,your skis feel sad, abandoned and begin to "tear up" ! That rust is the result of all the tears ! What you must do is; -have a rag in the car and right after skiing wipe edges while you thank skis for a great day! -look at skis for damage -look at edges for damage -Take all ice snow off in binding area ! Then go in chalet and tell everyone how great those skis were! Tony,,will send you a rag for next year! Pavel |
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Wish I has seen this post earlier!
If you can,,,do not use Ptex CANDLE. Much better is Ptex spaggetti ! What is this! It is exactly like the spaggetti you eat but make from Ptex material. Does not cause smoke, black residue and can be used with propane torch. Less work. cleaner and cheaper! |
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Interesting point about waxing and "holidays" !
Yes I know 99% of skiers think that when on holidays,,it is impossible to self wax and ridiculous to pay those resort waxing fees! But there is a possible solution! I once skied for two weeks in a very "chi-chi" hotel and on first day asked for the tuning room! This hotel was proud to host "great skiers", expert skiers ! Silence followed my request. The desk clerk, spoke to the assistant manager,,,who in turn spoke to the manager. In seconds I got the special key! To the work bench room of the hotel mechanic ! Best stainless steel bench I ever used! Coffee was served in this work area for me every morning and on third day I was teaching a hotel staff member how to wax skis to future guests! Just ask ! Now when I plan a ski holiday for 30+ skiers I always request a ski tuning room ! Amazing how one is always found! If more skiers asked,,,,,, Hope this helps you wax your skis every day! As far as waxing for storage,,,it is not for the base that you do this. It is to protect steel edges from rusting. I now refuse to accept any skis that come in October for a "hand tune" if they have rust on edges! Also,,in ski tuning,,"less is best " ! Persons who think that laying thick wax is better are wrong! The trick is to pre-heat base,,then allow wax to PENETRATE into the base ! You can tell when a ski base has not been done for some time when you apply first coat on ski base! It soaks INTO the base "as if base is a sponge" ! Yes do wax every day ! |
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Swingbeep,
great great prices, Good skiers,,,,no great skiers should jump on deal! As far as, "if you have skill and the muscle",,,,,skill yes,,,,, absolutely needed,,but muscle ???? With the new skis and GS cut "finesse" is much more important than muscles! Muscling GS world cup skis will just get you into to woods ! I do not know this shop nor am I related in any way to this shop,,,so you cruisers get these skis since they will become classics! People will look all over for them like the old Porsche 911s ! |
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The FIS has changed to "rules" or ski specifications for World Cup racers for the 2012 season!
What this means is that top level World Cup skis will be available for expert level skiers since all those "surplus" non FIS skis are available. Most ski companies make racing skis several months before racing season so that racers can try them during summer ( all ski teams go to Southern hemisphere to test skis) ! If you are a cruiser, like long fast turns,,look for these skis! Good luck Pavel |
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