 Poster: A snowHead
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I know why I ski, but I'm often asked by the lads down the pub ...
"Tony, why do you do it? why not go to Benidorm and soak up some sun and sangria rather than freezing your bits off?"
I think we all know, but I'd like to get a few more answers ready to make my case.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@DrLawn, Because I tried it once and the rest is history. 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I do it to get away from the people that go to Benidorm 
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@Matrski, 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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It's fun and I can get a little adrenaline rush off it. Also the scenery is amazing and the weather can often be glorious, the people you meet seem to be happier than the ones you meet on a beach holiday that are only there to get a tan.
I usually find that turning the question back on the person that asked it is the best route. "Why do you play golf?" is a favourite, I've yet to meet someone that provides me a decent enough answer to that one.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Other than the amazing locations and breathtaking scenery my answer is always because its something I always find a challenge, I can progress a little bit at a time and its a massive sense of achievement when I feel improvements. The feeling of elation on getting down a run better and smoother than the last time is amazing.
What I find interesting with skiing is that I also do archery and if I stop for a couple of weeks I can't pull my bow whereas skiing I can pretty much pick up where I left off (admittedly I'm at Hemel once a week).
But then I guess that's like @SnoodlesMcFlude says, its really like any sport.
So tl;dr its a constant challenge / improvement process which just makes you want to have just one more go.
I could never go back to my summer holiday being the main one.
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Well it's like i have wings every time i click in. And then there's all the great people & locations but really what keeps me coming back is the feeling.
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Some people think it is the adrenaline rush which hooks people. However, as you age you tend not to seek out the adrenaline rush unless there is something worth doing in the conditions.
It is for the skiing, anything else is a bonus.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I like sports where you interact with nature/the environment, rather than just looking at it. It makes me feel like how I how I imagine an animal/cave man feels running through the forest - doing/being, not thinking.
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@Matrski I've been to Torremelinos once for an afternoon and I really enjoyed it ...
The thing is its really hard for people who have not tried it to get it, in fact I cant really put a finger on it why I love it so much.
I must admit there are times when I have though "I don't want to be here right now." That's usually when the weather closes in and you cant see whether you are going up down or sideways.
But generally I just love it.
I look forward to going so much that I cant sleep.
I'm doodling around on these forums months before the winter.
I love the people I meet, old friends and buddies and meeting new ones too, on "bashes" and on a lonesome chair lift.
The thing is, that if I had to give up slithering down hills on the white stuff I'd have no raison d'etre.
I knew I would fall in love with skiing before I even went on that "school ski trip" to Austria, when "In the Jungle" was on the Juke Box.
I had a sled my dad bought me .. I waited year after year for the snow to fall thick enough.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Great answers Guys,
Almost tears in my eyes reading them.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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When you go to a rock concert, you get caught up in the atmosphere, and the shared euphoria of the crowd. You almost never find yourself sitting on a chair lift, with a miserable person. It lifts you up, especially when the sun shines....
(this includes the one person chair lift in Glencoe too..)
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@Bigtipper, clearly you've never been on a chairlift with me.
I think I best liked Jeremy Clarkson's column on it ( I know) where he listed all the hassle factors and the ruinous expense and then said that when you're doing it you are sufficiently absorbed you forget about all other life stresses and just feel happiness.
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You know it makes sense.
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Sometimes even when I'm riding a bike across a slightly downhill car park I try to imagine that I'm on skis and want to crank it over as though I'm carving down an easy piste.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Snow (skiing) is just like other white stuff very addictive - if you do not have it, you will do anything to satisfy your needs - spending lots of time on forums, blogs or on snowpornvideos, checking out gear, weather forecasts, looking at prices or doing whatever helps your unstoppable urge to get out there again.
So the short answer is: Because we are addicts we ski.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Its good talking to other addicts ... looking forward to our next "hit"
Its only us who understand the craving and long drawn out "cold Turkey" of summer.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I leave all the mind clutter behind. There is nothing else but the snow and the mountains.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| shiprat wrote: |
| I leave all the mind clutter behind. There is nothing else but the snow and the mountains. |
This, I think. Even the feeling of being tired at the end of the day is good, because the tiredness is physical and not mental. I love being in the mountains, even if I'm not on skis, they are the perfect antidote to urban life and (to me) more interesting than the sea.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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For me it's being in spectacular nature, the challenge, desire to improve, ability to explore, sense that you've done something. Plus I don't like warm weather.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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It brings me sheer unadulterated joy and I'm not sure I want to analyse it too closely.
Physical activities in general I think have the ability to blot out other thoughts, but skiing does much more than that. It's the closest thing on terra firma, to flying.
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Same as everyone else. I am a daydreamer most of the time (it's why I can't drive... my attention span is too short) but when I'm skiing it's different. I think your senses work harder when you're skiing. There's constant feedback through your body, your eyes are reading the snow, your ears are listening to the sound of your skis, your legs are feeling the bumps and the snow... all those senses are sending information to your brain which is processing that information and sending commands out to your body, a thousand times a second. When you're in that moment it's almost impossible not to be 100% in the zone. For me it's partly that I love to have all those senses stimulated together. That's something that few hobbies achieve. Then the side effect of that is that also, my brain is so committed to the skiing that in that moment, all my other worries and stresses are just shelved to the back of my mind. Even on the chairlift, I'm thinking about what I did right and wrong, and where I want to do my next runs, and what I want to work on. Ski days are therapy for my brain, which spends far too much being anxious and worried in my day to day life.
Then there is the evenings. Skiing is fun but it's physical and after a good solid day of skiing, I feel like I've accomplished something. I feel tired but fulfilled. Hitting the bar, or the spa (or both) is great - you feel like you've earned that relax time. I can't do just-chill holidays, I can't unwind for 7 days without winding up first. And chilling out with like-minded people, from all sorts of backgrounds who have that in common. In fact that community sense is even great outside the group... you jump in the cable car with some gnarly local freeride dudes and you don't speak the same language and you don't necessarily have much else in common but there is a warmth and friendliness (OK maybe not with the French) that stems from the fact that you have the same hobby and in that moment you're living your dream just like them.
I like how others have said it's the closest thing you can do to flying without leaving the ground. I think there's a lot of that for me. But there's also being right on your limit... when you're off piste with loads of space, or on an empty run in good conditions... you can just push yourself to the edge of what feels OK. You don't need to go past it, and make yourself uncomfortable. But there is an unbeatable rush about being able to put yourself right on the edge of your comfort zone, and stay in that position for a sustained period of time. I don't know about others but it makes me feel pretty awesome.
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I love being with the friends I ski with and being in the mountains, if i wasn't skiing in winter i'd probably be a very unhappy person. For me it's about having fun and pushing my self in an environent I love.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I just like it. Plus the camaraderie of being with like minded people
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The freedom to chose a destination and a route on any given day.
The option to challenge yourself or ski within your ability whilst improving/learning with every run.
Falling/failing and being able to laugh about it (most of the time).
Breathing pure clean air whilst surrounded by spectacular scenery.
Mental exhilaration coupled with physical exertion.
The camaraderie associated with après stories.
The only other things that come close to skiing with regard to mind-clearance (being 'in the moment', forgetting all other concerns) are scuba-diving, hot-air ballooning and fly fishing for me.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| HossDoc wrote: |
The only other things that come close to skiing with regard to mind-clearance (being 'in the moment', forgetting all other concerns) are scuba-diving, hot-air ballooning and fly fishing for me. |
No mention of masturbation?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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"C'est le pied" said the guy on the chair with me one perfect morning.
Upon realising I wasn't French his translation was something along the lines of what you might say after great sex!
Never saw him again.
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@dp,
Nope - that's another transient moment but one that can be repeated.
Skiing and the others that I mentioned are unique - unless you could advise otherwise?
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You know it makes sense.
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I've seen this quote a few times. I don't know who wrote it but it's so true.
Why Ski?
Psychologists have studied the rationale for skiing – skiers speculate about it – ordinary mortals shake their heads in dismay over it. There is an ambivalence to this sport.
There are no scores or points to skiing, but the beauty of movement gives a self-assurance that is better than winning a game. It is a sport that brings escape from the cares and tensions of daily life.
Skiing brings an awareness of the grandeur or nature; an exhausting exercise for most people, yet no other sports gives such a feeling of satisfaction and healthy vigor.
Why do we ski?
Words can’t explain it. You have to experience the hours and days and weeks of skiing. You have to meet the people who ski – the individualists, the non-conformists. You have to see the beauty of snow covered mountains and valleys. You have to participate in this moment of truth.
Why do we ski?
You have to become a skier to know.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I've seen this quote a few times. I don't know who wrote it but it's so true.
Why Ski?
Psychologists have studied the rationale for skiing – skiers speculate about it – ordinary mortals shake their heads in dismay over it. There is an ambivalence to this sport.
There are no scores or points to skiing, but the beauty of movement gives a self-assurance that is better than winning a game. It is a sport that brings escape from the cares and tensions of daily life.
Skiing brings an awareness of the grandeur or nature; an exhausting exercise for most people, yet no other sports gives such a feeling of satisfaction and healthy vigor.
Why do we ski?
Words can’t explain it. You have to experience the hours and days and weeks of skiing. You have to meet the people who ski – the individualists, the non-conformists. You have to see the beauty of snow covered mountains and valleys. You have to participate in this moment of truth.
Why do we ski?
You have to become a skier to know.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Sorry I didn't mean to post it twice. I'm blaming awful wifi here at work
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Next time you are in Benidorm or is it Zante these days try talking to a nice girl about sand conditions and see how far you get. Now try the same girl in Zell am Zee and talk about the snow conditions
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@speachmaus that's a nice quote. I liked the John Muir one from the Whitedot advert:
“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity”
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| DrLawn wrote: |
I know why I ski, but I'm often asked by the lads down the pub ...
"Tony, why do you do it? why not go to Benidorm and soak up some sun and sangria rather than freezing your bits off?"
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Why not go skiing and have some fun instead of sweating your bits off?
Why do I ski?
Acheivement, I was useless at school sports and skiing is something that I am moderately good at, when the instructor asked me to demonstrate to the rest of the group how to ski moguls, the misery of my attempts at football and tennis were irrelevant memories.
People and personalities, from my first snowheads bash three seasons ago, walking out of the hotel and being welcomed along by complete strangers for a ski, to now having some cracking good friends. I have met many other good people in my 30 years of skiing but snowheads and social media have made keeping in touch much easier.
While everyone else is miserable at this time of year with dark days and frosts just around the corner, skiers are like kids on Christmas Eve.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I like skiing for two reasons. 1) I like skiing 2) it is a way to keep me fit.
I used to play football years ago but injured a tendon and if I run it gets inflamed. However, when I ski I don't get pain.
Having skiing as a sport means I know I need to be reasonably fit ( or aim to be) and this gives me a reason to jump on my bike or rowing machine. When I'm pushing that I just think how it will help me on my ski holiday. I can easily put on weight because I travel a lot and I eat in a lot of restaurants (10/month) so having this as a reason to keep fit is essential.
Now that I ski I like the challenge of being able to test myself. It reminds me of when i played footie in a decent team and used to love toying with the defenders. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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To quote some idiot...
| Quote: |
Standing still at the top of a fresh face, sun catching a rainbow of crystals on the surface of the snow. Deep breath, that sharp smell of fresh fallen snow and bluebird skies. You can already picture the run in your mind.
It starts with the smallest of movements, a relaxing of the foot, a slight shifting of balance, the board starts to run. You can hear the squeak and crump of the snow pack compacting beneath your feet. Find the toe edge, a lazy turn into the fall line, the speed builds and the wind rises from nothing to a roar in your ears, like you're facing into the storm. Drop down lower, keep the knees bent, absorb the bumps and vibrations, feeling the changes in the snow, soft to firm, from marshmallow fluff to icy chatter, let the board wash out from heel to toe, finding your edges. The pitch of the slope increase and you initiate your turn, a movement you've done a thousand times and is now hard wired into you - you feel the edge bite, lean into the turn, extend though it as you come around, pushing into the mountain, pitching in at an angle that if you thought about it would be madness - how can this be working? An impossible action in an impossible place, Yet here you are, tracing an arcing path over virgin snow, trailing a rooster-tail of powdery crystals behind you. Turn follows turn, arc on arc.
The slope shallows out, you slow, breathing hard, cold air rasping in the back of your throat. Relax, but not too much - this thing'll bite you if you give it a chance. Riding away, glance back and you see the stark blue of the sky, and the electric white of the face, draped with a single ribbon of your fresh track. Your signature for the day, writ large in nature.
Now all you have to do is do it.
To paraphrase Steve McQueen "The mountains are life; everything else is just waiting" |
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Fresh air, exercise, stunning scenery, it's good for you, it's sociable, the thrill of speed, mountain restaurants, can eat loads without worrying, it's something I can do with the kids that they enjoy (and gets them off their gadgets), etc etc...
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@Richard_Sideways, oooh that's nice
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I'd die of total boredom if I went on a beach holiday.
Just been watching some vids of Mallorca. Stunning scenery, some ace roads to ride bikes on, and probably some ace trails to ride MTBs on / or go hiking on. Why the heck would someone want to go to Magaluf to sleep off a hangover all day, and drink so much tequila at night that their pee turns pink? And soak up a bit of skin cancer in the afternoon?
I'll stick to skiing in winter and MTBing/hiking in summer. Dunno why I do those specific activities. I just know that they are better than being bored stiff on a beach.
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To connect
With myself and the universe.
Also to faff around on skis , drink loads of wine and eat rich food
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FAQ
