Poster: A snowHead
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Further to the topic asking the question, I can now tell you the answer i.e. where we ended up.
By virtue of background, I previously spent 8 years boarding and recently one day at Tamworth skiing. My partner Sarah spent 2 days bruising her backside boarding last season and a day skiing at Tamworth. Our mate Phil has spent 2 weeks boarding and a day at Tamworth. We have just returned from Courchevel and attended daily classes with New Generation.
Well, we all progressed to differing levels.
Phil - he confidently ski's down anything, parallel with little stiffness. Blacks were no problem for him and he skied every day with his wife who is, I think, upper intermediate. He is extremely courageous and that coverted well into merely having a crack at different things. Quite freakish actually, and his instructor (level 4) was gob-smacked when he was told that it was his first week.
Sarah - plough-parallel and virtually parallel on better snow. Confidence went from about 2/10 to 8/10 as the week progressed and skied down many blues and tackled difficult sections well.She stuck at the technical points introduced by instructors and is better for it.
Me - first run of the week I did a snow plough that didn't work and I crashed into the "wall" of the incredible 31 metre long green piste! Admittedly it was icy but that crash knocked my confidence. Lessons improved matters but I got into the habit of leaning back and up the fall line - not good for skiing! A 2 hour one-on-one lesson sorted me out and after a big dump of snow, on Saturday afternoon was parallel skiing through knee deep powder and going at it as hard as I could manage. Was absoluteley chuffed at the progress and I do say as modestly as possible, the technique I was managing wasn't that of a one weeker. Have to say though, good snow does wonders for the confidence and makes you a better skier than one is.
Nearly cried when I finished my last run and can categorically state won't be strapping onto a board again.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Congratulations for your achievement - escaping the
DARK SIDE!!!
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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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Peter Leuzzi, knee deep powder on a firm base = hero snow!
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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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Kramer, spot on!
Could also call it Junkie Snow.....just want more and more....prepared to sleep in the gutter to get it!
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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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Glad to hear you all made such good progress. I'm intrigued that you're giving up boarding after 8 years to become a relative newby on skis - in what ways do you prefer skiing?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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rob@rar.org.uk, Good question relative to a decision that was not taken lightly. Some of the reasons:
1) I am now 38 and have 2 young children who I hope will one day want to ski/board. I feel it more likely I will be sliding into my 50's and beyond on ski's rather than a board.
2) I got fed up spending half the day on my backside
3) I got fed up with bindings on and off at the start and finish of every run
4) I wanted to learn a new discipline and from what I have read and heard, will take a long, long time if ever to really learn it. Love the challenge.
5) Sarah was to take on complete beginner-dom, so I decided to join her so we could ski together rather than me bombing off in front on a board.
6) Injuries - had a v.bad fall a few years back and reckon more can go wrong outside my control on a board (arguable, I'm sure)
7) Reached a plateau boarding that would have required more risks for me to progress
Can now use drag lifts, get through flat sections
9) Loved the sensation of getting it all together on ski's, knowing so much work so quickly has gone into it
10) Like having sore feet, carrying ridiculous amounts of equipment and walking like a lunatic!
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Peter Leuzzi, Good for you!
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Peter Leuzzi, don't forget what a great equaliser ski boots are when it comes to dancing!
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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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Kramer, I find any ability that the male of the species has to look cool when dancing goes the day they become a parent. I dance just like my own dad now, never mind the ski boots!
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One of the main roles of being a parent is to embarrass your children. Dancing does it every time.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Peter Leuzzi, the point is, so does everyone else when they're wearing ski boots. Problem solved.
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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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MartinH, we tried to embarrass the kids by headbanging at my 40th party. They thought it was really great and joined in. But I don't remember not being able to move my neck the next morning when I was 17.
I really worry about my teens , they've grown their hair, and listen to LEd Zeppelin and PInk Floyd. I know we listen to them , but you'd have thought it would have turned the kids to something else. Thank God my hubby doesn't dance like his Dad, wild ceilidh dancing in a kilt!!! My Dad still does a really mean Twist though!!!
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Peter Leuzzi,
If you are at junkie snow stage now then you just wait until you ski powder/deep snow after a few years or so, you will be doomed to poverty when heli's and tours kick in. You have entered the long and slippery slope. See Kramer post elsewhere about your impending fate
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You know it makes sense.
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Helen Beaumont, I see you've brought your kids up to have excellent taste - supposing they liked gangster rap or some of those hideous manufactured "teeny" bands.
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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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easiski, perish the thought.
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