 Poster: A snowHead
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Helen Beaumont, FastMan, told me that was an advantage to arriving from USA and potential jetlag.... you have no idea what the time SHOULD be.... so you just reset body clock to the early start time...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| pam w wrote: |
| Now at last I understand Inner Leg Extension: |
So I heard... well done Pam 
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| we,ve just finished; all in one piece: Now at last I understand Inner Leg Extension: |
SWEET! Have ILE, ski on four edges.
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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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All checked in and waiting on my first flight of the day. See you all soon!
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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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Travel safe andytb, have fun....
ouch early start for you?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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just starting to pack
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holidayloverxx, have a great time....
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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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holidayloverxx,mumble mumble mumble ...... Grrrrrrrrr.... 
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comprex, and where would you want to do that ? 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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JT, did I forget ‘will travel’? So I did. A calamitous lapse.
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Well we are now back in our Alpine "home", collapsed in front of Wimbledon with a beer, having unpacked a week's worth of fresh food because there are no shops open up here at present.
I am resolved to make some notes about the things we've been doing, and what I particularly have to watch out for and practice, but having Rick's DVDs means that I can always check up on what's needed - though the ILE is on the Transitions DVD which is still in progress. There's so much on those DVDs - far more than you can get through in 6 x 4-hour lessons. It rained down in L2A last night, so we were hoping it would have snowed a bit up top, though it must have been a bit marginal given the temperatures. We were extraordinarily lucky with the conditions, and I just hope it doesn't mush up too much for the campers arriving today.
There are lots of things to do in L2A - some of them free with the liftpass, but we were generally too tired after the early start and a 4 hour lesson at that altitude to do much! The trip down to Venosc on the gondola was well worth while - it was 30 degrees down there - but we only managed to walk up the very steep path through the old village as far as the nearest bar, for a cool beer. All those energetic afternoon activities were rather wasted on us, I'm afraid.
The camp was a great idea and it's a pity there were not more participants to take advantage of it - though of course it did mean we had fantastic tuition, with a very high ratio of coaches to skiers! Charlotte and Rick have been working really hard for us all, and I hope we did them justice! Thanks, guys! 
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Pic of my group on the Dome last Thursday courtesy of David Ash.
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Poster: A snowHead
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easiski, some lovely angulation there, Charlotte!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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A great day, here's the group (missing one) resting on the terrace at 3,200m after skiing.
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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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Charlotte & Rick, thanx for a super week. The ski coaching was the best my wife and I have ever received, the group was super friendly and the weather cooperated exceptionally well. Definitely one for the books.
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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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dfl, It was great to meet you D. Hope to see you again in the not tooooo distant future.
Today was great! Everyone skied really well and the weather was hot and sunny. Here's a pic, first of my group at the top of the world, and then of the whole group including Fastman. I'm about to upload a vid of my guys skiing, and some of you who know the peeps concerned will surely be amazed at how well they're doing.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Here's the link to the video - it's quite long. 
first skier is Holidayloverxx second is ABell, third Mary and fourth Caistor Skier
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today was hot and sunny again, and all the guys did really well. Now it's near the end of the week we're beginning to see the fruits of everyone's labour, and it's really exciting. Hopefully some of this week's guys will post soon to tell you how it went. Here's a pic of my group on the Signal this morning.
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easiski, I can't watch the videos on my mega-slow connection here, but glad to hear everyone is having a good time. Here it's time for relaxing, and picking wild strawberries. Wish I had some snow though, to practice the things I learnt last week. Tony has been waxing and edging the skis - out in the hot sun. Seems strange.
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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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pam w, You'll just have to content yourself with watching Rick's DVDs!
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Have just caught up with this thread - so glad the skiing is going well even if the numbers aren't what you hoped for. It looks like the weather is stunning - great for people, not so for snow! I had a look at your video. CaistorSkier looks so relaxed and her skiing looks effortless and such a contrast to how she used to throw her body, shoulders first, into each turn. Putting less strain on her body should enable her to keep skiing for many years to come. I still can't believe she's 70!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Just arrived back in Stansted, phew!! What a great week. Will assemble some thoughts shortly 
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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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You know it makes sense.
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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 completely agree with RachelQ. I was in easiski's group with andytb, Caistor Skier and olpanije (who doesn't post much but I hope will do in future, and to whom thanks for chauffeuring).
We arrived on Saturday to a lovely dinner with easiski and Fast Man then an early night ready for breakfast at 6.15 and on the lift at 7.00  . Thankfully because we were with easiski we could get priority and managed to avoid (mostly) the scrum of 100's of kids on their racing camps all pushing and shoving to get on the lifts first. Once up the mountain the lessons started at 8.00am and ran till 12.30 with a half hour break at the resto. In reality we kept going till nearer 1.00 as the snow was so good higher up the glacier, and once the racers had gone there was loads of space to have some fun. Even when they were training there was plenty of room.
The lessons were mostly drills, with some free skiing for the video to show the improvement. The drills were a mix of new and familar and challenged each of us in different ways. Lots of work on balance and getting on the edges and by the end of the week we had all improved significantly, rotating and "old school" skiing were consigned to history.
The snow held up well, starting with Signal till around 10.00 (slushy at the bottom by then) then up to the top for better snow after the break. We went off-piste a couple of times (first time for me) and had a go on the rollers in the park (loved it!). Every night we had a run through of the day's video, watching both easiski and Fast Man's groups and learning from both then onto dinner and a few quiet nights in the bar (yes, they were quiet with the early starts!).
We bumped into Euan and Dave ( 's instructors), which was great and rounded the week off with a garden party at easiski's chalet - a view to die for!.
Extra mention I think must be made of the deliberates who came all the way from the US (late happy Fourth of July to you both) - so glad you did
It was a shame more people didn't sign up for this, but the benefit for us was the small groups and 4+ hours of tuition a day. I don't know if it will run again, but if it does I would strongly recommend it.
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Poster: A snowHead
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holidayloverxx, I'm looking for the grovelling smilie after all that praise - thanks.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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easiski, well deserved, both of you - those of us who attended one of the two camps were very priveleged to have such a lot of high-quality tuition all to ourselves. More than we merited, I suspect - I hope we can keep up the standard!!
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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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Showered, Shaved had a S*** and Settled in at friend's for a couple of days so it's time for a bit of reflection.
WOW! What a week and for those that have never tried it, a solid week of control and balance drills is a proper blessing . . . if tempered by fatigue, pain and the ritual embarrassment of watching it on tape every night 
But out of that came some quite extraordinary changes to skiing abilities and all for the better! Some went far beyond what you'd think possible in such a short time, here are just a few:
RachelQ, was handed a pair of Volkl RaceTigers and spent 3 days being taken for a clearly uncomfortable and difficult ride and then something 'clicked' and the difference was amazing . . . all of a sudden we've a right Domatrix whipping these über-stiff expert level skis into submission to her will. It was a delight to watch and there are many male snowheads that are going to experience SevereShrunkenScroteSyndrome the next time they try to keep up with her at the next bash  I predict the winner of the Ladies race may well have a second trophy within her grasp. Gentlemen you have been warned.
But she's not the only one: . . .
holidayloverxx is another different skier to the beginning of the week, now smooth, articulated at the hips and having fast fun. And if Caistor Skier will forgive the allegory, she can never again be accused of skiing a bit like a concrete garden gnome. She's genuinely skiing with the body dynamic of a lady 30 years her junior.
It was a journey of exploration in many ways for the deliberates. Not one foreign language but 'two' were overcome with panache and their elegant classic skiing was introduced to another culture shock of modern dynamism. Both took on-board huge changes to their skiing styles and met that challenge . . . kudos to you both.
A couple of real surprises were olpanije and andytb, I'd only seen them ski at the beginning of the week and thought they, like most of us were a bit tentative. Then on the last day, we had a bit of free skiing and I tried to headcam andytb down a steep red and found it far more of a challenge that at first conceived, only just staying in touch, then in the last couple of seconds olpanije comes into shot frame left. I didn't see the run but it must have been epic and a far cry by both from that first run on Sunday.
To you all, you were wonderful company.
easiski, Fast man, I can never thank both of you enough for your work and Rick sorry again for scaring the c**p out of you  and for the practical challenge of turning up with a tele set up, I'm sure I can do better next time as I've a recording of Ray Mears (a Brit survivalist) demonstrating how to make a pair of skis out of nothing but a tree, fire and a dead reindeer using naught but a hatchet and a blunt spoon . . . I'm finding it compulsive viewing
To those who wanted to attend but couldn't, you have my sympathy, you missed a great event.
To those that couldn't be a*sed You made it special for those that did cheers
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Masque, my lack of mention of you in my credits was unintentional....but you know who you are. Looking forward to seeign you and RachelQ at Hemel and I will be most disappointed if you haven't fashioned something to ski on
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sounds awesome. Well done everyone
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Masque, she should join us on Monday evenings (although this will switch to Thursdays from August). Another skinny ski convert? This place will be crawling with them soon
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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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Iski, Thank you - I do hope we'll be able to do it again, but that will be decided by circumstances, not us.
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FAQ
