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SKIING THE SKY WAY - COLUMNS FROM 2006/2007
Who is Sky King?
(From April 4, 2008)
"Are you the Sky that writes the ski articles?" asked my fellow lift mate on a recent ride up the hill. I've been writing this column for four years now and I always get excited when I meet some one who reads it. The other question that always seems to accompany this one is "Is Sky your real name?" Well I guess its time to let you all know what is common knowledge to quite a few, Sky is not the name on my birth certificate. Also it should be known that I did not grow up in the Mountains, I am a transplant.
My real name is Thomas King and I grew up in Holbrook Massachusetts. Skiing was not a big part of my life growing up. Somewhere around 1966 my Dad brought us up to Mount Cranmore and introduced me to skiing. Little did I know at the time but this was his first time seeing an actual chair lift as his only skiing experience was on a golf course in Wallaston Mass. My introduction consisted of side stepping up a hill and sliding down trying to make a snowplow (now days known as a Pizza) and Dad had promised that when I can show him that I can stop he would buy me a ticket for the lift. The lift was a "J" bar and it cost 50 cents for one ride. True to his promise , Dad bought me the ticket when I mastered stopping, even though as he recounted, that particular day the slope was sheet of ice. My first trip up the lift was something I remember as halfway up I lost my hold and proceeded backwards down the lift line taking out everyone behind me. Eventually I mastered the lift and was able to get down the beginner hill in some fashion.
For the next eight years or so we skied one weekend a year in New Hampshire and an odd day at Blue Hills just outside of Boston, not exactly immersed in the ski life as one can see. There was a ten year period between 1974 and 1984 where I never put on skis at all. Then it happened. A bunch of friends from work had rented a ski chalet for a weekend and invited me to come along. Renting skis , sporting motorcycle goggles and a pieced together ski outfit I ventured out to the slopes. I was terrible, falling quite a bit on slopes that I had no business on and most likely causing quite a spectacle, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that I was out the entire day without a break until the last chair. I was hooked.
Over the next few years some friends and I would go skiing every chance we got which amounted to about eight or nine times a year. We would wake up at four in the morning to drive from Brockton Mass up to places like Killington and Sugarloaf for the day and then drive back home again. Thirty and forty minute lines were the norm back then and we just accepted that was the way it was, so ten runs in a day was considered pretty good. But unbeknownst to me things were about to change drastically... I was laid off from my job.
Being laid off in midwinter wasn't all too bad as I was assured that I would be called back within a month so I decided to take advantage of this time and take a ski trip on my own... on a weekday. I never imagined how much skiing one could get in when there were no lift lines and hardly a soul on the slopes. This experience quickly turned a hobby into an obsession and during the rest of that winter I was skiing at least once sometimes twice a week. I wasn't all that troubled when I was told that our call back to work wasn't going to happen as quickly as planned. But when I chanced to meet a snowmaker from Loon Mountain down for a quick visit that my life really changed. With a place to stay and some free lift tickets I was able to spend four days at a time skiing Loon and was absorbed into the culture. And then the season ended.
Not wanting to give up this life I moved up to Lincoln that summer and worked construction waiting for winter. And as fate has a way of somehow repeating itself, just as the ski season started I was laid off again. Looking for a job Loon told me they had openings for parking lot attendants and ski school. Good thing they were desperate for instructors that year as I was placed on the "Only hire if we really need him" list. It was just after my hiring that the director Mike jokingly referred to me as Sky King -Out of the clear blue of the Western sky... it stuck.
That was in the winter of 1988-89 and almost twenty years later I'm still here raising a family, writing ski columns and still teaching skiing. I believe fate has treated me very kindly indeed and I never take for granted the life I am allowed to live in this mountain paradise. As this is probably the next to last article for this epic season I want to thank you all for reading and giving me a chance to share this lifestyle with you.
Land Of The Free, Home Of The Fast!
(From March 21 2008)
So perhaps you may be engrossed in your brackets as college basketball is dominating the sporting news these days or perhaps You are checking the papers for the latest on Tiger Woods. I'm sure everybody knows that that funny guy Billy Crystal played one game for the Yankees. Understandable, there is plenty of exciting stuff out there. I must say though at the risk of sounding like a whiner ( a skill I have perfected) I really don't understand why it is that such an exciting sport such as Alpine Ski Racing gets so little attention, especially up here in ski country.
I was riding up a chair with some high school racers the other day and they had no idea that the Word Cup season had ended and how well the U.S. of A. did over all. While having lunch at a mountainside restaurant a few weeks ago I was perplexed that the current ski race was not being shown on the TV. Well perhaps it is up to us ski writers to alert you folks... The U.S.A. pretty much ruled the roost this year!
Yes folks we are #1 in the ski world, we rock, we rule, we are the CHAMPIONS! (I can hear Freddie Mercury in my head as I write this) Not since 1983 when Phil Mahre and Tamara McKinney each won the over all World Cup has the good old U.S.A. dominated so well. We have both the Men's and Women's over all, a #1 Giant Slalom champ, a #1 Downhill champ, a #1 Combined champ and four of our skiers landed in the top ten. That is pretty darn impressive if you ask me!
Although she did not get a podium placement at the end of the season, veteran Julia Mancuso finished 7th overall this season, no small feat I'll tell you. Ted Ligerty has captured the Giant Slalom crown in an epic fashion by coming from behind in the last run of the last race of the season. And of course we have our two over all champions, Lindsay Vonn and Bode Miller. Lindsay also captured the #1 Down Hill crown this year making her the worlds fastest women on skis. And of course New Hampshire's own Bode Miller has won his second over all Word Cup and also was ranked #1 in the combined.
Any one of these folks walking down the street in ...let's say Austria.. would be as recognizable as any Hollywood Movie star would be here. But if Bode Miller stopped into the Warren Village Market he would probably go unnoticed (Unless I was there begging him for an interview). It is understandable that since we really don't get the TV coverage of the races and it's rare that we find any print about these incredible athletes in the major papers, lots of folks just don't know how great we have been represented in an international arena. But maybe we can change that. I'd like you folks to join me in calling, emailing or just sending a letter to our major news papers, radio stations and television stations to kindly ask for more coverage of what is truly one of this great country's finest achievements.
With another Winter Olympics sneaking up on us I am going to make a prediction: The U.S.A. will take home at least FIVE gold medals in Alpine Skiing in 2010 out in Vancouver and I'll go on to say that Americans will stand on podiums no less than ten times. It's only two years away and I'm sure Lindsay, Ted and Bode will still be in top form if not better. And also perhaps this epic season will inspire the passion of other up and coming American racers to continue to dominate this great sport, for we are the Land of the Free and the Home of the Fast!
In Like A Lion
(From March 7, 2008)
After so many years in the ski world you'd think I'd be prepared for it's coming but some how it always manages to sneak up on me without warning. March... the beginning of the end of the ski season. As I look out my front window and see snow piled higher than the bottom panes and the ten foot snowbanks that encroach on my visibility leaving my driveway, it is hard to imagine that in a few short weeks we'll be celebrating our Irishness on St. Paddy's day and making preparations for the Easter bunny to restock our dwindling supply of Valentines chocolate. To think that just yesterday I was applying extra layers to ward off the wind chill and skiing in ankle deep light powder and today I'm looking at an extended forecast which includes forty degree highs in the coming week. Well there are many things that can be said about the weather in our mountain paradise but I assure you that the word 'Boring' never comes to mind.
In reflection it has been an epic season to say the least. For those of you , like me, who are still fighting the battle of the driveway, a warming spell will be welcome. And although I'm sure we haven't seen the last snowstorm of the season yet I will join you in thanking the snow gods for a more than ample supply of the white stuff this season (A bit more than the one hundred inches I predicted in the fall) and will be more than satisfied if we don't receive anymore. You may find it ironic that a ski enthusiast such as myself would make such a statement but the fact of the matter is that I believe that most ski areas in New Hampshire will close with full coverage on their trails this year. The manner in which we accumulated our base this year is going to yield no less than spectacular spring conditions.
If you hearken back to December you'll recollect that we received a lot of snow only to have a January thaw bring back bare spots on the hill. But with the snow guns blasting laying in a new base over the old and a multitude of very different storms, the slopes are prepared for what is always the best month to ski... March. Many of the storm patterns this year started with cold fluffy powder to be followed by a wet heavy snow and more than once a bit of rain on top of that, and then inevitably it would freeze up solid. This kind of layering compresses and stores the snow in a most effective manner. Add grooming to the recipe and your springtime yield will most likely be that delightful corn snow that allows everyone to be a hero on skis.
There are some preparations that I'm bound to still forget. Keeping sunscreen and sunglasses handy at all times, a thorough cleaning and waxing of my bases and a layering system of clothes that can be rapidly changed as the temperature fluctuates dramatically though out the day are essential components for a day of spring skiing.
In like a lion, out like a lamb the old adage goes and never so true in our beloved mountain hamlets. And as we may be cursing that one last snow storm that sneaks up on us and clogs our driveway one more time or the inevitable mud-season that will follow, lets be eager to enjoy those last weeks of March when I predict we will have the best late season conditions in well over a decade!
(Oh yeah I also predict Bode Miller will win the overall World Cup Championship this year and maybe the Downhill title as well... he is... as of this writing 185 points in the lead for the over all and only 5 point behind in Downhill with 6 races to go! GO BODE!!)
The Code
(From February 22, 2008)
All of us should be acquainted with the Skiers& Riders Responsibility Code. For those familiar with it we know that this is a list of common sense rules of the slope to help reduce risk of injury. Similar to the rules regarding driving, it is true that all of us may have more than once bent these rules a bit. I must admit that I have ducked a rope or two in my career and there are some times that perhaps I traveled a little too fast in a given area. Sometimes we (And I do include myself) need a reminder once in a while what our responsibility really is.
Ski/ride in Control:
We should always be ready to stop or avoid objects or other folks in front of us. It is also true that in order to improve sometimes we must ski or ride just above our ability level. We should always apply a bit of common sense to these forays beyond our limitations. If it is new challenging terrain we want to ski, work your way up in increments, and try to tackle these new challenges on days when the conditions give us the best chance of success. The speed at which we ski at should also increase gradually and be relative to the conditions of the day. (You can also take a lesson therefore justifying my career)
The Downhill Skier/Rider has the right of way:
There is no way we can predict exactly what a person in front of us will do. A skier or rider can be making short turns on the side of the trail and suddenly veer off the middle. By giving ourselves plenty of time and space to react we can reduce any risk of collision. One courtesy that is making a slow come back is yelling out "On your Left or On your Right" when you are overtaking some one. (Just a note that this past weekend I had more snowboarders than skiers extend me this courtesy, some times boarders get a bad rap) We should also be very observant of folks on green trails that are just learning. If we "Buzz" by them at warp speed we are only succeeding at scaring them not impressing them.
Stop where you are visible and do not obstruct the trail:
Many folks believe you should always stop at the side of the trail. Although this is true most of the time sometimes the best place to stop is in the middle. The key factor is that we are visible from above and that there is plenty of room the get around .
Before starting downhill or merging into a trail look up and yield to other skiers/riders:
Just as we are taught at an early age to look both ways before crossing, we should look both ways, up & down prior to heading down especially if we have stopped in the middle of a trail
The rest of the list tells us to make sure we prevent runaway equipment, observe the posted signs and be familiar with the lifts we are riding but there are other aspects of the "Code" that are not written on a sign or the side of your trail map. Common courtesy is a practice we should all be familiar with on the hill. For example, if another skier falls victim to a "Yard Sale" and has left a few pieces of equipment on the slope uphill, it is always a little more than a nice gesture to pick it up and bring it down. It's just good karma . Or perhaps you may come across someone who is injured, the best practice is to send two folks for help with exact knowledge of the location and a guess at the nature of the injury. While waiting for patrol, placing your skis in an "X" above the person will help secure and mark the area. It is always a smart idea not to move the person until patrol arrives as there are precautions that must be taken to prevent further injury.
Keeping your speed runs on the race course or more challenging terrain should be a no brainer but it is all to often that we see a would be "Bode" zipping though a beginner area, as stated before this does not impress beginners it scares them. And with the recent increase in terrain parks there are more than enough places these days to catch plenty of air, so there is really no need to be hitting every little bump and jump on the green run enroute to the park. Imagine if you were a little kid or someone new to this sport and how you might feel on your first descent if someone buzzed by you or took a jump just a few feet away from where you are skiing. There is always an opportunity to set a good example.
One of the best things I've learned in my two decades in the ski world is that over all the folks I meet, both young and old, skiers or boarders, experts or novices are all a bunch of nice people out to have a good time. If we all continue to treat each other with a little respect and courtesy this great lifestyle will always be here for us.
Cross over sports
(From February 8, 2008)
Many years ago on a powder day there was a collection of us skiing one of those trails that only opens when there is a large natural snow fall. It was also one of those rare days that we get to ski powder of any significant depth. Of course my skills then as they are now, really suffer in deep powder and that particular day I was floundering around making three or four turns then a fall on and on down the hill. At one point while getting up again and dusting myself off, I was able to observe another skier coming down keeping a great line although it was anything but smooth. He was using pure muscle to keep his balance and maintain a line. It was also clear that he was using a set of skills refined in a different sport. We ended up riding a chair up together and sure enough I found out that he was a former NHL hockey player. We skied a few more runs together and it was apparent that his many years on skates had given him skills that easily transferred to the slopes.
If you ever happen to take a lesson, after learning your name and where you are from, the instructor will most likely ask if you participate or have participated in any other sports or athletic activities. The reason for this inquiry is that many skills from other sports can transfer into skiing. I for one am delighted when I hear that some one has played hockey or figure skated as we are dealing with skills that require us to become acquainted with metal edges on a slippery surface. There are common threads in most sports that transfer or crossover to one another. An athletic stance is the most common. Whether we are on a basketball or tennis court or ready to swing at a baseball or golfball, we need a good balanced and flexible stance to achieve our goals. We also want our movements to flow into one another smoothly like a good dancer or swimmer. We need to maintain a 'Dynamic' balance (Balance in motion) such as we do riding a bicycle or motorcycle. Focusing on the slope ahead is similar to keeping you eye on the ball in many sports as is anticipation and preparation for our next move.
By keeping a focus and awareness of these cross over skills we can enhance our skiing skills. Myself I just started ice skating again after many years and I have found it to be an excellent aid to my skiing. I am using similar movements and many of the same muscles. Cross country skiing is another winter activity that can help us refine our alpine skills. Going down even a real slight incline on x-country skis is a real challenge which requires us to really 'Dial In' our balance and stance. Perhaps you play tennis, racquet ball or squash during the winter. While engaged in one of these activities make a note of how you are standing on your feet, where you feel the weight on your soles and how your ankles and knees are flexed in your ready position.
Skills we learn in skiing can also transfer back to other sports and activities as well continuing to enhance our overall balance. So the next time your are out skiing try to think about what other things you do that can help out your skiing and how skiing can help you out with the other things you do. It's all good!
Time for the Kids
(From January 25, 2008)
It seems like it was just last season that I was toting my daughter around with a bamboo pole on the beginner hill. She made her first turns of the season this year in ten inches of fresh powder on a black diamond trail and no I wasn't holding the end of a bamboo pole. It makes a dad real proud to see his little girl ripping down a hill like that, just as proud as the day she made her first independent turns with out the aid of a pole.
Autumn had her first ski experience seven years ago at the tender age of eighteen months old. I had planned on introducing her to the sport the next season when she was two but on the advice of a friend I took her out on a warm spring day towards the end of the season. His reasoning was that she would associate skiing with fun and rule out the chance that a cold day would be etched in her memory. So procuring the smallest skis and boots our rental shop had to offer we headed up the gondola (the beginner hill had been closed by then). The constant giggle and perma-smile along the way down as I held her up between my legs were a good indicator that the experiment was working. At a relatively flat spot along our descent I let her slide a bit on her own and the fact that she was pushing herself to go faster certified that we had indeed created a skier.
Teaching your little ones to ski can be an awesome experience that is extremely gratifying... it can also be a disaster. Many a time I have witnessed a parent with all the right intentions of introducing their youngster to the joy of gliding only to end up in a quagmire of frustration for both parent and child.
There are some simple steps we can take to avoid this and assure that our first experience is a good one.
I guess the most often asked question I get asked on the subject is how old do you start them? Although I started Autumn at eighteen months old, this is not the norm. Basically it is a decision that varies from child to child as each one is a unique individual. The development of their balance and coordination should be a factor in your decision but more important is their desire to engage in this activity, as the worst thing you could do is to push a youngster into an activity that they don't want to do. With all that said, I'd say that three would be the earliest I'd start but even that may be pushing it. The average age for starting is somewhere between five and seven I'd venture to guess (so is that six?).
If you have determined that this is the right time to start there is some preparations that you can make ahead of time. If you have a back yard or a park around your house that has snow on the ground, purchasing some "Toy" skis that strap on to snow boots is an excellent idea. Getting used to sliding around will help introduce the sensations that await them. Also if you have the luxury of picking your first day based on the weather, try to avoid extremely cold days, snowy or rainy days (We know how unpredictable New England weather can be but give it your best shot).
Getting the right gear and clothing is especially important. Mittens, hats (Or better yet a helmet) proper socks etc. are in need of careful consideration. We want to avoid putting more than one pair of socks on as two or more pairs can actually cut off circulation, bringing on what we want to avoid...cold feet. Using a helmet make sure it fits snug and is a child's ski helmet not an old mini-bike helmet that weighs more than your child's head. Make especially sure that the boots are snug but comfortable. To determine if the fit is proper most boots have a liner that pops out and you can judge better where the big toe is. Put only the foot and sock inside the boot keep the snow pants on the outside. Skis should be short to start coming somewhere between their waist and chest. We also want to remember the little things like sunscreen if its above freezing and most important before we get all geared up, make sure they use the bathroom!!
If you decide to be the teacher the basic rule of thumb is not to go too high too quick, although a lot of walking can be discouraging so can a slope that is too steep. There are many aids and devices out there to help. I've always had success with a bamboo pole and an 'Edgy-wedgy' a little rubber hose with clamps that keeps the tips of the skis together. Another option is the harness or 'Racer Chaser' which allows the parent to tether their youngster from behind. Which ever method you choose, always use the aids in creating turns so your young skiers muscles get used to the sensations of turning.
If any of this seems overwhelming, hire an instructor or make use of a ski school program. Many areas have "Magic Carpets" a conveyor type lift that gives young skiers more time sliding and less time walking. The most important factor to keep in mind is that he child has fun in a safe atmosphere and wants to repeat the experience.
Your decisions early on can lead you and your child to countless memories of fun in the snow but be prepared as one day you may hear from your eight year old expert skier "Dad can I get a snowboard?"
Getting in Tune
(From January 11, 2008)
It's called a 'Core Shot'. It's the kind of damage that is normal for your 'Rock' skis but makes you cringe when it happens to your 'Good' pair. Basically a core shot is when you put a rip or gouge in the base of the ski that goes all the way to the metal. And if when casually inspecting your bases you find one of these core shots on your good skis (Like I did last week) you know that chances are that you have some serious burrs on your edges and a host of less noticeable 'Dings' scattered about the bases.
Those of you folks that know me well or are regular readers of this column know that I can be kind of a slacker when it comes to keeping my skis tuned up. Usually there is one or two trips to a stone grinder a season, an occasional hand file along the edges and if some one in the locker room is tuning and has an extra chunk of wax and a hot iron, my bases might get a little bit of a wax job. Although this routine is not recommended, it is usually adequate enough to get me through the season. But then the combination of some nice skis (a gift) and a run down a trail famous for its hidden granite peaks, left me knowing that it was time I bit the bullet and give my battered bases the real attention they deserve.... and I knew I was going to need professional help.
"I'll make these puppies look like they are brand new!" My old pal Jeff was telling me to my relief "You won't even know where the core shot was when I'm done". So after catching up a bit I left my injured skis with Jeff and headed home.
When I came to pick them up a couple of days later I immediately checked the bases for the repair but try as I may the core shot had completely disappeared and I couldn't even tell which one had the repair done.
The real test came the next day when I skied with the Flying 50's spending the morning racing NASTAR. There are a couple of folks in this group that always have a better time than me but on this day I managed to get the best time and could feel the results of my professional tune in every turn of the course. I wish I could say that my race technique is improving but for this time all the credit goes to the skis.
So here is my New Years resolution, I plan on keeping my skis in better tune and see one of the 'Pro's' more than a couple of times a season. I might even invest in my own wax and iron and replace my old rusty file with something that actually works. It may also be a good idea to steer clear of thin cover areas with my good skis until we get the rest of that one hundred inches of snow I predicted back in November ( we are somewhere around half way there!)
My advice to you folks is to do the same. Find a ski tech at a shop that you know and see if they can't give your skis that little extra attention. Keep a tuning stone handy and touch up your edges at the end of each day . Grab and iron and chunk of wax and keep those bases from getting too dry. If you have the space set up a tuning bench with a couple of ski vices and give your edges and bases a good filing on a regular basis. If you are unsure about tuning techniques, I'm sure there are websites that can help and I know there are a multitude of books and DVD's on the subject.
Just like a car, a well tuned ski will perform better and last longer. Oh and by the way, it is probably not a good idea to use your household iron for your waxing and then use it ironing clothes later, you'll just have to trust me on that one.
Enjoy!
First Turns
(From December 28, 2007)
You've been dying to make that first run of the season. So much early snow, yet so many obligations that cannot be deterred. You get the reports from all your friends and compatriots. The best start to a season in decades and of course the all too often repeated line "I can't believe YOU haven't skied yet!" But there you are inside hanging and taping the sheetrock, putting on that first coat of paint, admiring your work and then looking out the window and see that it's snowing...again.
But a day is set when you can no longer wait and that first day becomes your obligation. A check of the equipment the night before. Boots still fit and that dryer sheet kept the squirrels from storing acorns inside them. Skis could use a wax job and maybe a tune... ok with all this fresh snow a wax job will do. The ski bag has all the necessities, gloves (thanks Jeff!), goggles, helmet, knee brace, neck gator and a few unidentifiable objects at the bottom of the bag that are best left untouched. The pass photo has been taken (ugliest ever) and the uniform is waiting in the locker... everything is set for tomorrow, for the first turns of the season and off to bed a little early... and its snowing... again!
The alarm goes off just about six and today you only hit the snooze once instead of the usual three times and you are out of bed before the second alarm has a chance to sound off. Coffee already made (my wife is great!), get the kids up ready for school and on the bus, load the skis into the mini-van and head out over the mountain pass to the mountain (Ok it does sound redundant). The one to three inches of snow we were supposed to get last night apparently have turned into three to six inches.... and it's snowing... again!
The second cup of coffee for the drive tastes extra specially good today, the trees have a magic yuletide glow to them, the road is snow covered but not too greasy and the radio is playing that new Robert Plant/Allison Krauss tune. No moose are on the road today but you see there are tracks. You make the last hairy turn by elbow pond and shift out of low gear and on to 112... and its snowing.... again.
You pull over the bridge into the parking lot which is a bit more filled up than would be expected on a weekday before Christmas but there is still a spot not too far a walk from the locker room. Two pairs of skis and poles and a loaded ski bag are not that heavy a burden today especially when Ginny and Walter are just ahead of you holding open every door. A quick change into the gear, Randy Wales just popped in and you are both out the door ready to get on the lift and it's snowing... again.
Riding up the quad you see those who made it out just a bit before you enjoying the 'Freshies', unload the lift and make those first turns into Grand Junction and your first turns aren't all that rusty, the snow is epic, the temperature is perfect and you do really need to put some wax on soon. Down to the Go-Go and hook up for ride with some old friends Steve and Tom , swap old ski stories and remark that it's amazing that Steve has never seen "The Big Lewbowski" and it's snowing... again.
Over to "South Peak" for the Grand Opening, the snow is more than perfect. Dignitaries are awaiting the ribbon cutting, a bagpiper is warming up, a tap on the shoulder and you see that Johnny Walker from Scotland is back after a three year hiatus, the "Flying Fifties" are all gathered with a slew of management and politicians to celebrate a moment that has been two decades in the making, speeches are made, smiles are abundant, the ribbon is cut and the crowd loads the lift and it's snowing.... again.
A few hours on the hill, untracked powder on the sides, some nice soft bumps on Upper Northstar, Lower Picked is just begging for big "GS" carves, Upper Rum Runner into Coolidge and you pull out all the stops and open the throttle for your last run of the day, satisfying your need for speed. You ski up to the locker room and click out of your bindings knowing that you are going to feel these first turns for a few days to come as you may have over did it just a bit but it's the first day, the first turns of what is sure to be a historical season. You pick up you skis and balance them on your shoulder as you walk towards the locker room door but turn to take one last look up at the hill and you see that it's snowing.... again.
A Word About Helmets
(From December 14, 2007)
It was a Saturday morning back in the late sixties when my dad drove me over to an ice rink in Weymouth Mass to see if I could get on a squirt hockey team. I could barely skate and had very little equipment consisting mainly of a stick, skates and some knee pads. The coach, Mr. Dorman, informed us that yes I could be on the team but recently they started requiring all kids to wear helmets. They found one I could use for that practice and we picked up an old leather one for the next Saturday. It was cool to be skating in a real rink, on a real team and wear a real helmet. Of course through out my youth hockey career we would all ditch the helmet any time we brought our game to a local pond.
Many years later in the early eighties (Remember the eighties?) I spent many hours on my Kawasaki 750. A crew of us would ride every Sunday. One of our favorite trips was up 93 north to the New Hampshire border where we would all pull into the state line rest area and find a nice place to strap the helmet on the back of the bike somewhere. It was such a free feeling riding fast without the encumbrance of a helmet.
In all those years no one except a racer wore a helmet skiing. And even when helmets started showing up in greater numbers on the slopes, I never really considered wearing one... and then I had kids. I insisted that the youngsters wear helmets while skiing, one of the few things they never objected to as it was and is now, rare to see a kid skiing without one. It is also a fact that there are as many adults wearing helmets as not maybe more and yes I am one of those helmeted adults these days. Not that I'm trying to fit in with the current fashion, I am rarely accused of that, but it is true that helmets are part of the fashion nowadays; both stylish and functional.
Here are a few things I have personally experienced wearing a ski helmet. First of all they are as warm as a hat, maybe warmer with the earflap options. They are also pretty cool, literally, on a hot day when you can open a vent and cool your head. They don't itch and when taking it off helmet head is a little easier to deal with than hat head as they usually don't cause the same static that makes your hair stand on end.
I do not feel bulletproof with a helmet on though. I'm not taking any more chances than in the past . I do feel a little safer knowing that wearing a helmet can help reduce the chance of injury and I feel that in one area of my life perhaps I'm setting a small but important example.
If you are considering a helmet, do a little research. Helmets range in price anywhere from $35 upwards of $200 and beyond. Find one that fits you well, plain and simple, one that will not come flying off in the event of a crash. It doesn't have to be super tight just snug and comfortable. Make sure your goggles will fit properly when wearing your helmet as some helmet/ goggle combinations just won't work. Mostly shop around and research what a helmet has to offer and what kind of skiing you'll be doing as there are some helmets designed for racing and others for the park etc.
One more thing, and this is very important, if you want to put stickers all over your helmet, make sure there is going to be adequate space!
I am not trying to get up on a soap box here and preach about the virtue of helmets and the evils of not wearing one, all I'm saying is I tried it, I liked it and I wear one.
Ode To Gravity
(From November 30, 2007)
In his novel 'Slapstick' my favorite author Kurt Vonnegut Jr. talks about a future where gravity changes as frequently as the weather. There are days when his main character can barely get out of bed and walk when the gravity is too heavy and others where he can bound huge distances when the gravity is light. One of lessons that I get from this story is that we all take gravity for granted. Gravity... it is always constant on this Earth, a force that keeps us from spinning off the planet. I'm sure when Sir Isaac Newton sat under a tree and watched apples falling to the ground he was not worried about clinging to the ground. But the results off his work from then on have put men on the moon.
Yes its true that I don't walk out of the house each morning thankful for the force of gravity but when I put on a pair of skis and descend a mountain I know that gravity is the reason I can enjoy this sport. When you think about it a handful of sports come to mind that are entirely dependent on gravity; skydiving, bobsledding, cliff diving just to name a few. It is true that gravity affects everything such as the arc a basketball makes going through the hoop or a Tom Brady spiral into the end zone, but with alpine skiing it is all about gravity.
When interviewing a friend , Jeff Krill, a couple of years back about the adaptive ski program he summed it up very simply that it is easier for him to ski than it is to push his wheel chair through the slush to his car, again gravity. It is also the reason an over weight, out of shape forty seven year old male (that would be yours truly) can ski all day without getting too fatigued.
The funny thing is that in all my years of teaching skiing it seems the biggest obstacle folks have to overcome is how they deal with gravity. Most folks tend to fight it, and one of life's absolutes is that gravity always wins. What we need to learn to do on our skis is to work with gravity. In his book 'All Terrain Skiing' Extreme skier Dan Egan encourages folks to 'Embrace Gravity'.
But how do you work with, or 'Embrace ' gravity? First and foremost we need to be getting off our heels. If we feel all the pressure on our foot building up in the heel we are sitting too far back thus we are fighting gravity and when your quads are burning at the end of a run you'll know that gravity has won. A good place to start is to get your shins snug up against the tongue of your boot then work on adjusting your body so you feel the strain in you quads release. When you start feeling these sensations you'll know you are starting to enter the 'Friends of Gravity' zone (I just made that up). You'll also feel a LOT more control as when you start working with gravity it makes it so much easier to adjust you speed.
Gravity...true it is a force that is as neutral as Switzerland but I like to imagine that Gravity wants to be my friend, a true friend that will always be there for me, a friend that expects nothing from me other than to 'Embrace' it when I begin my glide, a friend that will always reward me when decide not to fight it.
...And although I know that the future events in a Vonnegut novel will always be pure fiction, I do now vow to never again take gravity for granted.
And So It Comes!
(From November 16, 2007)
Mixed emotions. I discovered that one of the fence posts in my back yard was broken the other day and realized that with the ground being frozen replacing it before winter probably wasn't an option. So I do have to deal with jury rigged fence until spring but... the ground was frozen... which means I'll be skiing real soon (and I have a great excuse to put off yet another project until spring!).
Those of you who know me or have been regular readers of this column know that it would take a huge stretch of reality to even remotely consider me a fitness nut. There was a time that I hiked quite a few of the four thousand footers in the area and would do a nice long distance hike down in Virginia each spring. I was also one of the first people to be out roller blading getting ready for the ski season and there was quite a stretch where my primary mode of transport was a bike. Many years and extra pounds later I regret that I've slipped away from many of those routines. But just this week I pulled the bike out, pumped up the tires and went for a nice little three mile cruise. OK it was all down hill and I was riding to the shop to pick up my car so the three miles back were basically irrelevant.
Regardless that quick ride got my blood pumping on a cold morning, feeling the wind rush past my ears I was getting a taste of what is soon to come, ski season!
Call it a hunch, but I just feel in my bones that this year will be an epic one, the kind we only experience a couple of times in a decade. I haven't been reading the Old Farmers Almanac or checking to see if the squirrels are hording extra acorns; chock it up to just a gut feeling that the ski season of '07-'08 will be one for the record books. I'll even go out on a limb here and say that over the course of this winter we will get... ok are you ready?... I predict... over one hundred inches of natural snow between now and April 2008. I also will go farther and say that we will get most of this snow fall in increments of twelve inches or less with perhaps one storm that will bring over two feet. (Statistically 80% of my predictions are right on with a 75% margin of error)
Regardless of whether the big natural snows come or not snowmaking has started at most of the major New England resorts and yes a few are already open (Sunday River and Sugarloaf just to name a couple) Most plan on opening by the last week of November and even Tenney Mountain is planning on reopening on December 15th this year (I am really excited to see Tenney back in the mix!) Where ever you may venture this fall in ski country you will feel the excitement as it seems I'm not the only one with a much higher than normal anticipation, it's in the air!
So while I'm going through the ski bag and checking the equipment, making sure those squirrels haven't been hording extra acorns in my boots I'm also thinking that it will take more effort to put that bike away for the winter than it would to take it out for a few more cold morning rides!
A Look At Ski Industry Careers
(From November 2, 2007)
“I came here to goof off and ski for a winter!” I’ve heard similar quotes from many folks who have spent a long time in the ski industry. This quote came from Loon Mountain General Manager Rick Kelley. Back in 1977 Rick came down from Caribou Maine to take a position as a night time snowmaker, thirty years later he is sitting in the lead chair in the front office.
It’s true that there are many factors that can entice a person to make a career in the ski industry and in my research there was one phase that was used over and over again; ‘Lifestyle’.
“It’s certainly not about the money” Ralph Lewis director of operations at Loon told me.
Ralph did his early skiing at Pleasant Mountain in Bridgton Maine. As a snowmaker he learned the about the industry with a ‘Hands on’ approach. One of Ralph’s daily pleasures is a predawn snowshoe hike up the mountain where he will still stop to adjust an occasional snow gun. He tries to get out skiing about four or five times a week.
“Very few get rich but very few can match the quality of life” John DeVivo, General Manager for Cannon Mountain explains. Skiing consisted of two annual five day ski trips for his family. In college skiing became a way of life. He worked as a rental shop tech and lift attendant in the Pocono’s at Camelback and Shawnee where skiing often took the place of attending classes.
“I skied one hundred and twenty seven days my first year and the seasons weren’t as long as the ones we have now” Rick Kelley told me. He also had a background in electronics and during his first year skiing and making snow he found he could fulfill a need with the operations of the lifts and communications. Having a knack for technical operations Rick worked with Lift Maintenance and eventually took over Mountain operations before becoming General Manager. Looking back to his first night making snow when Loon only ran “About seven guns” (Now days they run well over one hundred) he chuckled when he told me how at the end of the night he was told to go pick up the next shift in a “Bombi” a type of snow cat he had never seen let alone driven.
Indeed a love of skiing and the outdoors is what keeps folks like this in the industry but with any job there must be a downside so I asked what are some of the pros and cons to a ski industry career.
“Well of course you are working while people are out there having fun” says Rick
Ralph tells us that at times the job can be very “Time consuming” as you choose a career in the ski business it becomes your life.
John DeVivo adds that “Upward career movement is not always easy to achieve”
On the upside I was told again and again that just living in the mountains was incredible. Those who raise children have a chance to let them enjoy the skiing and riding lifestyle as well. But over all it seems they all share the satisfaction of being part of a product that brings enjoyment to so many.
Asked on what advice they would give to anyone considering a ski industry career Rick told me that “You should look for a well run resort where you can learn” Ralph advises the “Hands on approach to really see how things work” and John adds that you should be “Prepared to work long and hard” but he also adds “Very few industries have the passion of this one”
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