Q for rof’s skiers at Easter

Did you all bring Covid back with you again? Or can’t you tell because our shitshow government has stopped bothering about it?

you know what I find weird? (I know this will alienate me from the group) people who spend money doing SKI lessons

at fckin 40-odd or 50-odd

every day a goddamn ski lesson - for FUN? on a BREAK? 

what's the next step - evel knievel? don't think so mate just do a bit of skiing, see how it goes, then dinner

"oh what if one of the other school mums sees I am not very good at the totally non-indigenous to central Scotland passtime I only do to showcase how much money I have anyway"

middle aged people have ski lessons so they can join the club Clergs, typically those that grew up a bit poorer so did not learn as kids but have entered the middle middle to upper middle class with gusto and want to fit in.  Its not about the joy of skiing per se.

but fit in with WHOM

they don't ever seem to go on a big jolly group trip of peers because at least half the couple is always busy shagging the intern to try to feel alive again working

I often have a lesson when I'm on holiday as skiing is one of those things that's much less effort and easier if you do it well and also helps my confidence if I haven't been for a while.  

There's always something else to learn and at the weekend we had a sailmaker on board for a day and some on the water coaching as my sailing crew is very experienced but we can always find something we can do better.  Paid off with winning the event with a race to spare.

To give perspective for clergs. I'm in my forties, a qualified ski instructor and I still take lessons now and then as there is always something new to learn and improve

The solution is to hire a ski & mountain guide - they're pretty sensible to use if you're going off-piste, and most of them will (if you're minded to receive them) offer hints and tips along the way to help you improve your skiing.

  1. the better you are, the easier it is/the less effort it is
  2. the better you are, the more of the mountain you can ski
  3. almost all british skiers are really not very good, including most skiers who rate themselves as good. 

 

 

thank fvck the government HAS stopped bothering about it, tbh

no idea. I haven’t been ill. it’s not 2020. I recall what a massive covid fanny you were.

The biggest secret of skiing is that it is really fooking easy.  Turbo easy.  People who've spent that much on a ski holiday do not want you to know this.  I suspect that's because they are all a bunch of malcos who will inevitably break their legs because vestibular.

It is also quite boring, but that isnt a secret.

What clubbers said. Getting better makes you more efficient which is important as you get older. You'll be able to do longer days and not be as sore the next day, particularly as your muscles are unlikely to be used to the movements.

I don't think I'm great. I do alright and try and improve. If you've ever lived in the mountains you know what good actually looks like and always know people better than yourself.

when i was skiing a lot i used to regularly see a family and think "that's it, that's the dream".  family skiing together, all in the perfect alpine position, absolutely fvcking hooning it down the hill but all under complete control, beautifully chosen lines, little ones tucked in behind the dad, mum not too bad either.

 

anyway, it turned out dad had got a gold medal for downhill in the world championship and in the olympics and the daughter has now (some 15 years later or so) won her first silver in a world championship and has taken two first places (4 podiums) in the world cup. despite some serious injuries.

 

THAT'S good.

skiing on groomed pistes is fairly easy

it’s not really supposed to be difficult is it?

if you want difficult skiing, it is certainly available

Flattering blue runs, Laz! Me too, esp now we are old.

If mr M were to give up skiing I might get an instructor to teach me off piste, but again on a gentle basis, and only up to the point I found it easy.

Despite being totally hopeless at pretty much all sports I took to skis (mid twenties) like a duck to water, no idea why, in the early stages of learning I definitely reckon you can overthink it. And ofc these days those carver skis do almost all the work for you.

they don't ever seem to go on a big jolly group trip of peers because at least half the couple is always busy shagging the intern to try to feel alive again working

I keep chuckling at this.

I used to spend quite a bit of time in the mountains and thought I was quite good skier blue runs St Gervais etc France. Nice and sensible. Nice Kir Royale on the slopes afterwards. I then made the mistake of going away with a few groups of hard core funsters. Broken limbs, pissed on black runs, toboggans in St Anton, aerials in St Morzine. Nightmare I could not keep up AT ALL and after an injury gave it up. If I returned I would be taking lessons and probably settle into the week with a nice French instructor.