Elysian_Roads
Senior Member
Ouch, glad I only went to Hemel as a spectator then!Milton Keynes is twice the price of Tamworth
Learning to do "winter sports" from scratch in your (late) fifties?
- Thread starter GrumpyGregry
- Start date
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Elysian_Roads
Senior Member
Presumably too close to the February half term skiing exodus to get a Groupon or similar discounts on lessons?Milton Keynes is twice the price of Tamworth
Go for it!
I took up skiing in my mid 40s having never skied before. If your balance and co-ordination are good its possible to pick up the basics fairly quickly and its a lot of fun and a great sense of achievement. In my first ever week of skiing I went from nothing to skiing down my first black run (runs are typically graded green, blue, red or black). Mind you I think that had a lot to do with trying to impress the future Mr Renmurew who is a terrific skier and laughed when I said I wanted to go on a skiing holiday.
Its incredible to be in the middle of the mountains on a beautiful slue sky day with snow as far as the eye can see. Never tried boarding but I knew from a very early time that skiing was for me and have never looked back. A highlight of last year was skiing down a black run in Val D'Isere called La Face that was used in 1976 as the Men's Downhill Olympic run! Mind you it did take me just a wee bit longer than the roughly 1 min 50 seconds that the elite do it in!! Still I have a wonderful photo holding my skis above my head in celebration :-0.
Its never too late and if you are lucky you will not only enjoy it, but love it. Age is just a number. We always comment on how many healthy "senior" people we see skiing. On our last skiing holiday we met a 78 year old who was on his first ever skiing holiday. He was in ski school each morning for 3-4 hours and was already looking forward to his next holiday. :-)
Looking forward to hearing how you got on.
I took up skiing in my mid 40s having never skied before. If your balance and co-ordination are good its possible to pick up the basics fairly quickly and its a lot of fun and a great sense of achievement. In my first ever week of skiing I went from nothing to skiing down my first black run (runs are typically graded green, blue, red or black). Mind you I think that had a lot to do with trying to impress the future Mr Renmurew who is a terrific skier and laughed when I said I wanted to go on a skiing holiday.
Its incredible to be in the middle of the mountains on a beautiful slue sky day with snow as far as the eye can see. Never tried boarding but I knew from a very early time that skiing was for me and have never looked back. A highlight of last year was skiing down a black run in Val D'Isere called La Face that was used in 1976 as the Men's Downhill Olympic run! Mind you it did take me just a wee bit longer than the roughly 1 min 50 seconds that the elite do it in!! Still I have a wonderful photo holding my skis above my head in celebration :-0.
Its never too late and if you are lucky you will not only enjoy it, but love it. Age is just a number. We always comment on how many healthy "senior" people we see skiing. On our last skiing holiday we met a 78 year old who was on his first ever skiing holiday. He was in ski school each morning for 3-4 hours and was already looking forward to his next holiday. :-)
Looking forward to hearing how you got on.
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
You'll be absolutely fine, and you'll have an absolute blast. Be warned, winter sports holidays are great fun but ruinously expensive.
OP
OP
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
You want "ruinously expensive"? Stay in Vancouver over Xtmas and NY!!!!
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
The flights to BC are spectacularly pricey. Vancouver became expensive overnight with the Winter Olympics. It used to be cheap.
Ganymede
Veteran
- Location
- Rural Kent
Just to add - you really need to invest in some good instruction. You really do. One group lesson at the start of the week won't cut it, I would say especially with an older starting age (kids bounce, after all).
One-on-one is pricey, but I believe very much worth it - or perhaps a small class, maybe 3 or 4 pupils. But I would say have morning lessons for the first 2 days.
I was really lucky when I learned to ski at 45 (ish?) as I was invited by a rich friend who basically gave me my own ski instructor for the long weekend - there were no other beginners in the group and I couldn't ski alone! I realise this was a mad stroke of good fortune but it really set me up well. Being taught properly just makes the whole experience more agreeable and manageable.
One-on-one is pricey, but I believe very much worth it - or perhaps a small class, maybe 3 or 4 pupils. But I would say have morning lessons for the first 2 days.
I was really lucky when I learned to ski at 45 (ish?) as I was invited by a rich friend who basically gave me my own ski instructor for the long weekend - there were no other beginners in the group and I couldn't ski alone! I realise this was a mad stroke of good fortune but it really set me up well. Being taught properly just makes the whole experience more agreeable and manageable.
Accy cyclist
Legendary Member
- Location
- The hills of Accrington
I'd like to have a go at the luge and skeleton rides,but going at about 20mph instead of the usual 80mph. The only one i'd feel fairly safe on would be the bobsleigh. I could manage that at full speed but i'd have to be at the back of the car with my eyes shut.
swee'pea99
Squire
Don't think I ever came away from an ice rink with a dry arse.
swee'pea99
Squire
I only ever skied once, but I took to it straightaway. It felt to me quite a lot like cycling in many ways - essentially about being instinctively aware of your centre of gravity and aligning it properly with your ground point.
Pro Tour Punditry
Guru
Winter sports are for nobbers
Profpointy
Legendary Member
What , sledging down a snowy hill on a tray nicked from the canteen is for nobbers? What a thing to say
Profpointy
Legendary Member
Regarding the lessons thing - I learnt far more from a book (ali ross on skying) than I ever did from a full week of lessons. In fact I learnt the most from one sentence in the book that stated the obvious fact that the skis have a curve so if you lean the curved edge into the snow you will turn following that curve. Lessons went on about weight shift, snowplough and god knows what without stating this obvious point. That and always face your body down the hill. Back when I learnt the skis weren't as curved as they are now so I did need it pointing out. I switched to nordic skiing a few years later, but haven't been for 12 years or so. Expensive game mind, nearly as bad as scuba diving.
Did the Olympic 4 man bobsleigh rum at La Plagne a few years ago - cost as much for the 4 of us as a weekend at Euro Disney (current price 295Euro pp for a single run) but worth every penny - took me hours to stop buzzing!
Globalti
Legendary Member
I learned to ski at The Lecht in rain on wet slush. Had gone planning to do XC skiing but conditions were terrible then a pal who was doing downhill hurt himself and gave me his jacket with pass attached, skis and boots and within half an hour I was soaked but hooked.
I worked in a French resort for a winter season so can ski well on piste but go to pieces in powder, like so many skiers. Have done plenty of ski touring including the Haute Route but that's just a question of getting down using defensive techniques. It's quite akin to cycling in the action, the fitness required and the introspective, solitary character of the sport.
I worked in a French resort for a winter season so can ski well on piste but go to pieces in powder, like so many skiers. Have done plenty of ski touring including the Haute Route but that's just a question of getting down using defensive techniques. It's quite akin to cycling in the action, the fitness required and the introspective, solitary character of the sport.
