Skiing - do you love it, loath it or simply not interested?

[SteCenturion]

SNOWBOARDING - Beats the $H1T out of skiing every day.
Nicer - friendlier people who have time to help each other out & not judge you by the brand/£ of your Jacket/Board etc.
This and it is way cooler by a long shot - never fancied ski's - may never try them - who knows.
Wouldn't stop my little one doing it though when she is ready.

 

[SteCenturion]

Been when younger, didnt enjoy it enough to want to pay for the family to go.
The cost of skiing in school holidays is prohibitive for anyone other than the very rich.

Not so Beebo.
A week in Bulgaria or Andorra can be had often for the same £ as Spain/Canaries/Cyprus etc inc lift passes if you shop around.

 

[SteCenturion]

For 51 weeks a year I merely exist. For 1 week a year I go off ski-ing and live.
Although this year (2014) and last I have missed out due to the arrival of a bundle of joy.

Its not cold (I often have lunch outside in my shirt sleeves if the weather is good), and it does connect you with the environment (although I'm disappointed by the number of climate change deniers and don't care types on the slopes). I have a poor sense of balance, but can tackle any piste you could find with joy rather than terror.

There is an element of letting go with ski-ing that I guess cycling doesn't quite need. If you are intent on keeping in full control and following instructor's instructions at all times, you will struggle to progress. If you are happy to let go a bit and go for it, you will get on so much better.

But in the end, I can't explain it, or force anyone to share my joy. I just know that when I am flying down a relatively empty slope, fine and gentle movements in my feet and legs controlling my direction exactly as I want it to, legs snapping underneath my body from one side to another as the edges catch in the soft snow, that this is where I would like to spend much more of my life. Sadly it doesn't pay the mortgage.

& you will experience much less of it now that the Stork has visited your house.
I know these things.

 

[slowmotion]

^^^^^^^^^^
A twelve year drought in my case

 

[SteCenturion]

I

I hate snow...why I would want to spend my holidays and shedloads of cash risking life and limb on the vile white c***? I did a week school trip, hated every minute

Shame really as I have relatives in Verbier

A Cying shame that -
Do they want a live in Skivvy ??

 

[ianrauk]

Well sure, I can get that but powder snow is not to be compared lightly to normal snow….
Fresh powder has a dryness and lightness to it that make it different to what you find normally on groomed pistes or indeed the type of snow that falls in the UK.
Seriously, it makes you laugh uncontrollably as you bounce weightlessly down through it - sheer exhileration.

And on another note..
This is exactly how I felt when I was riding my recumbent....

 

[andytheflyer]

The release bindings are fantastic. I've seen more broken legs than f~@cked knees. I can ski just about anything (ability but age and sensible head is now here) but I simply CANNOT use skates of any description.

As a fellow Bostonian, you'll have trouble skiing in Boston, unless it's down the Sluice Bridge!

 

[Lullabelle]

W

I had pondered it for a while, so instead of investing in a full winter holiday, I treated myself to a 'Learn to ski in a day' course at Tamworth snowdome. By the end of the afternoon I was snowploughing all the way from the very top, a really enjoyable day, but I knew I had no desire to strap skis on again.
I had also pondered scuba diving, so did something similar. The result was completely the opposite, I am now working toward my Master Diver certificate.

I struggled to stand up so I didn't get very far

 

[Fnaar]

It's great at first, but it's all downhill after that

Acksherly, have never been, always deemed it too expensive. Couple of years ago, when we had loads of snow, the kids and i had great fun sledging at any spare moment. Fantastic fun, and great times! At the same time, by bro-in-law took his family skiing (they're rather better off financially than we are) and they came back disappointed, as there wasn't enough snow, apparently.

 

[PK99]

a I don't fancy getting cold and wet, .

The only temperature problem i have when skiing is getting too warm - with the right clothing i never feel cold. And I never get wet! - English snow is wet, alpine snow is dry!

 

[totallyfixed]

Standing at the top of a mountain with views to die for, the village you are skiing back to just a speck in the valley. You wait until the last person has descended off the last lift, all is silent before you point your skis down and push off, accelerating to well over 60 mph in seconds with the wind tugging at your cheeks making you grin like a maniac. Love it, the ultimate adrenaline rush. I have been doing it for more years than I can remember and my ambition is to do the flying kilometer and top the 100 mph mark .

 

[Aperitif]

at the top of a mountain with views to die for

Don't wish your life away.

 

[vickster]

Standing at the top of a mountain with views to die for, the village you are skiing back to just a speck in the valley. You wait until the last person has descended off the last lift, all is silent before you point your skis down and push off, accelerating to well over 60 mph in seconds with the wind tugging at your cheeks making you grin like a maniac. Love it, the ultimate adrenaline rush. I have been doing it for more years than I can remember and my ambition is to do the flying kilometer and top the 100 mph mark .

I can't imagine anything worse...except perhaps jumping out of a small plane without a parachute (or indeed with a parachute)!!

 

[slowmotion]

You almost sell it to me there! I just think it's miles too late for me to start, physically as well as mentally.

It isn't. Give it a whirl.

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

Booked for the Three Valleys in March.