The 10 Essential Things you must do this summer!!!!!

Thanks IceGhost... you're not so bad either

How is your foot coming? I hope you will be back in shape for next winter Your 10 things might include foot exercises and more foot exercises ..... You may be in the best shape of anyone.

Mike

I cannot do ten! I try to prioritise, but I have to do them all.

1) Rear entry boots, perform well but need a couple of tightening cables replacing and edges smoothed off.
2) Strip bindings on K2s, degrease, and apply new grease. Take to Niederau next winter.
3) Same procedure on Rossignals, based in Niederau, do in July.
4) Fill sharpen and wax K2s and one other pair.
5) Replace pole baskets, one has split.
6) Review winterpacking list. Managed to get rucsac weight down to 14Kgms, including ski boots and painting gear. Can do better.
7) Cut a bit from the upper centre of goggles, don't wear them much, but when you need them.....
Buy new ski gloves and salopettes. Glove thumbs now 90% duck tape, 10% glove.
9) Try to get my lovely Wildsconeau Ski Race Club sweater repaired. It's over thirty years old, and showing the odd hole. But those proud gold dragons on dark blue...
10) Maintain/resume daily ski-specifice exercise routine. This is a big commitment, with a big payback.
11) Finalise research into Austrian beginner and experienced skiers ski week for next New Year.
12) Arrange Jan & March Niederau ski fortnights and one other ski week.
13) Search for a buy new photo frame for an old Manchester friend, long since buried in Niederau, after a ski accident. I take responsibility for the grave maintenance.
14) Learn all the words of "Kufsteiner Lied" I do a John Redwood on most of them, the Austrians don't realise this yet. I just enjoy the yodelling.
15) Have promised Herbert blow up photos of times past in Niederau, for the walls of the Harfenwirt extension. Already am consulting all my older ski friends, (just in case you think I'm part of "times past".
16) Replenish my winter first aid pack.
17) Consider commitment to assisting with Disabled Ski Club.
1 Find out how to load pictures from my computer onto J2ski.
19) Organise dry slope/Xdome lessons for two friends in our village, taking their first ski trip next winter.
20) Buy another ski bag, forgot that I left mine in Niederau.

That's enough, I know there are heaps more. However, this has turned out to be quite a good exercise in creating a "to-do" list.

With all the building projects, tennis, hill walking, dog training, mountain biking, painting the outside of the house, blah di blah, how am I going to get through the ski list?

Dave Mac is the new god!

The rest of my 2008 involves:-

physio
praying the tendon graft takes
physio
dreaming
physio

Dav Mac,
Have you been talking to Mike?
In every course I teach I have student who gives more more than I asked,,then asks me to pick the best ones! This is called, the "shotgun" approach in evaluation circles!
Mike is the master of this approach and has won many contests using this approach! Rumors are that he got his engineering degree this way also!!!!

Nevertheless. you are now the "lead horse in the race! To be fair to all other skiers I will take first 10 suggestions you made,,even if all others are great!

Now for the sleepless nights Dave Mac! If you win,,do you wish a polar fleece jacket from USA National team logo, or a fleece from a well known ski resort? The Team fleece is blue and size medium! The resort fleece is tan and red and is Large size! This last item is thicker and longer than team fleece!
The signature autograph from national team member is faded!!!!!

Ha..decisions decisions! You never know some smart soul like Ellistine, Jan or Cataline might be lurking waiting till very end like on EBAY!!!!!!

Dave Mac,

I re-read your answers again and noted that you need some new gloves!

WAIT!!!!!
In August one of the prizes for my coming contests will be a pair of Racing Gloves,,Size large!
The are well trained for correct position, do not argue much and hold poles very well!

You might be the winner!
Pav

pavelski wrote:

Dave Mac,
Have you been talking to Mike?
In every course I teach I have student who gives more more than I asked,,then asks me to pick the best ones! This is called, the "shotgun" approach in evaluation circles!
Mike is the master of this approach and has won many contests using this approach!
 

Ahhh , yes the springtime sleepless nights !!!

Pavel, I too thought that Dave Mac had adopted "my" style of the "shogun" approach. I really prefer thinking of this method as more of the "open minded" approach than the shotgun. It is less violent. We were taught to keep an open mind as it is far too easy to develop tunnel vision otherwise.

So perhaps I am now developing an "all encompassing approach" with the single reply of "planning ahead for future needs" as applied to everything. ...Keeping it simple .....

Mike

Sorry Pav, I didn't realise this should be ten only. As it happens, the exercise has turned out a fairly comprehensive to-do list. The only problem is that I am now up to thirty two must-do items.

No, none of this is shotgun. Every point on my list hits a target.

I couldn't possibly discuss prizes, in advance, as my Austrian friends say to anticipate receipt is to bring bad luck.

It might be that racing gloves would be too fast for me! I have a little chuckle about sizes. I think I moved from medium to large when I was 13 years old.

And finally, I normally take 6 hours sleep a night, and Nothing keeps me awake. Mmm, well, nearly nothing.

Hirsty wrote:

1. Get into or keep in shape. There is no two ways about it - to get the best out of skiing requires you to be fit.

2, Insure your skis are stored flat and with a good covering of wax.

3, Plan your winter trip(s) (you have to have something to look forward to)

4, Repair, fix, and if you aboslutely must replace any damaged equipment (including clothing).

5, Scour Ebay for bargains

6,

7,

8,

9,

10, Irritate the hell out of your partner whith your constant chat about skiing (especially the really exagerated ones about powder days and big hucks) 

6, Persuade your partner that moving to Canada and working as a liftie/instructor is a sensible idea.

7, Visit your mate at the brewery (nothing to do with skiing but so worth it)

8, Point to the scar on your chin which you got falling over at the pool when you were 5 and claim it was from a cliff jump accident.

9, Whatch You Tube ski videos and pine

Dave Mac wrote:

Sorry Pav, I didn't realise this should be ten only.
 

Yes, and as a result of posting more than 10, you are disqualified.

Pav, I will PM my address for you to post the prize.....

Here are the 10 essential things all serious skiers should do,,,but first let's define "serious".

Serious to me ,means a person who sees skiing as a life long "adventure" where you are learning and progressing at all times! It is a person who wants to "get the most" from skiing!

Just from the many answers it is clear we have some serious skiers here! Gooseh's daydreaming suggestions are "understandable" but you must get beyond dreams to progress in skiing.
Tony H items 9 and 10 nearly got him a special prize since all skiers should note this! I have found so many great "deals" while traveling and stopping by some small resort or ski shop!
Ross's rock skiing is a well know practice to keep skiing alive,,but does have some serious disadvantages! My scars prove it! Worst is sand skiing!
The most original and touching was IceGhost's suggestion to , "touch base with family"! Right on the mark for skiing gypsies!

Now here are my suggestions for activities to do EVERY year, after a ski season.

1. Clean and check all ski equipment
It is during this period that you can detect that zipper that sticks, that velcro that needs extra section, that jacket ripped,that glove with hole,that goggle with elastic cut, that boot with loose rivet, that screw off that ski glasses! Dubbin or MINK OIL are great products to "massage" into ski gloves! I find placing scented wood chips into ski jacket pockets gives me a great feeling in October.


2. Wax skis and set DIN level to 0 on bindings!
Edges do rust over summer so any cheap wax on ski edges will do! If you want to keep your binding for more than 4 years set DIN level at 0 since it will release tension spring!

3.Sit down and make inventory of you ski equipment and make "needs list for 2009"!
What did you miss while skiing? What product did you see other skiers had which was great? This list is great for; birthdays, Christmas wish list, father's day list or just whenever anyone in family is "kind" to you! In IceGhost's case his family might be so happy to hear from him, they might buy him a "home welcome" gift!

The object of this exercise is to every year get a better inventory of ski material you need! In a couple of years you will have a "full inventory" of practical ski material!

4. Make a "bilan" of positive and negative aspects of your ski year! Bilan is a French word for 'end-of-year report! Why do this? So you can avoid the negatives next year and strives to promote the positives!
In this manner you will avoid negative ski resorts! Negative ski "friends"! Negative skis! Negative ski products! Yes even negative ski trips!

In short ,,ask yourself, "what went well last year" and....strive to repeat it!


5. Now is the time to plan ski trips next year! Now is the time to discuss prices and select ski resorts and ski friends!


6. Of course now that you are in top shape after all that skiing,,now you must keep this this "elite" Olympic level ski shape active! By all means plan activities so that in October you are not suffering from aching thighs, sore knees and backs!

7. Review all your BOOKMARKS! There are valuable ski sites that give you all sorts of information! Evaluate the sites you visited! Some are garbage! Some are too commercial! Then there are those which really are designed by skiers for skiers! Keep those rare pearls!

In July I will post my 10 most relevant internet sites! Yes another prize will be given!

8. Visit ski shops, ski clubs, ski bazzars!
Now is the time to get great deals since many skiers ( especially ski professionals sell their equipment! Most racers want new skis ever year! All ski instructors demand the newest skis and boots! Prestige demands it! You can get fantastic deals NOW!

9. Review ski photos and videos! We are more and more into the electronic world and we can learn via this medium! I have skier friends that I tape every year and at end of ski year we do a video "collage" over a 10 year period!
You can see your progress! You can view your mistakes! You can establish what you will do next year!

10. Here is the most important "suggestion"! Set yourself 3 goals! Just 3, but promise to attain these goals!
It could be just skiing that "hard" run you have always avoided!
It could be skiing with wife at least 6 runs.
It could be that great trip to powder heaven!
It could be just taking a ski holiday to Maine!

Then do all you can to work for these goals!

JUST MAKE SURE YOU HONOR THOSE GOALS!!!


Now for the winner!

DaveMac you are the winner of a polar fleece vest! Please send via PM your residence and choice since I have two types of vests!
The team vest is medium and royal blue, with USA Team logo on chest area!

The large thick vest is a caramel/honey and red vest! It has a ski resort logo that will be the envy of all your ski friends! Once you have been there,,all other resorts will be evaluated in reference to this place! (This is not a commercial)"
You will have to "prepare" some form a story very much like Mike and his instructor jacket he wears! May I suggest you become well versed with White Heat!

Pavel

Dave Mac,

Note Tony's very sad face in previous post!

If ever you two meet,,,pay him a beer or two since he did honor the quiz rules!

We hope to make that sad face an happy one soon!