J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by tino_11

Eljay wrote:I've getting a new coffee table, made from your snowboard!!!

With leuprichaun tusk legs no doubt )

AllyG wrote:Tino,
Snowboarders do frighten me. I'm very sorry if I've hurt your feelings. And I do try very hard to keep out of their way. I agree I've never actually had a loose snowboard hit me, or nearly hit me (that was a bit of an exageration - sorry) but I've had several snowboarders tell me afterwards that they lost their boards (when I was ski-ing beneath them).

I was actually trying to defend snowboarders - so I obviously didn't do a very good job! I certainly don't hate them.

I could also have written about some of the skiers that frighten me, but the subject was those short skis and snowboards. Plenty of other things frighten me as well, like fog, but overall I enjoy my ski-ing holidays very much.

Sorry again, for hurting your feelings, as a snowboarder,

Ally

Ally, I am a big boy now and not hurt by your comments, I just think they are a little myopic. I do most my riding (when not alone) with skiers, they never comment on my riding or habits unless they are trying to get a rise ) however thats mainly cos they cant keep up :lol: I just think as more experienced folk, we should have a little more understanding of those who are learning whatever discipline, after all they keep the sport accesible for all of us!! Of course there are dangerous people out there, I agree with you. I got pushed down a 30ft steep bank by a skier who could not stop adequately at Christmass. I went down it on my back, backwards and although angry gave him a wave from the bottom signaling I was ok, then i got on with it.

ise wrote:it's 112 all over Europe, anywhere in the world using a GSM phone and most other countries

it's not worth remembering local numbers and they may not always work, you can use 112 when your phone is not allowed to make any other calls when it's showing "emergency calls only" on the screen.

Probably a good thing to announce, I live in Central Europe and have been caught floundering when asked the emergency service number!! I certainly knew it when hanging for 20 mins however.

AllyG wrote:I wouldn't say I hate snowboarders, but they frighten me, because most of them keep falling over and seem to have very little control of their boards. This is not really the case, most beginner snowboarders fall more often than beginner skiers, but thats due to the nature of the activity not skill level. A lot of snowboarders have a huge amount of control and can get through a difficult spot/situation with relative ease.

I hate it when I'm innocently ski-ing along and I hear that nasty scccccr sort of noise behind me , and I know it's another blasted !!! snowboarder, who's very likely to crash into me and knock me flying. So I try and get out of the way as fast as possible. Very likely? You must get hit often by snowboarders, as there are a lot these days. When a snowboarder needs to lose speed quick, he or she must get the edge, and this make the noise you describe.

And I also hate it when I'm ski-ing behind one on a very narrow piste, and I know if he/she falls over there's nowhere for me to go and I'm going to smash into them. Hence I always try and give them a very wide berth. And I try not to get on a chair lift with them, because they behave in a very odd way when they get off at the top. First point is identical for both skiers and snowboarders. I used to hate blue runs through trees for this reason, now I love them and get p****d of with skiers for carving the entire width, but I accept it and would not post about it. Second point I grant you, but it's thier mountain too! A little understanding and awareness goes a long way )

I have snowboarded down the main route to Wengen to be confronted by over 10 skiers standing across the entire piste, waiting, chatting or whatever. I agree snowboarders seem to sit in stupid places, but when on a flat and thin run on a board the last thing you need is a bunch of skiers waiting for thier pals

Most of all, I hate it when they lose their board, and it comes rocketing down the mountain like a javelin straight for me :shock: Seen it once in 80 days of being on the mountain.

The people who 'ride' them seem quite like 'normal' people when I talk to them once they've returned to the normal bipedal state.

Perhaps the problem is that there are an awful lot of bad snowboarders on the slopes. Anad all skiers up there are born good??? I don't have any problems with the skillful sort, who wouldn't dream of crashing into me, None of them dream of any such thing any more than I would be likely to crash into them. We co-exist together quite happily on the slopes :D

Ally

Ally, this is a bit of a generalisation. Not wanting to argue I think there are a few things need corecting amongst this. I have no problem with anyone up there, and admit to getting frustrated from time to time, but I dont think slating an entire disiplne is very constructive.

In December, whilst riding the ski circus for a week, I got caught late getting back from Leogang to Saalbach because they had put temp signs up signalling the way back for late skiers, some pillock had obviously tampererd with the sign and I rode the run twice back to the wrong place. The 3rd time I ignored it in the twylight and followed my nose to end up at the correct lift to the top allowing a 7km run back, 15 mins after it closed. I pleaded with the operator to get it going which he did, but after 3 mins it stopped for over 20 mins. I was maybe 50ft from the ground and started worrying. I had given away my map to someone earlier and had no numbers! Fortunately it got going again and I was greeted at the top by 5 personell. I can only thank the guy I dealt with for having the peAce of mind he did.

Turned into my biggest day riding, 80km and huge vertical. Also the only day that Jagermeister has ever tasted good ;)

sm4sh, we need to have words my friend :) I snowboarded every calender month except June and September last year. Both could have been done but my bank manager needs 2 breaks a year! Glaciers are great places in the spring and autumn, usually the gradient is forgiving for beginners, certainly Zermatt and Saas Fee in Switzerland. The areas are not huge, but it all depends what you want. I spent a day in Zermatt in October and did 55km in about 5 hours, 90% from one lift. A glacier is basically a consolidated river of ice, it's where the temp is rarely above freezing for long periods of time so in the Alps they tend to be at altitude. The further north you travel, the lower you will find them. This is not a geography lesson however so back to the skiing. I did most of my learning on glaciers. They can be frighteningly icy, but that's not a bad thing to start on IMO, from what I read here ice is something that scares a lot of people. Ice is typically predictable and therefore consistent. Powder for example is not. Don't get me wrong a piste is the best place to learn but with some of the 365 day glaciers you will get hard piste for an hour or two a day, even in August when it is approaching 30C in the valley.

PM me if you wanna know more about skiing cheaply in reasonable conditions in the European off season, I do 50% of my riding this way.

Right then people let's have some order!! I see what happens when I am away for a while, make no mistake!

There's loads of snow to go round, and there was a good amount in Helsinki where I have been for the weekend.

How come -15C there is twice as cold as -15C in the mountains? Bloody freezing it was!!

No more snowboard bashing please!!

Tony_H wrote:Dont make the fatal mistake my mates GF did and tucked the waterproof linings of her sallos inside her boots!!!!!

bloody he'll that's an odd way to go, bet your mate was gutted :wink: