J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by AllyG

Hi,
I like to have an interactive map of the resort (sorry if that's a bit difficult to do), so that I can see where the various apartments are in relation to the shops, ski lifts, ski school meeting point, bus stop, and pistes.

I also like to see a piste map (one that can be blown up so you can see it properly), details on ski lessons, lift pass prices, and how to get there - rail, bus, car, plane.

Ally

I wasn't entirely sure which sort of slalom course I'd been ski-ing in, and one of the boot fitters in the shop I was in last week used to be an instructor in Courchevel, so I asked him.

It was a Giant Slalom course. He said it has 50 - 60 gates. I know it had a great many, but I was too busy ski-ing to count. So the bit in the video is about 1/6th of the whole course I skied down. And my classmate who very kindly put the video up on YouTube for me has wrongly labelled it as a downhill slalom course.

Also, I found this, about how to ski Giant Slalom. I rather think I was trying the rounded 'S' turn technique, rather than the 'banana' one :lol:

http://youcanski.com/en/coaching/gs_turns.htm

Ally

Thanks Caron,
I'm pleased you had a good time, but disappointed for you that you still managed to hurt your knee even though you were boarding. It's a good thing you brought your ski boots with you :D

Pablo Escobar wrote:

AllyG wrote:I suppose it depends if Pablo is talking about skiers who have been ski-ing for years, think they're really great, but have a number of bad habits they don't know about

This^

I know I have plenty of bad habits too, I just can't afford lessons to fix them ;)

Pablo,
I think the difference is that you know what your bad habits/weak points are - because you've had plenty of lessons really - it's fixing them that's the problem (or at least it is with me, and I would guess we're all the same with this).
The total beginner doesn't think in terms of weak points or bad habits - they're just trying to stop and turn without falling over (which is quite enough to start with).
But as we progress we discover (or our instructor does) more and more errors, or faults, so that conversely, as we improve we become more aware of our mistakes.
I could fill several pages with the faults I know I have in my ski-ing, and I would think so could an Olympic level skier (because no-one is perfect).

If I was trying to teach someone to ski I'd have to say - 'do it like this, but lean more than me, or do it like that woman over there' or something, because I feel I'm simply not good enough to teach anyone to ski.

What would worry me, is if a beginner skier was being taught by someone who thinks they're really good, but isn't aware of their own errors, and hence passes them on to their pupil.

And I think there is always more we could all learn, to improve our ski-ing, whether we learn it on our own out on the slopes, from a more-skilled friend, or from an instructor :D

Ally

I'm very sorry everyone, that I accidentally caught my dog in an embarassing moment (I had no idea until I looked at the finished photo - it was taken with one of those 'old fashioned' cameras). I do have some photos that he'd probably be happier with, but the 'blue run' doesn't show as clearly.

Trencher - we got our dog as a rescue dog at 7 months, complete with his unusually beautiful tail. Our local vet says that in fact he still qualifies as a collie, because he has the 'stare' and the 'crouch' and his tail doesn't come into it. But as you say, he must be crossed with another breed somewhere - only I have no idea what. He is a lovely dog and we are all very fond of him. The holidaymakers like him as well, especially the kids, because he will endlessly fetch sticks and balls when they are thrown for him.

Priest - I'm very sorry. They were supposed to be looking at the snow in the photo, not at what the dog was doing :lol:

Ally

Ian,
When you said 'You would make the comparison with your own ski-ing' - that's exactly what I was thinking, and I reached the rather depressing conclusion that the more one improves, the more 'rubbish' one is surrounded by :wink:

I guess, to an Olympic level skier, we are all 'rubbish', but to a complete beginner we'd look pretty good.

And, when I ski past some poor person 'stuck' on a tricky bit of a red or black slope, I admit I feel a bit smug, but I don't think they're a 'rubbish' skier, I just think to myself 'that was me last year, or the year before ...'.

And, I am very grateful when another, more competent skier comes to help me out when I've fallen and lost my skis. I hope they are not thinking I am another piece of 'rubbish' littering the slope.

I suppose it depends if Pablo is talking about skiers who have been ski-ing for years, think they're really great, but have a number of bad habits they don't know about, or whether he's talking about skiers who are simply at a lower skill level than ourselves because they haven't had as much practice/lessons. I would agree that it wouldn't be a good idea trying to learn from the former, and probably a beginner wouldn't notice their mistakes.

Anyway, on a more cheerful note, Pablo and Dave Mac have now told us to go and have 2 consecutive weeks ski holiday instead of one - sounds pretty good to me :D

Ally

Thanks Dustyfog,
Lovely photos :D

I was quite interested to see what Utah looks like, because 2 brothers from my husband's family emigrated there from here, around 1850, following the 1000 mile Mormon trail with wagons, and the future wife of one of them made the journey as a child, with a handcart (and her mother died en route). The Mormons were emigrating out of the U.S. to Utah, because it was then part of Mexico. It must have been pretty cold during the winter.

Ally

Thanks Rose,
You do seem to have been pretty unlucky with regard to your toes - but at least they're all okay now :D

I suppose it's my Mum who wound me up about my toe. She used to be a GP and 'osteoporosis' was the first thing she said when I told her I'd broken my toe. But, as I said, I would think that apart from this fracture I'd count as low risk for osteoporosis, and I'm not quite 50 yet.

Pablo - osteoporosis is a very common condition. I've just checked the figures for it , and apparently there are 3 million people in the U.K. with it, it costs the NHS £6 million a day, there are 230,000 osteoporotic fractures each year in the U.K. and one in two women over the age of 50 will fracture a bone mainly as a result of it. It's also very difficult to diagnose without a scan and is usually only suspected after a fracture.

Anyway - back to ski boots. I am hoping my toes will be quite safe inside my new boots :D

Ally