J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Dave Mac

Pav, In the 1950's not even my primary school teacher had heard of skiing.

My scouse mate Tony used to say that I made even the brand new instructor anoraks look scruffy. I never understood.

I wish I had a photy of me skiing down the Marbachjoch, early April, shorts, Tee shirt, happy days.

Hmmm, what about that Black & White one taken on Cairngorm, that should do it....

Tony_H wrote:

Erm, with you, not following you

Erm, wishful thinking Tony.

Pavel wrote

Yes of course consult DIN chart,,however understand that this chart was generated in the early 70's using lab data from corpses and traditional skis ( +200cm.)

Pav, do you think they want my body now, or are they prepared to wait?

Huh, and on the days when my dodgy knee is feeling less dodgy, I sneak a few runs on my K2 Merlin 5s, 200cm. They are a bit scary, they are carvers, so easy turn, but on the schuss, they are very fast, but front chatter like crazy.

I confess that I am definitely not as fit now as in my 40's. I wish. Didn't take up marathon running til I was 42, but then did manage several sub 3 hour runs. Then along came the knee stuff, out went the running and squash, and along came the tennis.

I think that it is important to keep competitive at whatever you can manage. I'm sure I have told the story before about skiing past a local in Niederau who turned out to be a 94 year old ex police chief.

Here's a Dave Mac age story, (Admin, should I number these? Carpet innersoles from under the bed, DM1, The Niederau Blackburn ski school, DM2, Diamond grinder toe slicer, DM3...)

So, I'm in the Bichlwirt, mit guitar, and some Manchester lads dirging, when in walks a lovely looking twenty something girl. She looks at me, points, and says, "You're Dave!"

My, "aged" heart did it's best to give a leap, as she continued, "My Dad told me about you!" Man, what a let-down.

She turned out to be a delightful lady, but I had already figured that it was possible that her old man might have been thinking about Dave Lambert, who was a great guitar player/singer, ex-Strawbs, (Union Man). Dave went on to become a Niederau Instructor, who also played three nights week at the Hotel Vicki. Fantastic nights.

However, I did not enlighten Sarah from Essex of my suspicions. And it is entirely possible, that her old man had had one great night in the Bichlwirt with the real Dave! Crap guitarist, non-singer, but a few Zipfers works wonders for everybody.

Go for it....

I think Pavels just the best. I just got my "10 best things" fleece today. It's so warrrm.

But I thought the same about as the others before that anyway.

Bandit wrote

STOP PRESS


In a shock announcement Dave Mac, admits he's actually 102 years old

And still skiing! I think people should be told!

caron-a wrote

So I did the calculator thing. I'm thinking I may be a little nervy when I get back on the skis so I tried two skier types. One came up as 5 and one as 6, which releases quicker?

The higher the DIN number, the more force required for binding release.

Keep doing the exercises!!!Build up to knee muscles to like Desperate Dan, and set your bindings at whatever DIN number you want.

Re-addressing the engineering issues. Hopefully I have presented the logic that cyclical fatigue is not an issue when the bindings are not in use.

Hence we are discussing the issue of metal creep. I previously indicated that at low stress levels, creep is not an issue.

I do not accept that Marker either choose inferior materials, (if his were the case there would be high number spring failures), and nor would they issue a maintenance instruction just for marketing reasons.

The most likely explanation might be that Marker binding design might be such that when the binding is not in use, there is a higher residual spring force - higher than other makes of bindings.

I re-iterate that I am not an expert on bindings, I am happy to help clarify the spring engineering aspects.

Incidentally, I still am of the opinion that the old Marker latch-up heel binding was terrific, it was so simple in construction. In disclosing this, I am, of course admitting to pre-dating step-in bindings.

That's a fairly modest step, I could admit to so much more.....

Where you go largely depends uopn your criteria, and I guess that sine you have a group of 16, the wish list may be quite diverse. It may not be of course, you might be a group of good running free skiers, no beginners, no out and out powder hounds. So your start point is to make a criteria list, then look for the places that will meet that criteria.

When I organised agroup visit to the US, I failed to meet my ski in-ski out wish, but met the maximum day descent, and good resort variation. I researched the US resorts and Breckenridge got the vote.

You get to ski at half a dozen resorts on the same lift pass, including Keystone, Vail, Beaver Creek, and my favourite, Arapahoe Basin.

On the practical side, you can rent some very large houses that might fit the bill. You might also manage to secure two or three dwellings in on area, where one of the dwellings has a large living area.

This type of arrangement does mean hiring a few vehicles, but that allows some flexibility on your away ski days.

Trencher, you are well out of it. I have never watched the Eurovision song contest. I think I would rather look out of the window at the Lomond hills, whilst at the same time, eating a pair of salopettes.