Messages posted by : Mike from NS
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Well fellow skiers, Pavel is at it once more !!! If there is anything ski related on this planet better than a "Pavel Springtime Quiz", it is the Pavel Mid-Summer Ski Fashion Contest"!!! Ellistine, it will be great to co-judge this contest with you and Pavel. My mind wonders and my heart skips a beat at thoughts of what may be submitted. We are going for the worst fahion statement here I think. But all in good fun - of coure. :!: Mike :wink: |
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There are several good "how to ski" books on the market. One that is really good (and recommended to me by Pavel) is titled "The Athletic Skier" written by Warren Witherall and David Evrard. Copyright is 1993 and the ISBN is 1-55566-117-3. (A magic number!) The book in soft cover is 9x7 and 244 page and is loaded with great technique advice and many, many pictures to get the explanations across clearly. Things covered are; boots, balance, the ski, carving skills, perspectives for instructors and coaches as well as for racers... just to mention a few. There is lots of good "stuff" in this book.
Mike :thumbup: |
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Pavel,
Just as "hopscotch" stated, this is most interesting and based on your experience, it is valuable information -- one might say it's "magical"! Of all the points you mentioned I think one of the most important is that the instructor wants to teach and really enjoys sharing thier knowledge. (Assuming they have the knowledge to share!) This makes the learning "fun" for the student; he will learn more and since it was fun learning, he will remember what he has learned. Also important are their obervation powers. Often I think I'm doing what I've been told only to have it pointed out that I'm doing something quite different. Yes, that's usually my fault ... but the good and observant intructor can pinpoint how to fix my error. I've just completed a set of swimming lessons and was "blessed" with such an instructor. She made it a lot of fun and was very obervant too. I learned lots and now must practice. Practice is always necessary in order to put the learning into action and develop the skill level we seek.... Hope all is well ... Mike :D |
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This is my greatest thing to correct. I may start off in "good" form with all the intentions of taking it "easy" and planning to keep the hands out front with a flick of the wrist working the poles but as the thrill of speed takes over my intentions of maintaining good form dwindle in the wind and I find myself getting sloppy with the hands. The hay - makers return and like you say Pavel, the upper body starts twisting. It takes a lot of concentration before it becomes second nature. But it sure is fun trying :P Mike |
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Hi Guys !!! Well now ... yes I should have known that Pavel was up to something here. I was watching at 6:30 this morning but no messages. By 8:30 I had to leave for Halifax and just returned a short while ago. Friday morning I have a pattern which I call my "health and fitness day". Amoung other Friday morning practices I go skating with the lucky retired / senior people. It is more work than skiing and many of these people ski as well. Some have been following the quizz as well. We often threaten to bring our skis to make use of the snow piled up outside from scraping the ice every hour or so. Then Friday afternoon's during the summer my wife has free. Rather than going doing something different today we had to get back to the computer to check the answers. Yes I do keep track of the costs as I like to know what to expect from a pattern. (I even keep track of the hours skated and how many hours I have between skate sharpenings. - I use figure skates so I want them in good shape. Most would wonder why as my spins need lots more practice to get them right.) I do keep track of cost/run as I think I mentioned earlier in the quizz. This must have been one of the HOT remarks from Pavel! Last year, without checking my log, the cost was about $ .48 / run. The day I put in 51 runs helped this out. That day my wife had to go to Toronto on business so I thought I'd take the day off and go ski. (I'm a self employed mechanical engineer) I wanted to see if I could make it to 50 runs in one day. The chair opened at 9am and I completed my runs by 6:45 in the evening. It was a cold day at about -20C but I was determined to keep going. Thankfully there weren't a lot of people there that day. I met some friends who felt they were slowing down my count but the hill was open until 10 pm. If by 6:30 I wasn't so chilled I would have kept going. From run 45 on it was becoming a real challenge to keep going. But 2008 is another time to try for 13 hours straight skiing. Maybe I should start the "12 Hours of Martock" event !!! After this day with no stops for lunch, ( and having strong bladder control) the chill lasted a few hours. Pavel revealed (to me) his plans for next years quizz, as cryptically as only Pavel can. It is really going to be interesting , very educational and a lot of fun for sure. I'm looking forward to see how he will make it work. Obviously I took "nominal numbers" in the wrong sense. I should have stuck with my first impression when I took nominal to mean "small or simple" numbers. On re-checking the clues the "nominal" seemed to stand out to me and thought here is something that only Pavel would think of!!! Hidden in plain sight - right in front of our faces. When we are looking at the computer screen - the J2Ski logo in really right in front of our faces!!! I thought YES !!! this is Pavel personified !!! The mind of the culprit. Got me Pavel !!! Dean you were right !!! This has been fun and a valuable learning experience. It has been great exchanging comments with you all. And some day wouldn't it be really great if we did hear Pavel was coming for us in his executive jet to take us on a ski trip. Even Pavel would want to know the final tally of cost per run for that trip!!! He told me once that his wife keeps the tally like this in his house. Enjoy the summer and lets hope for some decent amounts of snow for the winter. Now I'll get a closer look at the answers -- after putting my helmet on ... I think that would be a wise decision. Mike |
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Now I am thinking I have really banged my forehead too hard !!! My eyes must deceive me! Am I reading correctly. You are going to swing past NS in your private jet and take us to meet Agus??? Ohh won't that be great guys !!! :lol: And with a new pair of Mutix skiis too???? Wow ... you got to love the Pavel Quizz guys!!! You see Santa come from Canada after all ... but I learned that after the first quizz. Atomic 9.20 stallions were the prize that time. Still a great ski! Pavel, you're just too good :!: A great quizz, a ride in your executive jet and a pair of Mutix skis ... thanks so much!!!! Mike PS: Can't wait for the answers, Let me know when I should pack my bags !! :wink: |
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WOW !! Those numbers are really magical. What do you suppose the chances, or probablility of three people involved in Pavel's quizz with printing industry connections. Let's see the bell curve on that one !!! And another thought,: Pavel has two good sources should he wish to publish his index in book form. Two sources that will take a solid interest in the project. My connection with the printing industry ceased long ago. My father sold the shop to downtown renovation of the historic downtown concerns long ago and the equipment was given to his chief printer to continue on his own. The shop location is now a main entrance to what was developed (or restored). You can still see where the typsetting (hot lead) machine stood. I'll get a look at your site shortle Ellistine - thanks. For a look at Halifax try these web cams at www.halifaxwebcam.ca The are additional cameras on the Chebucto Net showing the harbour as well. Wouldn't it be great if we could all get together some day for a skiing adventure. The magic of Pavel's numbers --- will not be forgotten. Where do you ski in New England Dean? Sunday River? Stowe? Attitash? (forgive my spelling). You are blessed with so many hills in that area. Mike |
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Hi there Ellistine; When my computer shows the time as 8:12 am in Atlantic Daylight Saving Time the clock on the J2Ski page shows 13:15:11 . So either my time is off by a couple of minutes or their's is. Pavel's time is Eastern Daylight Saving Time , an hour earlier than mine. So under daylight saving time noon in the UK is 9 am in Nova Scotia and 8 am in Pavels kitchen. So the J2Ski clock must be an hour east of you. Where is that? Germany? My geography is as bad as my Gaussian Distribution knowledge... Is your computerized press a Heidleberg? Have they gone that way too? My father bought a print shop in Haluifax years ago from an older gentleman who's father had inported one of the first Heidleberg presses to land in Halfax. All type was hand set on the "stone". All history now! My father was an accountant by training and always had a lot of interest in the printing business. He did his thesis on printing shop set up and efficient operation. Mike |
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