Latest posts for the topic "High Flight"

High Flight

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 01:07:59 GMT

Many years ago, a young pilot died in combat and when they cleaned out his locker they found this poem! It has become the "classic" of all pilots !

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee
No 412 squadron, RCAF
Killed 11 December 1941

Now take this poem Tino and change a just a few words and you have
what I feel when I ski!

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered skis;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silent snow. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager ski through footless halls of snow.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I've topped the windswept snowy heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

Yes Tino that is what soaring on skis is,,so you see I understand you!
No need to apologize for seeking; speed, air and freedom!

You just have to know when and where to do it!

See you in those "untresspassed sanctitu of space"

Respectfully,
Pavel

Re:High Flight

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 09:57:59 GMT

AAwwhh, thats a great poem Pavelski.
I know what you mean.
I love the mountains, the altitude, the blue blue sky and the mountain air, the exercise and the scenery. As soon as i get on to snow/pistes I breath in and can feel how relaxing it is being in the snow. I could live in the Alps all winter and never get bored of it.
Oh where is my rich, rich millionaire with the large luxury ski chalet, all in pine, with hot tub, huge open fire and 'vin chaud' on the hob. . . . .?

Re:High Flight

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:00:16 GMT

That "rich skier' for Tropicana!

Strange you should mention that rich skier for you,,,,, since I just happen to have a "rich skier story for you" ! Now if you meet,,,,that is up to you !

I ski everyday in a ski resort and there is a small group of early skiers called the "early birds" who meet and chat before the lifts open! We are so regular and so "dependable" that the chalet manager has given us the key to the chalet so we can start the coffee ,,,heat the water for tea etc,,,

I have been skiing with this group for the past two years,,yet we never speak of personal matters ! We rarely speak of; politics, the stock market ( and money matters) and women. Well sometimes women but only,briefly !

Slowly the others discovered that I did some guiding to various "hidden resorts". You know the kind that you do not see in ski magazines, on internet "flash spots",,etc,, They asked me to set up a group to a great great ski center far from large city, far from major roads,,,yet huge with well over 20 lifts, hundreds of trails and great ski life!
So I did set up this ski trip for 20 skiers to go to this place.

In the group was a very quiet man. Not a great skier but getting there. Very ordinary ski outfit which he bought from another skier in group. Very ordinary skis which need some work done on them! He fit very well in group with his stories on travel, family and skiing aches !

A few days before the ski trip, he asks me to have coffee with him after the ski day! This was unusual since he never stayed long after ski day! He would leave in his very ordinary car after cleaning his skis and putting away in his locker! He never stayed for a drink at the bar ! We stayed after all had left and here is what he proposed to me ( with the promise to never reveal this "project" to the group).

He had seen my pictures of this ski resort and he was a very astute man since he read the financial papers ( among others) everyday! He discovered skiing at a "mature age" too busy at work and now regretted it so much that he wanted to ski more and more! He related to me that he had money to buy a ski house,,,not any ski house,,but one of those in my pictures on the slopes with; 3 car garage, sauna, spa, mud room, tuning room, 3 fireplaces, ,,,,,must I go on?
Could I set up a meeting with the owners while on this trip since I knew the ski people there and his English was not up to par! . I must keep it quiet and never mention this to the group! I accepted the challenge with one condition! That he buy new skis !

I set up a meeting at this resort and left the group alone while he visited the house, then the agents etc,,,,. In 2 hours he had bought this most beautiful ski house with a certified bank note! He had come prepared!

Imagine this now. The group is going up the ski lift,,just past the ski dream homes. We are all joking about,,"if we win the million dollar lottery" which one would we buy ? I casually look over at my quiet friend who now owns one of them and what do I see? A small smile,,,a twinkle in his eyes and a proud little boy look which to the knowing tells all!
At 70 he had a goal. To be a better skier. To enjoy life. To enjoy all the wealth he has while alive and to have friends that accepted him for his funny stories, his strange skiing style ! No one knew how wealthy he was and he wanted it that way! He promised me that in two years he would invite all the boys to this house once he could ski steepest run in the area called White Heat!

So tropicana,,,you never know who will be that man! Just keep on skiing!

If one day you happen to see some VIST PRO skis on an young smiling "older man" Pay attention to him and listen to his skiing story on how he discovered skiing with a strange Slavic "fanatic" !

He might be the man you are looking for since he is alone, loves fit women who ski and is very very patient and vey very rich in heart and in pocket!

So now tropicana another reason to ski more,,to ski slower ( to see those VISTS ) and meet new people on the hill!

Oh,,,,I do not have a "dating agency " and I will deny everything I have writing if ever you do meet him !

Respectfully,
Pavel

Re:High Flight

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:49:22 GMT

Blimey !... for me if I had met him and he ws 50yrs old ...well, that would be it.
Well, nearly,. . . I am quite choosy. They have to be smelling gorgeous, nice body,, nice hands, not ugly and certainly not bossy, domineering, or arrogant.
Rich in heart and pocket sounds like fine to me.
Would he like an attractive sporty fit,mature brunette English lady to keep him company on his next ski trip.. ? I make a fabously delicious vin chaud!
Regards Tropicana

Re:High Flight

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 20:14:54 GMT

Tropicana,

All skiers past 60 are; fit, very ,,,very nice hands, sun tanned rough, never bossy since they have learned to let skis do work, all are humble since they know nature is more powerful !

Plus they have no need to prove themselves!

Ski slowly Tropicana!

Pavel

Re:High Flight

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 22:33:43 GMT

I may well use that poem to remember the poor pilot who lost his life this weekend here in Bournemouth.

Re:High Flight

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 23:08:46 GMT

Poetry and skiing go well together, they are life brothers. For many years, I only thought to paint alpine views and to ski.
Then I met a man who used to write and sing in Fairport Convention. He encouraged me to do some more songwriting. But I only write about skiing and the mountains. So I enlisted some help from J2skiers, and a song was born.
There are so many aspects to our skiing and mountain lives. My first song, "Young Eagles" covered the transition from being a full time skier, having a family, who then became skiers. I used an idea fron an Eagles song to do this. The current project, "To see the little children ski", is based on a memory from my first season. A two year old was coming straight down the slope on skis, no sticks, arms out wide, grey knitted jacket, and his woolly hat firmly down, over his eyes.

Re:High Flight

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 21:05:12 GMT

Dave Mac,
Do you have any records? Tapes ? Video?

Can we hear you on this site?

One of the traditions which has been lost,,is the signing after skiing ( also the free "hot wine" and cheese)! Too bad

Perhaps you can re-kindle this tradition!
Pavel

Re:High Flight

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 23:24:53 GMT

Not one of my songs, Pavel, but I'm on this vid. I'm the one wearing the black shirt.....

Re:High Flight

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 12:27:59 GMT

Dave Mac,

Yes yes,,that handsome man in black shirt ! The one all the audience is watching !!!

A true Renaissance Man ! Draws, sings, travels the world, speaks several languages, write songs, renovates for sons and skis,,,,,,like Icarus !

Great life you have,,Full ! Happy !!!

Now if you can get all those others skiing with you while you sing!!!!

Pavel
( I failed my music class in grade 3,,,,,,never got over this failure! )

Re:High Flight

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 17:39:10 GMT

slightly moving on to different subject, when , Pavelski is your next ski trip and where???

Re:High Flight

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 17:42:13 GMT

. . .actually its nice to see musical folk Dave Mac... you ust be the one with the healthy looking colourful cheeks,,, slim and fit... !
YOu catn help but smile with the conductor... she is funny.....

Re:High Flight

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 17:50:51 GMT

There is a little known ski resort in Juneau, Alaska which has a great "older" lady ski instructor in the 70's who is a legend there!

She also smokes salmon in her smoke house ( in her backyard),,so we do an "exchange" ! I get her skis at cost price and she sends several kilos of the very best smoked salmon you have ever tasted.

This season 10 "older" men are going to give her a surprise ski party when she gets the "life time" ski pass of Alaska!

That will be my first trip.

Then I hope to go to a little village in Austria where another cyber friend has an inn and now a "micro-brewery" ! Perhaps I will meet Dave Mac since he is well known in this valley ! My friend who has a travel agency wants more skiers to go to this valley!

Finally, two trips to Utah,,,with a group of men who want to learn to ski in, +60cm. powder with new "floaters ( those +110 mm skis) !

Soon snow!!!!

Pavel