The way things used to be...

When I left the east for California in 1970...

My best skis were 208 cm Toni Sailer Fibreglaski downhill skis
equipped with Cubco toes and a rotatable heel piece with long-thong
bindings. My poles were bamboo. My boots were two-layer lace-up
leather. My hands were kept warm (?) with fingerless wool mittens
inside fingerless leather shells. My parka was heavy cotton insulated
with cotton padding. My pants were baggy wool. I wore a pair of
light cotton socks inside heavy wool hunting socks. I wore cotton
flannel pajamas as long underwear.

Ski areas groomed trails (when they bothered) with a snow-cat pushing
a plow or towing a roller. Snow making was still experimental. Lifts
were single and double chairs, t-bars, poma platters, and ropes. Areas
that had enclosed cabin lifts (Sugarbush, Cannon Mt) charged extra for
them. Obstacles in the trail were removed or marked with flags and
ropes.

The closest thing to a snowboard homebuilt ski-bikes, or the shovels
that some of the non-skiing lift operators rode down at the end of
their shift.

I bought 2 season tickets in my youth - Jay Peak 63-64 for $55, and
Cannon Mt. 64-65 for $70.

Food was expensive, just like now - hot chocolate 25 cents and
cheeseburgers $1.50.

Some references.

http://www.stowetoday.com/stowe_repo...cc4c002e0.html

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vau...2029/index.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how_6723029_snow_shovel-race.html

On Sat, 12 Mar 2011 10:03:41 -0800 (PST), Richard Henry
wrote this crap:

When I left the east for California in 1970...

My best skis were 208 cm Toni Sailer Fibreglaski downhill skis
equipped with Cubco toes and a rotatable heel piece with long-thong
bindings. My poles were bamboo. My boots were two-layer lace-up
leather. My hands were kept warm (?) with fingerless wool mittens
inside fingerless leather shells. My parka was heavy cotton insulated
with cotton padding. My pants were baggy wool. I wore a pair of
light cotton socks inside heavy wool hunting socks. I wore cotton
flannel pajamas as long underwear.

Ski areas groomed trails (when they bothered) with a snow-cat pushing
a plow or towing a roller. Snow making was still experimental. Lifts
were single and double chairs, t-bars, poma platters, and ropes. Areas
that had enclosed cabin lifts (Sugarbush, Cannon Mt) charged extra for
them. Obstacles in the trail were removed or marked with flags and
ropes.

The closest thing to a snowboard homebuilt ski-bikes, or the shovels
that some of the non-skiing lift operators rode down at the end of
their shift.

I bought 2 season tickets in my youth - Jay Peak 63-64 for $55, and
Cannon Mt. 64-65 for $70.

Food was expensive, just like now - hot chocolate 25 cents and
cheeseburgers $1.50.


Such luxury. We made our own skis. We screwed old high top tennis
shoes to the skis, no bindings. We brought our own food because we
couldn't afford to pay for it, and they didn't sell hot food. Lifts
were all rope tows. The lodge was a shack with a fireplace, which was
built by the owners themselves in the off season. There was no bar,
everyone brought a bottle of booze and we shared.
It must be nice to have lived such a life of privilege.

Well I'm off to the Yacht Club. I have to check on my yacht after the
tsunami.

Vote for Palin-Brown in 2012. Repeal the nightmares.


This signature is now the ultimate
power in the universe

And here I thought you were going to provide contact info for the cop
you lied to. Obviously, you're performing for someone. Happy to chat
with them.
I hope you are laughing.

On Mar 12, 10:03*am, Richard Henry wrote:
When I left the east for California in 1970...

My best skis were 208 cm Toni Sailer Fibreglaski downhill skis
equipped with Cubco toes and a rotatable heel piece with long-thong
bindings. *My poles were bamboo. *My boots were two-layer lace-up
leather. *My hands were kept warm (?) with fingerless wool *mittens
inside fingerless leather shells. *My parka was heavy cotton insulated
with cotton padding. *My pants were baggy wool. *I wore a pair of
light cotton socks inside heavy wool hunting socks. I wore cotton
flannel pajamas as long underwear.

Ski areas groomed trails (when they bothered) with a snow-cat pushing
a plow or towing a roller. *Snow making was still experimental. *Lifts
were single and double chairs, t-bars, poma platters, and ropes. Areas
that had enclosed cabin lifts (Sugarbush, Cannon Mt) charged extra for
them. *Obstacles in the trail were removed or marked with flags and
ropes.

The closest thing to a snowboard homebuilt ski-bikes, or the shovels
that some of the non-skiing lift operators rode down at the end of
their shift.

I bought 2 season tickets in my youth - Jay Peak 63-64 for $55, and
Cannon Mt. 64-65 for $70.

Food was expensive, just like now - hot chocolate 25 cents and
cheeseburgers $1.50.

Some references.

http://www.stowetoday.com/stowe_repo...cle_7f0d1370-3...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vau.../MAG1072029/in...

http://www.ehow.com/how_6723029_snow_shovel-race.html

On Mar 12, 12:02*pm, wrote:
On Sat, 12 Mar 2011 10:03:41 -0800 (PST), Richard Henry
wrote this crap:





When I left the east for California in 1970...

My best skis were 208 cm Toni Sailer Fibreglaski downhill skis
equipped with Cubco toes and a rotatable heel piece with long-thong
bindings. *My poles were bamboo. *My boots were two-layer lace-up
leather. *My hands were kept warm (?) with fingerless wool *mittens
inside fingerless leather shells. *My parka was heavy cotton insulated
with cotton padding. *My pants were baggy wool. *I wore a pair of
light cotton socks inside heavy wool hunting socks. I wore cotton
flannel pajamas as long underwear.

Ski areas groomed trails (when they bothered) with a snow-cat pushing
a plow or towing a roller. *Snow making was still experimental. *Lifts
were single and double chairs, t-bars, poma platters, and ropes. Areas
that had enclosed cabin lifts (Sugarbush, Cannon Mt) charged extra for
them. *Obstacles in the trail were removed or marked with flags and
ropes.

The closest thing to a snowboard homebuilt ski-bikes, or the shovels
that some of the non-skiing lift operators rode down at the end of
their shift.

I bought 2 season tickets in my youth - Jay Peak 63-64 for $55, and
Cannon Mt. 64-65 for $70.

Food was expensive, just like now - hot chocolate 25 cents and
cheeseburgers $1.50.

Such luxury. *We made our own skis. *We screwed old high top tennis
shoes to the skis, no bindings. *We brought our own food because we
couldn't afford to pay for it, and they didn't sell hot food. *Lifts
were all rope tows. *The lodge was a shack with a fireplace, which was
built by the owners themselves in the off season. *There was no bar,
everyone brought a bottle of booze and we shared.
*It must be nice to have lived such a life of privilege.

Well I'm off to the Yacht Club. *I have to check on my yacht after the
tsunami.


We skied uphill......both directions.

On Mar 12, 11:03*am, Richard Henry wrote:

The closest thing to a snowboard homebuilt ski-bikes, or the shovels
that some of the non-skiing lift operators rode down at the end of
their shift.

That's what I did my first year at Mt. Rose. And I wasn't allowed to
ride it while they were open.

On 3/12/11 10:03 AM, Richard Henry wrote:

My pants were baggy wool.

Mine (in the 50s) were my Dad's "Army Pink" wool WWII officer's pants,
re-hemmed up the sides by Mom so they'd be small enough.

Actually they were the best clothes item I had since they didn't get
cold when wet - every else was whatever seemed warmest in among regular
clothes which meant I was pretty much a Popsicle when I finally came in.

WWII surplus skis, boot, and poles finished the gear list. The bindings
were beartrap toes, cable heels, no release in any direction. I've
always wondered where my boot press disappeared to.

On 03/12/2011 01:03 PM, Richard Henry wrote:
When I left the east for California in 1970...

My best skis were 208 cm Toni Sailer Fibreglaski downhill skis
equipped with Cubco toes and a rotatable heel piece with long-thong
bindings. My poles were bamboo. My boots were two-layer lace-up
leather. My hands were kept warm (?) with fingerless wool mittens
inside fingerless leather shells. My parka was heavy cotton insulated
with cotton padding. My pants were baggy wool. I wore a pair of
light cotton socks inside heavy wool hunting socks. I wore cotton
flannel pajamas as long underwear.

Who in h*** set you up with that rig? Cubco bindings
were no tension type bindings. You were "in" properly
when toe and heel were in place and there was no
spring tension on the toe piece. The only time the
spring came into action was when you started the
twisting action of beginning a release. Cubcos were
good for not pre-releasing at the toe like so many
other bindings of the day (Marker specifically).
However, because they had no tension
on the spring when you were "in", they often got
loose because of this and the variation in boot
sole length and flexibility found in boots of the
day (remember Cubcos had boot plates screwed to
the soles of your boots).

Your first reference below mentions Nevada toe
pieces. Interesting. The Salomon Driver type toe
piece of the last 20 or 30 years is almost a dead
on copy of the Nevada II in function except that
a change in geometry allows the toe piece to move
upward as a release starts as well as horizontally.

Sailer skis were around late enough so that you could
have used Nevada (I or II) toes with the turntable
and had something that was secure. If your boots were
good enough so that you didn't need the extra support
from the long thong you could have used the really good
Nevada heel and actually had a reasonably safe rig.

Toni Sailer skis came with a "lifetime" warranty
against breaking. We had a customer at the ski shop I
worked at in the 60's break (yes Marge, they were
physically broken, not just delammed or yanked off
edges) three pair. The company paid for a pair of
Head Comps after the third pair.


Ski areas groomed trails (when they bothered) with a snow-cat pushing
a plow or towing a roller. Snow making was still experimental. Lifts
were single and double chairs, t-bars, poma platters, and ropes. Areas
that had enclosed cabin lifts (Sugarbush, Cannon Mt) charged extra for
them. Obstacles in the trail were removed or marked with flags and
ropes.

I had a "harrowing" experience... litterally. I came down
off the mountain on one of the easier trails because
following a thaw/freeze cycle it was groomed. Or more
precisely being groomed as I was coming down the mountain,
with a trail width disk harrow. I almost hit the thing
and went off the trail in missing it. Perhaps one of the
reasons they don't allow grooming when the ski area is
open these days.


The closest thing to a snowboard homebuilt ski-bikes, or the shovels
that some of the non-skiing lift operators rode down at the end of
their shift.

Lots of guys I knew loved their shovel rides. There was
even a "club" of sorts with shovel riding races, the
whole thing. Then I read your reference below


I bought 2 season tickets in my youth - Jay Peak 63-64 for $55, and
Cannon Mt. 64-65 for $70.

I always managed to have some gig that provided a pass
for me when I was skiing regularly. Junior program teaching,
amateur teaching, pro for at least one year back then.


Food was expensive, just like now - hot chocolate 25 cents and
cheeseburgers $1.50.

Some references.

http://www.stowetoday.com/stowe_repo...cc4c002e0.html

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vau...2029/index.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how_6723029_snow_shovel-race.html


My favorite skis of all time were 210 cm Kneissl
Red Stars with my Head 360s a close second. There
is a picture on my FB page from around 1965 with
a pair of Hart Javelins with Nevada front and rear.

On Sat, 12 Mar 2011 12:16:21 -0800 (PST), pigo
wrote this crap:

We skied uphill......both directions.


While smoking lady cigars?


Vote for Palin-Brown in 2012. Repeal the nightmares.

This signature is now the ultimate
power in the universe

"VtSkier" wrote in message
...
My favorite skis of all time were 210 cm Kneissl
Red Stars with my Head 360s a close second. There
is a picture on my FB page from around 1965 with
a pair of Hart Javelins with Nevada front and rear.


I had a pair of 210 Red stars. Those things would fly from turn to turn if you
edged them hard. (on eastern hard") They were submarines when I took them to
Alta.

On Mar 12, 2:48*pm, "Bob F" wrote:
"VtSkier" wrote in message

...

My favorite skis of all time were 210 cm Kneissl
Red Stars with my Head 360s a close second. There
is a picture on my FB page from around 1965 with
a pair of Hart Javelins with Nevada front and rear.

I had a pair of 210 Red stars. Those things would fly from turn to turn if you
edged them hard. (on eastern hard") They were submarines when I took them to
Alta.

When my brother went to college at Norwich he was on the ski team, so
he was then officially "connected" and got a pair of White Stars for
next to nothing.