My Ski Experience

thinking to "pivot", which is the same. When you're on the turning leg
(downhill), simply apply pressure with the heel and you slow down.

I THINK that is what Im doing...I said in the previous post, I feel
like Im sliding sideways down the hill, because Im putting pressure
with the foot thats downhill.

I still have trouble linking turns...sometimes I do feel like Im
FORCING my inside leg...like I almost have to lift it because it gets
caught in the snow.

I did notice 2 main mistakes.
1. I kept leaning back (weight back instead of forward)
2. I get worried about the speed...but thats minor, I'll get over it
when I ski a feel more times.

Find a new girlfriend, post a pic of this one

On 14 Feb 2004 16:36:18 -0800, (Mike) wrote:

Ok, so I went skiing today. I went to Hidden Valley.
Got there around 8:30, got my tickets (beginner package) by 8:40.
But didnt get my boots and skis until 9:15.

Anyway, my gf and I went to the errr "T-Handle" thing.
I just pushed off, seemed like it went ok.
Then at 9:40, my gf got the "bright" idea to bring up "chicken run" we
went up.
The ski lift went HIGH!!
Anyway, that thing is STEEP!!

A quarter of the way down we got in an arguement, I think she should
have made sure I was more prepared. She kept trying to teach me the
wedge, but I couldnt get it right.
Anyway, I didnt get down to the bottom until 10:15...took my 30
minutes!

Anyway, I sat out, while she did the run a few more times, then she
did a few blues.
I did the 12pm group lesson.

It went ok, he didnt teach us the 'wedge', just turning.

Anyway, we took a lunch.
So finally at 3 I did some turns for like 15 minutes, then went up the
chicken run.
1st time (since the morning) fell a few times.
2nd thing was better.
I ended up doing it like 5 times.
I noticed a few things:

1. I am treating it like rollerblades...when I turn, Im almost doing a
"hockey stop" in rollerblades.
My gf said my turns were "too sharp" she said experienced skiers go
down more vertically instead of sharp turns like me.
2. errrr yeah, I just kept doing that...Im not even sure how Im
slowing down, but I did it ok.

I do treat it like rollerblading, I do know Im sometimes pushing off
to the side while skiing (like how you blade)

It was fun, my right hip is bruised from falling on it though.
But when I left I was doing the chicken hill run pretty well.

BUT, I HATE THE LIFT!!
I keep telling the operator "Hold the chair" but he doesnt, so it
slams into me.

Anyway, thats it.
Thanks for all the help everyone

skier the wedge has an interesting property: If you get in a wedge stance
and put pressure on one ski you basically have the perfect form and
You know I THINK that is what I was doing at the end.
I was telling my gf, that I was doing a half-wedge.
I still cant get the wedge right, but to slow myself down, I use one
leg in a half wedge type of thing.
and I would push my heel outwards (toe inwards) to slow down, but I
think I only did it with 1 leg at a time.
Is this wrong?

body alignment for the kind of short radius turn used in the bumps.
bumps? you mean moguls?

end of the slope, start doing parallel turns. The only difference is what
do with your inside leg. Everything else is the same.
I thought the weight is on the outside leg? The instructor said
if you turn left, you could ALMOST lift your left leg, because all the
weight is on the right. ?

"Mike" wrote in message
m...
thinking to "pivot", which is the same. When you're on the turning leg
(downhill), simply apply pressure with the heel and you slow down.

I THINK that is what Im doing...I said in the previous post, I feel
like Im sliding sideways down the hill, because Im putting pressure
with the foot thats downhill.

I still have trouble linking turns...sometimes I do feel like Im
FORCING my inside leg...like I almost have to lift it because it gets
caught in the snow.

I did notice 2 main mistakes.
1. I kept leaning back (weight back instead of forward)
2. I get worried about the speed...but thats minor, I'll get over it
when I ski a feel more times.

Plan a trip out here. I'll have you skiing in about an hour. It will be on
the easy stuff that will enable you to move up as you get experience (or not
if that's what you want). But you'll be able to get onto a lift and use the
trail map to choose the runs you want.

You'll have to buy the beer at the end of the day though :-)

pigo

1 thing I learned...probably one of the major things is...dont wear
jeans if you are planning to fall.

I wore jeans (I had nylon pants but didnt wear them) and I feel like 5
minutes into it.
A bunch of times I fell on purpose because I felt I was going too fast
and I wasnt good at slowing.
Or people were in front of me, and I cant steer too well.

So basically I wore wet jeans for about 8 hours!

Now I have a sore throat...I hope I didnt catch a cold.

BUT, Hidden Valley was nice, the chicken hill was a bit icy (thats all
I went on)
But it didnt snow here for awhile, so maybe thats why.
But its only about 65 miles away from me, so thats close.

"Mike" wrote in message
m...

I still have trouble linking turns...sometimes I do feel like Im
FORCING my inside leg...like I almost have to lift it because it gets
caught in the snow.

Remember change weights early. This helped me get rid of the habit of
wedging. Once you want to turn the other way, immediately step on to the
uphill leg, and push the heel out to bleed off speed (but still keeping a
little weight on the downhill. and keep it parallel.)

On 15 Feb 2004 10:14:18 -0800, (Mike) wrote:

The ski lift went HIGH!!
Anyway, that thing is STEEP!!
Just wait until you've been a few times. You'll wonder how you ever
thought that was steep :-)
I dont know...that beginner hill at Hidden Valley seemed
tough...well there is one stretch that is pretty bad.


yes, but they only seem bad at the moment because you can't yet
control your speed very well.

As you learn to control your speed better, you will find that steep
slopes become much easier, and then they don't seem as steep any more.


My gf said my turns were "too sharp" she said experienced skiers go
down more vertically instead of sharp turns like me.
She's right. But then you aren't an experienced skier, and she should
not be expecting you to ski like one.
I thought that sharp turns were better? Like in hockey, I cant
ice skate well, so my turns are wide, while Pros are turning at like
90 degrees.


*Racers* are turning that sharply, but only because that is how the
gates are set, not because it is the best way to get down the slope.

In general, the sharper you turn, the more speed you will wipe off.
But of course, if you are going *too* fast, you can't make such a
sharp turn - which is where the real skill in slalom skiing comes in,
knowing how fast you can go and still make the required turns.


You are slowing because you are making those sharp turns. the higher
upwards you end up pointing, the more you will slow, in general.
I noticed that when Im turning, half the time, Im still sliding
down the hill sideways.

Yes. At this stage you will still be skidding all your turns. As you
improve, you will probably start to carve the turns, and then you will
skid down the hill very little.

But it was fun

That is what it's all about :-)

--
Alex Heney, Global Villager
Lefties are the only ones in their right minds.

To reply by email, my address is aDOTjDOTheneyATbtinternetDOTcom

On 15 Feb 2004 10:24:56 -0800, (Mike) wrote:

1 thing I learned...probably one of the major things is...dont wear
jeans if you are planning to fall.


So long as you are still learning, and pushing the limits of your
current ability, you *will* fall while skiing.

Jeans are *not* a good idea. If you looked around, I would be
surprised if you saw anybody else at all skiing in jeans at this time
of year.

You need pants that are waterproof and windproof, and preferably with
some insulation. And a Jacket with similar construction.

The pros you see racing don't have that, but then they are not looking
to be comfortable skiing for 6-8 hours at a time, they are looking to
get the ultimate in speed.

You *can* spend hundreds of bucks on these, but for normal
recreational skiing, that is not necessary. I don't know about ski
clothing prices in the US, but I would expect it is possible to get
adequate jacket and pants, designed for the job, for well under $100.
I would certainly expect to pay less than 100UKP in this country.


--
Alex Heney, Global Villager
Lefties are the only ones in their right minds.

To reply by email, my address is aDOTjDOTheneyATbtinternetDOTcom

Plan a trip out here. I'll have you skiing in about an hour. It will be on
the easy stuff that will enable you to move up as you get experience (or not
if that's what you want). But you'll be able to get onto a lift and use the
trail map to choose the runs you want.
where are you located?
The MAIN reason I like Hidden Valley (well thats all Ive been to) is
that it is close. about 65 miles, 1hour and 20 minutes.

My gf said they go to Windham which she said is 2-3 hours away!
Way TOO far!

lol

"Mike" wrote in message
om...
Plan a trip out here. I'll have you skiing in about an hour. It will be
on
the easy stuff that will enable you to move up as you get experience (or
not
if that's what you want). But you'll be able to get onto a lift and use
the
trail map to choose the runs you want.
where are you located?
The MAIN reason I like Hidden Valley (well thats all Ive been to) is
that it is close. about 65 miles, 1hour and 20 minutes.

My gf said they go to Windham which she said is 2-3 hours away!
Way TOO far!

lol

Well I'm in Utah. But there's lot's to do here besides ski if you decide to
take a vacation.