Nope; no straps.

I'm heading to Utah March 3rd. My first shot at white gold powder. I've been an East Coast (ice and rocks and fast grass) skier all my life so I am looking forward to falling and having to hunt in the powder for my ski!
Wanna join us Rick?

I was shocked to see all of those girls that *exploded* falling on the downhill course ABLE to get up the nerve to try it again in the Combined. Very courageous. These aren't powder puffs these girls. They are tough.
Nice to see the comraderie too. When Vonn fell the first thing her competitor wanted to know was "Are you alright?". Class Acts.

Have fun in Cham; it's awesome and loads of OP potential.....

I've resigned myself to long recovery; no ski racing this year; prob not the year after... was hoping to try and do a proper GS at some point; but thats now prob 2 years away as I'll be a year down on all training and really want to try (and afford) to do my next level BASI course and then hopefully work towards ISIA which is a LOT of work; just need to win the lottoery to fund it all.

Sailing is going to be gentle this year; might even be spectating at the ECPR; but will be there even If I do not rig the boat!!!

Need to get results of the MRI and work out what I've done to the knee.

Time will tell...

Figure skating is a lot harder than sailin~

How many figure skating events have you quit cause you got the crap beat out of you. By the conditions, I mean. Not JUST because you were a figure skater.

Greg, I envy you. Utah is great. Our family used to ski Alta every year way back when. Awesome. Started out skiing on the wall of the Cuyahoga River near Cleveland, moved UP to Ellicottville, NY, Moved even UPPer to Boyne Mtn, MI, the way UP to Vermont's Mt Snow, Jay Peak, and Stow, Then WAY WAY UP to the ALPS, and finally alit at Alta. At last I found perfection.
Can't beat the Rockies.

On straps, when I was living in Vail I was an Apres Ski Entertainer. At the time I was doing a solo. On the way down the mountain to go to work I caught an edge, put my hands out to help break the fall, and whap, there went the thumb. The left thumb.., the one used on the frets of the guitar.
Taped it up, took lots of pain pills, but couldn't stop tears running down my cheeks, So, spent the hours singing sad folk music. It seemed to work. Everyone thought I was really emotional. ha ha
Rick

Rick,

Is your autobiography out yet?

That would be an interesting read. I love the way you speak of some of the things you've done, talented things, and I know it's all true.

:-)

I'm working on his biography. Big job. Gotta get it done before he dies.

It might be more valuable after he kicks the bucket. Don't get any ideas about hastening the process ,Mary. We'd like to keep him around awhile longer.

I'll keep that in mind, Todd.

Pole dancing seeks Olympic inclusion.

just pickle him with rum. seems to work with some of the other "seasoned" salts I know...

I'm quite sure they would get tons of television coverage. Probably get tons of sponsorship too.

Sounds like a win win to me.

We are going up to Whistler for Spring Break in April. Hope they let us ski the Downhill Course at Creekside. But, by then, the lower runs will probably be closed, with lack of snow. Upper runs should be OK.

Of course you'll be able to ski the RUN they use (assuing enough snow).

I've skied loads of runs that are used for the downhill; the Ollies hill in Val D'isare (Face) is truly scary at speed....

In Europe they only close the downhills and slalom areas off if there is forth coming event ie in the next week or so. Best time is just after an event when it is still groomed and every nutter on the hill is trying to emulate the racers. Been on a number of trips where the party piece is to put a small GPS into someones pocket for the day and see who has the fastest speed of the week, best I've seen on a friends 10 second average of 142kph. Met an old acquantance from Scotland who had taken up speed ski ing as a thing to do, had broken the 110mph barrier and was well chuffed with himself, now that sort of speed sounds scarry.

As to poles and thumbs, as Simon would tell you either no straps or fit the strap properly with the strap coming up into the palm of the hand rather than over as most people think. Get it wrong and it will dislocate the thumb every time.

I've a plot showing speeds over 70MPH; next step is 80,90 and then the magic 100MPH.

I quess I'm a ol' fart now .... I perfer to ski smooth w/ style just carving nice turns ... fast but smooth!!!

I skied the downhill run at Whiteface the year after the Olympics where there ..... a tight, twisty run w/ lots of trees and rocks ... it was served at the time by a rickety old lift w/ a hand carved wooden sign .... EXPERTS ONLY: THERE ARE NO EASY WAYS DOWN!!!!

I managed to ski it safely ... slowly but safely ... they have since widened the run and put in a new quad lift ... nicer but it's lost that rustic feeling.

To Utah Bound: Where you going???? They're all great "hills" in Utah: Solitude, Brighton, Snowbird, Alta( for steep go to the top left) Canyons, Park City, Deer Valley(try Stein's Run and the Turkey Chili) .... but if you want Aspens and powder .... go where the locals go .... Powder Mtn ... and if conditions are good, ride the bus(the locals will explain "the bus" ... it's a hoot!!!)

For a great dinner find the "Loco Lizard" in Kinball Junction or Salt Lake (two locations)!!!!!

I've skied lots of hills, almost all of Vermont, New Hampshire(love the steam engine at Loon), Upstate New York, Lake Tahoe, Jackson Hole/Grand Targue, Copper/Breckenridge/A-Basin .... but since I've been to Utah I haven't gone anywhere else ... also, sign up for the morning "Guide" services at Deer Valley or Powder Mtn(either free or a small fee, but well worth it!!!!)

Harry

Agree with the Utah, Harry. Reason I moved to Vail was I was in entertainment, and they rolled up the sidewalks at dark in Utah.
My first gig in Vail was the Holiday Inn. The manager there also owned a restaurant on the other side of the highway called the Iron Works. He hired me to play there for the season, and after that I was glued to Vail. Lots of other gigs after that.
It was at the Iron Works that Tanya Tucker's friend Didi Kahn (sp?) came to see me play with the thought of going on tour with her, Tanya and Johnny Cash.
Dang! Never happened though.
Still, it was great -- ski all day, work from 5-7 and play all night. It was a tough life, but someone had to do it.

Neat part, when we got fresh snow my ski buddies and I were able to get in about 30,000 vertical of untracked snow per day. Just had to know the route. Had to get out of the back bowl after two runs or you would be stuck there for an hour wait in line.

Wow! That was fun. Looking forward to this week, despite it not being powder skiing.
Rick

The Face is scary even doing slow speeds An insane slope to say the least. L'épaule du Charvet is impressive as well, but the worse is the Tunnel with its stupid narrow start: if you miss the first turn you are in for a really really long tumble down. Don't ask how I know!

My favorite slope there is the vallon de la Sachette, you start at 2800m and go down to 1550m in one go without hitting a groomed or marked slope for most of the way. Don't do it in the fog though, even with a guide, there is no way out. Don't ask me how I know