Surprise ski day on Thursday -- DH came home Wednesday evening and said, hey, it's going to snow, I'm off tomorrow, we're going! To go with this, we had coupons for a free demo from one of the ski shops in town.
I'm interested in an all mountain ski -- something that will like to be off trail more than my True Luvs do. The tech in the shop suggested the Victory, in a 154. I've been reading good things about them all season, so I'd put them on my list.
DH brought something up too -- also Nordica, I think it said Hot Dog on it. Kinda orange and black and white.
I'm 5'4, about 160, and feel pretty confident on groomed runs. I'm developing my powder/ungroomed snow skills this year. The new snow was wet and heavy. When we left home, three inches had already fallen, and it was still coming down. Visibility was very bad -- the cloud on the mountain was thick enough to have both of us very disoriented -- couldn't tell where we were, or even whether or not we were moving at times!
I knew a quarter of the way down my first run that this is NOT my ski.
This was pretty disappointing after hearing/reading that it's an awesome ski (Tahoe Janine, it was SO relieving to spot your comments in a Fuego thread). I could NOT turn it, or stop it. I was pretty good at falling down -- I've never scattered equipment all over the run like I did on these skis (they sealed their fate with that one).
Still, this snow is NOT my favorite kind to ski, and so I thought I'd give them another chance or three. Eventually, we got down the hill, those skis and I, right side up, and I managed to link a couple of turns now and then. DH came back from the back side, which is higher and even more socked in than the front side. He had suggested I join him when he first caught up with me that first run. I told him no WAY I was going up there, where I couldn't see, considering I was skiing like I'd never been on skis.
(coincidentally, just the day before had been my "ski birthday" -- March 11, 2001 was my first time on skis!)
I was pretty much ready to take them back to the car and get my K2s right then, but thought about it a bit: when I tried the Lotta Luvs in January, I needed a couple of runs to get used to them, but then I really enjoyed them. So I gave it a few more runs. DH came back to the front side and found me picking my way down an easy blue run, my fourth of the day. We decided to go back to the car and get our skis -- to see if its the snow, or the skis.
First run on ours, he's pleased as punch. I'm not so happy, but I didn't really expect to be. My True Luvs don't like this snow. They're really delighted with "pretty" snow, but don't take me through heavy, wet, lumpy stuff easily. They're not very happy about deep fluffy stuff, though they'll tolerate it if I insist. I knew that. That's why I'm shopping. On the other hand, at least I knew what to expect from them, and could cope better than on the evil Nordicas.
Once back on my skis, I knew exactly why the Nordica is not for me: it behaved even more temperamentally on this muck than my own skis, only they were far less controllable.
I can say one positive thing about them: I don't know what they were, exactly, but the Marker bindings that were on them were nicer than my own Marker bindings (I don't know exactly what they are either!)
A couple of runs on my skis, and I was ready to go home. I'd been tossed around enough that body parts were starting to complain about the jostling, and told DH that I was ready to go home any time. (I did have to work in the evening) He said, well, okay, but he wanted to do a few more runs, so I should go over to the bunny hill and putter until he came by. Next thing I knew, like just a few seconds later, there he was, splattered on the side of the hill! I was a bit concerned, since he wasn't making much effort to get up at first, but he was okay, just drenched.
Now the strange thing -- on the way home, I told him, I'd just had this thought, how much fun it had been to come up skiing. Not that I was really enjoying the skiing while I was doing it! I guess even a bad day skiing is a good day?
Kano
I'm interested in an all mountain ski -- something that will like to be off trail more than my True Luvs do. The tech in the shop suggested the Victory, in a 154. I've been reading good things about them all season, so I'd put them on my list.
DH brought something up too -- also Nordica, I think it said Hot Dog on it. Kinda orange and black and white.
I'm 5'4, about 160, and feel pretty confident on groomed runs. I'm developing my powder/ungroomed snow skills this year. The new snow was wet and heavy. When we left home, three inches had already fallen, and it was still coming down. Visibility was very bad -- the cloud on the mountain was thick enough to have both of us very disoriented -- couldn't tell where we were, or even whether or not we were moving at times!
I knew a quarter of the way down my first run that this is NOT my ski.
This was pretty disappointing after hearing/reading that it's an awesome ski (Tahoe Janine, it was SO relieving to spot your comments in a Fuego thread). I could NOT turn it, or stop it. I was pretty good at falling down -- I've never scattered equipment all over the run like I did on these skis (they sealed their fate with that one).
Still, this snow is NOT my favorite kind to ski, and so I thought I'd give them another chance or three. Eventually, we got down the hill, those skis and I, right side up, and I managed to link a couple of turns now and then. DH came back from the back side, which is higher and even more socked in than the front side. He had suggested I join him when he first caught up with me that first run. I told him no WAY I was going up there, where I couldn't see, considering I was skiing like I'd never been on skis.
(coincidentally, just the day before had been my "ski birthday" -- March 11, 2001 was my first time on skis!)
I was pretty much ready to take them back to the car and get my K2s right then, but thought about it a bit: when I tried the Lotta Luvs in January, I needed a couple of runs to get used to them, but then I really enjoyed them. So I gave it a few more runs. DH came back to the front side and found me picking my way down an easy blue run, my fourth of the day. We decided to go back to the car and get our skis -- to see if its the snow, or the skis.
First run on ours, he's pleased as punch. I'm not so happy, but I didn't really expect to be. My True Luvs don't like this snow. They're really delighted with "pretty" snow, but don't take me through heavy, wet, lumpy stuff easily. They're not very happy about deep fluffy stuff, though they'll tolerate it if I insist. I knew that. That's why I'm shopping. On the other hand, at least I knew what to expect from them, and could cope better than on the evil Nordicas.
Once back on my skis, I knew exactly why the Nordica is not for me: it behaved even more temperamentally on this muck than my own skis, only they were far less controllable.
I can say one positive thing about them: I don't know what they were, exactly, but the Marker bindings that were on them were nicer than my own Marker bindings (I don't know exactly what they are either!)
A couple of runs on my skis, and I was ready to go home. I'd been tossed around enough that body parts were starting to complain about the jostling, and told DH that I was ready to go home any time. (I did have to work in the evening) He said, well, okay, but he wanted to do a few more runs, so I should go over to the bunny hill and putter until he came by. Next thing I knew, like just a few seconds later, there he was, splattered on the side of the hill! I was a bit concerned, since he wasn't making much effort to get up at first, but he was okay, just drenched.
Now the strange thing -- on the way home, I told him, I'd just had this thought, how much fun it had been to come up skiing. Not that I was really enjoying the skiing while I was doing it! I guess even a bad day skiing is a good day?
Kano
, so I will very soon.
. You may also have a smidge of a rotational entrance into your turn, instead of tipping the initation phase. It sounds like the ski isn't getting on edge until the shaping phase of your turn and by then it's getting away from you. In other words you are not cleanly skiing on 2 edges-4 edges-2-edges yet. A softer ski with a little less taper angle will forgive you for that more often. I always tell students it is better if you can overwhelm the ski, than if the ski is overwhelming you! It is one thing to tip it up on edge and let it rail ( even though this can be very fast and fun! ) But to ski well you have to be able to bend the ski also. Sometimes a little softer flexing ski can be more fun at this stage in your skill developement. As for the changes to the Victory for next year, that would be 124-78-108. I think you would like next years mint 119-72-102, softer core similar taper angle but more forgiving tail. The less width in the tail when compared with the waist and shovel the more room you have to scrub off speed by feathering the finish of your turn (reducing your edge angle). Remember anyone can rail a ski up on edge, but not everyone can carve with it. You need to add pressure control and centered stance. Plus time to learn how to create a higher edge angle while flexing the ski, or in some cases, properly flexing the ski while creating a lower edge angle. Balance , edging, rotary and pressure control, you need to learn to blend all four skills in order to advance your skier ability. Edging and rotary tend to be learned first with balance and pressure control developing along the way, unless of course you are being pushed constantly. Through clinics, the race couse or in the bumps and crud. (Nothing can introduce us to skills we need to improve on faster.) The more blended your skills the more fun certian skis and runs, become for you to ski on. It's all good. :D remember skis are designed with an skiers ability in mind. Keep demoing you will find that perfect next ski to give you perma-grin!:D Kano sorry I couldn't hook up with you while I was home. Three weeks just flew by, (too much family stuff.) I hadn't flown into Boise in a long time, (I go into Hailey ,or Salt lk. and pluck at the Bird.) When did Mtn home get so big? Things have taken off along 20 in the last 14 years! My son got reaquainted with Jack in the box, he's in love!
