Now not only the name of an awesome film but probably my favourite type of skiing. As Doug Coombs said "I like the gravitational pull". Physically this makes no sense because that pull is always there, but what he means is the sensation of falling and then slowly arresting that fall as you ski back up the moutain on each turn. You are literally flying just above the ground.
Once you're prepared to let yourself go steep skiing actually requires very little effort. You easily launch yourself off the mountain. Sail for as long as you dare (in my case probably only about 3m) and then turn in, compress, and repeat. Fabulous.
Yesterday I had my most epic ski ever. An untouched powder line on a curtain ridge about 200m long at about 45 degrees. I bounced through the turns, throwing myself down the slope, hitting the powder, compressing, and then shooting back up out of the snow, making a flying, banking turn before hitting the snow on the descent again.
The best bit was that Natalie was across a narrow gully from me and had front row seats to the best ski of my life. Awesome.
Sunday, 28 March 2010
Saturday, 27 March 2010
Friday, 26 March 2010
Brompton Brakes
I love my Brompton but I must say the brakes are really not that good. I cycled to work in the wet this morning and unsurprisingly they were extremely flaky.
I'm going to be buying a velo route in the next few weeks so it'll be good to compare the standard bike brake with the Brompton.
This is an unsafe self-portrait of my cycle home.
Why am I buying a road bike? Because I'm doing the Thonon triathlon! Feel like joining me?
I'm going to be buying a velo route in the next few weeks so it'll be good to compare the standard bike brake with the Brompton.
This is an unsafe self-portrait of my cycle home.
Why am I buying a road bike? Because I'm doing the Thonon triathlon! Feel like joining me?
Thursday, 18 March 2010
Thank you Doug Coombs
Admittedly I have spent rather a lot of my free time watching and re-watching the awesome ski-u-mentary Steep. If you haven't seen it you need to go and rent it immediately. I originally saw it at the Imax in London and now own a very well worn DVD which is just as amazing on my current tiny fishbowl TV screen.
Anyway the movie features Doug Coombs, an unbelievably good freeride ski mountaineer who tragically died trying to rescue a friend at La Grave in 2006 during the production of the movie. One of his more awesome scenes is of him tree-skiing some great powder in the States.
At the beginning of his run he pushes himself up and back on his poles, lifts his uphill ski and pulls it right back and points it directly down the hill. Next he hops off the bottom ski and does a semi-jumping half turn and begins his run.
This all takes place in less than a second in one fluid motion. It is an awesome way of getting started on steep stuff because, from the outset, your skis are pointed down the hill and you can already start your first turn.
I've used this technique, obviously nowhere near as well or as quick or as fluid, but nevertheless to great effect on some steepish stuff over here. It really complements my somewhat overly aggressive style because I can really get into my ski position and therefore make an effective turn before I've even started moving. Awesome.
So thank you Doug Coombs. What an absolutely brilliant skier he was.
Anyway the movie features Doug Coombs, an unbelievably good freeride ski mountaineer who tragically died trying to rescue a friend at La Grave in 2006 during the production of the movie. One of his more awesome scenes is of him tree-skiing some great powder in the States.
At the beginning of his run he pushes himself up and back on his poles, lifts his uphill ski and pulls it right back and points it directly down the hill. Next he hops off the bottom ski and does a semi-jumping half turn and begins his run.
This all takes place in less than a second in one fluid motion. It is an awesome way of getting started on steep stuff because, from the outset, your skis are pointed down the hill and you can already start your first turn.
I've used this technique, obviously nowhere near as well or as quick or as fluid, but nevertheless to great effect on some steepish stuff over here. It really complements my somewhat overly aggressive style because I can really get into my ski position and therefore make an effective turn before I've even started moving. Awesome.
So thank you Doug Coombs. What an absolutely brilliant skier he was.
Thursday, 4 March 2010
Accessories
Wow so this entry isn't about skiing! I just think it's quite amusing that when I plug my iPhone into my car in the morning so I can listen to free French educational podcasts on the way to work the iPhone says "Accessory Connected".
In this case the "accessory" happens to be a 3-ton V6 VW Touareg. I think this sums up Apple's probable view of the world. I wonder if they also refer to their users as accessories?
But actually Apple can refer to me however they want. I'm completely sold out. I love my iPhone. I even wrote this, and all my other posts on it.
In this case the "accessory" happens to be a 3-ton V6 VW Touareg. I think this sums up Apple's probable view of the world. I wonder if they also refer to their users as accessories?
But actually Apple can refer to me however they want. I'm completely sold out. I love my iPhone. I even wrote this, and all my other posts on it.
Ski Review: Dynastar Altitrail Vertical Light
I skied on my brand new Dynastar Vertical Lights for the first time today. If you don't feel like reading the rest the summary is that they are amazing! Alpine Tourers say that the most important factor in ski selection is weight. Well I think this is just nonsense. The only reason you walk up all those thousands of metres for all those countless hours is to enjoy the few seconds of exhilarating descent. Therefore, the ski must be all about the downhill and weigh less than you do.
These skis cut through anything. I adapted to them after just one day of downhill skiing. By the end of the day I was bouncing down huge moguls and attempting the same steeps I would on my Rossignol Bandits. I think that says a lot for how natural these skis feel.
I was sorely tempted by the fat powder version of these skis but I have to say I'm not noticing any problems with float in the limited powder I've found so far. My plan is to keep these for a year and then move to the Altitrail Powder.
But nevertheless they have proved themselves to be excellent on crust, brilliant on ice, and amazingly good fun on bumps. They are so easy to turn in crusty wet off piste that's hardened and been rained on. Go Dynastar! So far I think these are an excellent way to get started with Randonee.
These skis cut through anything. I adapted to them after just one day of downhill skiing. By the end of the day I was bouncing down huge moguls and attempting the same steeps I would on my Rossignol Bandits. I think that says a lot for how natural these skis feel.
I was sorely tempted by the fat powder version of these skis but I have to say I'm not noticing any problems with float in the limited powder I've found so far. My plan is to keep these for a year and then move to the Altitrail Powder.
But nevertheless they have proved themselves to be excellent on crust, brilliant on ice, and amazingly good fun on bumps. They are so easy to turn in crusty wet off piste that's hardened and been rained on. Go Dynastar! So far I think these are an excellent way to get started with Randonee.
Wednesday, 3 March 2010
Davies' are Naturals
Nicola (aka Nikki (although her name really is Nicola, it says so on her passport)) came to visit us the weekend before last and went skiing for the first time ever.
She did brilliantly well skiing down Abricotine, a 3km intermediate blue run which decends from 2200m to 1400m, on her second day ever if skiing.
Her skiing prowess can be attributed somewhat to excellent fitness but mostly to being a Davies as we are naturally good at most things!
I'll be updating this post with videos in the next few days so stay tuned!
She did brilliantly well skiing down Abricotine, a 3km intermediate blue run which decends from 2200m to 1400m, on her second day ever if skiing.
Her skiing prowess can be attributed somewhat to excellent fitness but mostly to being a Davies as we are naturally good at most things!
I'll be updating this post with videos in the next few days so stay tuned!
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