ONE RULE FOR THEM !

All ski stations have an exclusion zone for emergency services use ONLY ! BUT there are those who are too important that will utilise these areas for that IMPORTANT visit and thus others think they too can use this area ! Before long the area is crowded with people unloading their families and are annoyed when asked to move along . Even when a Bergbahn employee shouts to them from the upper levels they continue about their business .

My intervention caused all but one vehicle to depart the scene BUT the original car was still there and when the driver eventually arrived , the excuse was that he worked for the Bergbahn ! Two youngsters in the car in their ski gear and him wearing the Bergbahn uniform does not justify the “ It’s all right I work here attitude ” nor his complaint to his colleagues that I caused him inconvenience and was not entitled to question his behaviour . There was another of his colleagues standing by charged with the job of monitoring the area but afraid to tackle his colleague’s thoughtless behaviour !

Days ago I was coming off the Black run to see some teenagers ski through the “ Langsam ( Slow ) Safety Sign ” one of his group put it back up but when I challenged him in the control area of the ski lift he was about to use the excuse was that they were “ messing about ” ! Asked to see his ski ticket which turned out to be a “ Saison Card ” , so I guess a local ! Passed the card to the Lift employee to organise the appropriate action , BUT you guessed it ! Didn’t see what took place so NOT INTERESTED ! Of course another version of the incident is reported by the parent of the culprit , after all they are “ locals ” and “ high spirited teenagers ” will behave differently ? What would be the reaction to a tourist doing this ?

Tourists go to Australia or France to ski and stand in queues but here in Austria tourists normally expect that there will be little or none . The lift employees monitor the queues from inside the equipment house and do little when a 6 chair leaves with one or two because a group are busy arranging themselves thus blocking out others . Soon there are thousands inconvenienced . Asked to get into lines of 6 after passing the Card Control most were obliging but there are those who care little for those following since they had had to await their departure . Personally when awaiting my friends , I wait outside the control area but so many others will enter the control area and stand in the way of others causing additional frustration .

Whilst monitoring the queue yesterday I made it jocular by suggesting that those unwilling to fill available slots step outside and catch a Taxi thus injecting a little humour into an annoying delay . Had those that were queuing arrived on the top of Schneekar taken themselves to the other lifts serving that mountain top they would have avoided the queues for the rest of the day . Watching people negotiating the descent on the black run provides huge entertainment , never knew that there were so many ways to use skis or snowboards . There were a few users with panache however and the contrasts are amazing .


During the 1995/6 season at Kitzsteinhorn there were similar access problems to some 4 person chairlifts at the exit from the funicular railway that has since closed . Same story , different day , 16 years later but in Oz and France this is the usual story even during off peak periods .

Ski school tries to educate tourists in the use of the various types of equipment and during that time also is supposed to educate them on the 10 tips advertised as “ Courtesy on the slopes ” . Quietly asking the Ski Teacher out of the hearing of their charges to gather their pupils on the side of the piste thus allowing others to pass has caused outrage with complaints being voiced ! How dare I remind a Ski teacher to read their instruction manual ! German guy in own gear teaching objected to my asking what exercise he was teaching when I saw an exercise being incorrectly performed so I suggested he read his “ German Ski Federation Manual ” to see what I was querying since I was not prepared to criticize or enlighten , seems he has had cause to make his error public by complaining !


During the 9am rush hour queues quickly form at the bottom of the mountain because almost all those wanting to attend ski school choose to arrive at the same time and thus the standing room is filled with those carrying skis and other equipment becomes a slow shuffle forward to the control . At the top of Lifts people emerge into the open space , immediately drop everything and start to get skis or their snowboards strapped on , of course those following cannot move forward and risk injury if they inadvertently step on others equipment . Whilst asking people to move through to an area about 20m further on before arranging themselves I had a few Germans complain in English that I should be speaking to them in German ! Germans grow up using skis and surely know that this behaviour reflects badly on them . One German even shouldered me out of his way thus demonstrating his arrogance and lack of thought for his fellows . Snow sports are popular at this time of the year and the participants in the Zillertal are a mix of International Peoples and Languages and this area advertises itself as an International destination with success .

“ Laissez Faire ” is the key to success for lift companies and the least intervention possible is encouraged but until there is more Policing on the piste slopes there will continue to be accidents and injuries . Too many tourists in their busy lives neglect to prepare for their holiday with it’s increased activity thus muscles are unprepared for the level of activity they are expected to endure . Many tourists forget their own learning experiences and take the attitude that if they have done a particular run then the new comer in their group will also be able to do so . Deliberately putting their friend or family member at risk is not their intention but that is the result in too many cases . Taking off the skis and walking back to the start of a run , a mere 50 or 100 metres , in many cases and using the lift to get back down is frequently discouraged . Being amused by your companions frequent falls becomes a pain when their holiday is disrupted by accidental strains or more serious injury .

Began skiing in Australia in 1992 and with great good fortune have always finished the day on my feet . In 2008 I was hit by a snowboarder whilst teaching and took his ski card and board from him so that he had to walk out to the lift station . After visiting my Doctor I was lectured about my behaviour towards a “ Guest ” ! An out of control descent from Off Piste onto the marked ski track , knocking me down in the process was acceptable to the authorities BUT removing the means for him to escape the consequences of his action was not acceptable ! Another lesson in that season was terminated early by another out of control snow boarder hitting me at speed from behind in the middle of an uncrowded piste taking both me and the child I was teaching off our feet . Another Ski school teacher saw the incident but allowed the boarder to escape , fortunately the child was uninjured and a colleague was able to take over and finish the lesson . My knee injury then has prevented me racing in the Masters Series since . The Ski School owner tried to penalise me for not finishing the lesson and also tried later to defraud both me , the Finance ( tax dept. ) and the Local community but that is another story .

Received an invitation by telephone from a junior of my nominal boss last night to attend the office today in order to discuss some of the above . Since I was in the area I suggested we deal with this immediately but they wanted to go home ! Of course I was going home at that time BUT I was willing to take the time to sort it whereas the boss came on the phone demanding attendance at her convenience . By the way the Saison card was stopped so I told her that the uniform, will be returned .

With a stopped season card how am I to recover the skis left on the mountain ? With the best will in the world I cannot forsee how I could work with people who think only of their own comfort and importance and not of the people they are trying to attract to use their facilities !

TELEMARKING

Winter of 1995/96 I spent on the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier alpine skiing most days on their Golden Season Ski Pass which covered a variety of Ski Areas including the Dolomites in Italy. I had been travelling and visiting acquaintances in Czech Republic who had mentioned this area and so on the way back to France in October 95 decided on a side excursion since there was little snow in France at that time. The glacier was at that time served by a tunnel train which I caught daily . I was always on the top step on the first available departure each day and on the last possible descent in the evening.

Skiing each day from morning to night I met a smorgasbord of personalities ranging from beginners to professional racers coming from Europe and other continents. Riding the chairlifts and T bars conversation would lead to meeting and skiing with all nationalities. Skiing is perhaps one of the easiest sports in which to make new friends and acquaintances, perhaps easier than cycling.

Along the way I got to trying out Snowboarding and then Telemark Skiing , at that time I was using a pair of cheap skis with langlauf 3 point bindings and softer shoes used for Langlaufing. At around 3000m the ankles would get quite chilly and working the Telemark turns was a lot harder than with the proper equipment so I did not get off the piste into the powder as my Norwegian friend was doing.
Thomas was younger than I and had grown up on Telemarks so was competing in events in that discipline . Using my alpine skis I was able to go off-piste with the better skiers but the Telemark shoes would fill with powder and the socks would get quite wet very quickly even when the socks were wrapped in plastic bags .


These days I have the correct Telemark Skis and Boots and the older style Telemark Bindings that serve the purpose the only difference is that 15 years later old age is making getting deep knee bends just that little harder to achieve particularly on the steeper slopes as I quickly run out of time whilst dropping into the correct position after a turn. On the blue runs I see the occasional Telemarker elegantly skiing with ease and with graceful turns negotiating the piste with a nonchalance I would wish to emulate.


Daily I am strapping on my “Touring Ski Skins” to plod up the piste at Kaltenbach and Spieljoch as the exercise is great for the “Cycling muscles”. As I plod up the piste I am entertained as I watch people standing on Skis coming down in a variety of styles , certainly some try to emulate the style that they were taught in “Ski School”, others swinging their body in a style that reminds you of a rookie boxer in the boxing ring and still more doing things that cause them to do a “face plant“. Do you know of any sport where falling on your face and risking injury in an area “beyond your competence” is encouraged? So many people when they see the Piste signs designating the run as “Black” will tell you that they did not see them or that “they thought they were the trail no”! Most of these scenes play out before lunch so that alcohol can be ruled out as responsible for these falls.

People take up skiing as a healthy outdoor activity that they can do with their friends but my thought is that there are too many people who lacking good judgement persuade/bully their friends/wives/companions into risking injury in an attempt to handle a situation beyond their current standard. Too many think you learn by your mistakes but seeing people struggling to stay upright sliding, skidding and falling down a steep pitch does nothing for confidence and surely is no fun even to the “smart arse” who leads the way. Setbacks are not easily overcome and techniques taught correctly in ski school are rarely applied in a panic situation. One thing is certain and that is this behaviour will continue and keep filling the Doctors surgeries if not the Hospital Wards.

The advent of Helmets does not mitigate the risk of serious injury as I remember years ago seeing a woman over balance, standing still on skis one moment then falling side ways against a friend resulting in both of them breaking legs . Extremely bad luck for both families concerned as the holiday was spoiled for all, rarely do you hear of a family holiday being the better from an accident which in many cases is the result of lack of expertise or caution.


Skiing as is Cycling are Sports which demand a level of fitness for the participants to get some benefit and enjoyment. Rarely do you find a worker let loose on the job without appropriate training so why is it that people jump on their bike to ride centuries or strap on their skis to execute red or black runs with the competence needed for a blue run. All sports require fitness but too many spend large amounts of money and travel to a resort and only then consider that training should have taken place over a period of time leading up to the holiday.


Yesterday I arrived at the top station of the “cabin cable lift” to find a group comprising “Paralympian” and able bodied skiers . The Paralympian was Alex Wexelberger who raced for the Austrian Paraski Team until “2006 Torino Paralympic Games” who was teaching a “newbie from Holland”. With the guys were some able bodied skiers who were handling the logistics of the lesson in that they were carting the wheelchairs , Chariots( carbon seats attached to the skis) and skis. Everybody involved was having a great time and Alex was able to demonstrate his expertise to an enthusiastic pupil. There are many who participate in skiing in this way, yesterday I learned the name of an American Organisation known as “Stride” who work with “Would beParalympians in a number of Para Sports. Many Disabled Skiers will attend the “2010 Vancouver Paralympic Games” in march at Whistler.


“Stride” came to my attention as I have been watching events around the “Wounded Warriors Project” who are currently in Vermont for ski events. “WWP” have the “Soldiers Ride Events” taking place year round and one of the latest was taking place recently in Florida. One of Lance Armstrong’s “Discovery Team bikes” was purchased by a veteran and given to “WWP” for the use on “Soldiers Rides Events”.
The full story can be found on the website but will add the link at a later date but suffice to say the recipient was “blown away” by this thoughtful gesture. On the website you will find photos of these “Soldiers Ride participants interacting with Astana Racers at the arrival one day of the Tour of California, Chris Horner was one racer in the photos

At this time I am still hopeful that people will consider joining me on the “2010 Project” of the Tour de France! There is still time for people to get fit and there are still opportunities for people to join us for limited periods rather than the full period of the race. Many people choose to rent a vehicle and drive from location to location parking on the side of the road to watch the spectacle pass and on occasions their day will be filled with new experiences but the more you see of this the more it becomes “same old, same old” with the occasional friendship acquired if you meet and talk to other bystanders. What would be more enjoyable , riding the route or parts of the daily route helping others or snoozing in the sun filling in the time from arrival at your chosen parking spot until the traffic is allowed to move once more, that is if there is not a traffic jam to contend with before you can enjoy the open road once again?

When the race is all over and you get going again you will have a handful of gadgets, soap packs, peanuts , balloons, pens , shirts and capswater , pamphlets and coffee sacs. Still got some of these trinkets and gadgets in the odd drawer or cupboard gathering dust? Well consider helping others with me as an alternative! Regardless of the result if I am fit I will be riding with or without company but would prefer to be helping others to get a little of the enjoyment that I have experienced these past 12 years.

For those of you with an interest in telemark ski, a few pointersThings You'll Need:
Ski Clothing
Telemark Ski Equipment

Step 1
Start sliding down a gentle slope in a balanced stance with feet shoulder- width apart.
Step 2
Flex the ankles, knees and waist slightly toward the ground.
Step 3
Initiate a turn by bending one knee close to the ground and sliding the same foot back. Bending the left knee will result in a left turn, for example.
Step 4
Slide the other foot forward.

Step 5
Reach and plant the left ski pole downhill and to the left of your body when turning left. Plant the right pole when turning right.
Step 6
Steer both feet by rotating your hips, ankles and knees in the direction you want to go. Use your planted pole as a marker by which to turn around.
Step 7
Maintain equal weight on the uphill edges of both skis.
Step 8
Extend your ankles, knees and waist upward at the end of the turn.
Step 9
Switch feet, plant the opposite pole and initiate a turn in the other direction.



Tips & Warnings
It is a good idea to start on gentle terrain and be able to perform a wedge stop.
For more control and better balance, slide the front foot out no more than 18 inches from the back foot.
Practice turning one way, stopping, and turning the same direction several times to get a feel for it - then practice in the other direction.
Once you get the hang of the telemark turn, it should look and feel smooth.

Enjoy your skiing but think SAFETY at ALL TIMES!!

CHRISTMASES PAST

With it being the festive season I have been giving Skype a bit of a thrashing. Amazing to be talking at a computer and making a connection with people unseen for years. Raking over memories brings to mind old friends not thought of in years and with that visual flashbacks to where you were in those days and the weather experienced; social occasions and participants; food eaten at home, restaurants, other peoples homes whilst visiting to enjoy their hospitality . Also visitors staying through the holiday period and how they were entertained and the experiences they enjoyed particularly their youngsters. Time marches on and one wonders what life changes are coming next and what preparations need to be made to meet the challenges posed.

Each day I continue to maintain fitness levels that could be higher, by either outside walking or inside with the row machine , weights, and skipping rope. Another day passes without snow which last year was on the doorstep in late November. Not really interested in driving to the forest to find forestry roads for ski touring which are a bit isolated when there is a piste nearby. Also it is necessary to get in a few days on the farm paddock practising technique before going to steeper climbs, regardless of fitness there will always be muscles that are overlooked as you exercise. You only have to change saddles to know how the body reacts to change. As mentioned before the rear end does not like to experience long periods when introduced to a new shape.





One Christmas comes to mind,1995, I dressed in my tuxedo and skied Kitzsteinhorn on Christmas day, the ski patroller that I met at the top of the first ski T bar was amazed. Lawrence had worked down under as a ski patroller so was happy to practice his English whenever I showed up at their lunch room. Each visit was accompanied with a sample of Schnaps donated for services rendered by him and the team. Other lift workers plied me with coffee and other refreshments in their huts or control rooms at the chairlifts on a daily basis so it was an opportunity to brighten their day. Lunch that day was in the restaurant and I joined some ski instructors who regularly ate there. Well the staff were used to seeing me in the self serve so it was an occasion to be in this area. Anyway whoever picked up the bill, thank you once again . Photos of the day are in my collection but how I upload them to the computer is beyond my current expertise.

Christmases in Sydney have been at a variety of locations with on one occasion my brother visiting from Melbourne with his family . A bit of a squeeze with the two youngsters camping in the lounge. They were thrilled as youngsters are to be on the road and after leaving Sydney they were going to Queensland to visit and thrill more people with their enthusiasm. A very hot day took the party onto the balcony for the sitdown smorgesboard , another new experience for them.

Another Christmas comes to mind when I was living in a house in Sydney at Artarmon,1979, last of the single days . The morning was a run with the “Hash House Harriers” which started cloudy but warmed up with a run through the Rocks and Downtown Sydney‘s deserted streets back to the rocks before travelling back over the coat hanger (bridge ) to share Christmas with friends.

Tragedy for others interrupted one Christmas with friends as we learned of the devastation brought to Darwin by Cyclone Tracy. My friends had connections there so the news was worrisome.

I was fortunate to be at a complete family gathering in 1993 when my parents had their last Christmas as a couple. The house was crowded as six offspring and their partners and children were on hand. It was a full sitdown table laden with the best on offer in the way of food and drink. A day to be cherished.

How different each occasion can be. Each of us will have different experiences this Christmas. There are people out there who will have had a good year and others that have packed their life with service to others and will be in rotten circumstances as partners, family or friends are no longer there to share the experience .






VOLUNTEERING their services, there is a class of citizen in every community that deserves recognition and praise. These unselfish , caring , unstoppable ,supporting and empowering individuals are heroes rarely recognised for leaving their families and friends to help others. There is rarely recognition for their contribution to society though a few are on the Queens list or on CNN/heroes to you all my thanks and heartfelt wishes for the festive season. Premier Mike Rann of Sth Australia tweeted his thanks today Christmas day , which prompts this late addition.

Reading the Timesonline yesterday I was amazed to read that the British government awarded itself £130m in bonuses but also saved £20m by cancelling troop training exercises. The minister/s and civil servicem personnel involved need to live and work in Wootton Bassett so that they can stand bareheaded in all weathers with the locals who honour the constant passing of returning service personnel. Whilst working in the comfort of whitehall these mongrels are neglecting the basics of human necessities , the right to survive unscathed the visit to harms way. This is not the 19th century when the British troops were in Afganistan or in the 1st WW trenches in France where they were treated as “cannon fodder”. These people are Professionals and in every other business are provided the tools and training to do their job.

Ask “Help 4 Heroes” how many in their care would have been saved had there been the basic training they seem to have been continually denied. Every service person in harm’s way works 24/7/365 to protect their colleagues and themselves. Recently I tweeted @thejointstaff to remind him not to tell people where he is going next as the recent story of “the hacked drones” emphasies the savvy of the opposition. Mr Gordon Brown whilst your recent visit to the troops was commendable, it was selfish as you are a high value target (each & every service person also) which means if there had been an incident others would have suffered also.

Each day I train on the rowing machine and I have to constantly remind myself of technique, service personnel are in that constant awareness zone 24/7/365.

Wishing them all whether Anzac , US or Nato members a Safe and festive period and a Safe return to their family , friends and civilization. To the family of the fallen the “RSL/Australia has a special saying “AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN , WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

God bless you all for your loss and sacrifice lets hope it was not in vain.


PEACE AND GOOD FELLOWSHIP TO ALL AS WE CELEBRATE THESE NEXT DAYS.