Skiing!

[Walker]

I've been taking my kids to ski lessons for the past two seasons. They get a 1 hour private once a week for 8 days then we ski the afternoon. I'm really proud of their progress. T. is 4 years old, R. is 6 years.

We were out this past wednesday, i turned around and just cought T. skiing switch. He must be copying me since I'm always doing this during lessons or while videoing.



R (first)& T (last) with their friend C. inbetween ripping up the steeps


R. with his instructor a few weeks ago.


T. & R. doing some extreme skiing off piste


I wish i had started at their age...

 

[user 135]

Good for you. Skiing is a great lifetime sport.

I started my kids early and now they ski well. My 8 year old is in the racing program and last week competed in slalom, giant slalom and jumping. My wife skis but is now getting passed up by the kids. :lol:

I have been skiing since I was 5 and raced in my teenage years. I now volunteer to instruct handicap and disabled skiers with a program called Recreation Unlimited

 

[Walker]

Starting early is huge. I didn't start till I was 12.

How not to outfit your kids:
While in H.S. my dad got new skis and he gave me his. I got new boots, size 10 so I would have some "room to grow". his skis were a pair of Pre GSP 200cm giant slalom boards. (he went to 180's :?: ). I raced in H.S., most races ended in D.N.F's because I could barely control the skis. I was 145lbs soaking wet. I sprained my ankle in my boots one day.

Today. I wear my correct boot size; 8, and I usually run a pair of 155 K2 Mach SL's or my 170 Volkl twin tips.

There is a lesson in there somewhere. :?

I also snowboard, been doing it since 1989. I run a 160 Rossignol Jeremy Jones pro model all mountain board or if I'm feeling good a 160 cm Salomon Free Ride Speed. I'm more of a carver and take a lot of pleasure in laying out nice turns. I like to leave a nice narrow groove on the hill . I dndn't get much in this season cuz it's just too hard to keep pace with the kids and they are always tipping over or sneaking into the woods.

Hopefully this summer I can start headscratching on my home made rope tow. I've got a pair of heavy duty 220V motors with gear reduction boxes and one bull wheel from a defunct ski area. Anyone who wants to come cut trees can neme their own trail

 

[user 135]

Homemade rope tow would be awesome. I wish I was closer as that would be a fun project.

Youtube is full of them. Lots of different ways to make them. Here is one made with some bike parts. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdyA_7Rq ... re=related

 

[Walker]

I've been studying those for some time. I was going to go gas but since the rig will just sit around I figured electric would be less maintenence. The other potential issue i have is that my land is steep, double black diamond territory. i dont expect to run the rope all the way up to the top of the ledges but the slopes up still have a lot of elevation gain.

I'm figuring on running two loops. one running down the hill from the house and the other up above. This way I won't have to run the power too far.