January Skiing in Val Thorens

[Forestboy]

Don't worry mate, there's always Alcohol

Im sure your daughter will pick it up fine,
My boys will give her lesson's, first time they would of seen a real girl, they go to all boys school "you know". Can't think they are up for teaching middle aged men though?

I wonder why


If all else fails we will try Rory's trick....

Take you to the top of the mountain, and say "you can walk down or you can ski down or you can stay there all day!"
:thumb:
I understand this worked well for Jan

It did fail once with a pal of mine. We were both motocross racers at the time so he was'nt a baby but could'nt do it. In the end he took the skis off and slid down inch by inch on his backside, took about 3 hours to get down 500 yds on a baby blue run and never skied again.

 

[olley]

OH $h1T this is one hell of a learning curve, any more advice would be welcome thanks Olley

Your experience might be different to mine, to start with no poles, ski's only. So there I am at the bottom of the slope with about 10 others, off goes the instructor like a gazelle, I stand there with my ski's going backwards and forwards, but getting nowhere. After a bit I managed to get over to the escalator at the side, but on no we ain't using that, its side step all the way up, by the time I get where he wants us, about 30' up the slope I am sweating like a pig inside this wonderfully thick ski jacket and wishing I wasn't wearing so many layers under it.

One at a time we shuffle out on to the piste and turn, only I didn't quite manege to point down the slope before I was off, more like 45 degrees, at the bottom stopping is simple, just fall over. And that's how the next 2 hours passed. Shuffle, side step, shuffle, slide, fall over. And what made it worse was the group of 5-7 year olds also doing it for the first time, within 10 minutes most looked as if they were born to it. oh:

Would I do it again? Absolutely, it was the best fun I have had for years even though I made a complete pratt of myself. So one year I will be out on the piste, so you lot had better watch out, because I still won't be able to stop.

Ian

 

[jonandshell]

January Skiing Funsters

Did everyone make it back?

Or do we need to send out an off-piste search party when trip 2 arrives in February?!

 

[haganap]

They all left safely in convoy this morning. Due back tomorrow.

Got a champered phone call the other night but was just getting in the shower.


Not long now till the family party leaves these shores in pursuit of snow fun and vodka.

Nice possie 5 possibly 6 vans. Not sure where we are heading, still hoping for Les Menuires but could be parked at Montchavin or la plagne,,,, only time will tell and snow conditions. :thumb:


Packed the van ready today, got new salopettes for Nikki, all good to go... Just 8 shifts to complete..:thumb:

 

[petensal]

Hi Jon

We left a few hours after you, gas ran out and it was getting cold.
Something to sort for next year.
Thanks for showing us around.

Pete.

Also ferry broke down on return crossing, engine stopped and drifting for an hour, life can be fun

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[Forestboy]

They all left safely in convoy this morning. Due back tomorrow.

Got a champered phone call the other night but was just getting in the shower.


Not long now till the family party leaves these shores in pursuit of snow fun and vodka.

Nice possie 5 possibly 6 vans. Not sure where we are heading, still hoping for Les Menuires but could be parked at Montchavin or la plagne,,,, only time will tell and snow conditions. :thumb:


Packed the van ready today, got new salopettes for Nikki, all good to go... Just 8 shifts to complete..:thumb:

Funnily enough I got a champer phone call which I missed, in the shower, then a voicemail inviting us around to a party in their van, 800 miles is a long way to go to get Champered

 

[jonandshell]

Hi Jon

We left a few hours after you, gas ran out and it was getting cold.
Something to sort for next year.
Thanks for showing us around.

Pete.

Also ferry broke down on return crossing, engine stopped and drifting for an hour, life can be fun

Our diesel usage was quite high on this trip too.
It was a cold 'un this time round!

I have just finished replacing the water pipes that the heater melted! Some more intelligent routing should mean they'll be OK next year!:thumb:

As for the ferry, was it waxed fuel oil?!

Oh, and thanks for the route you gave us. We deviated onto toll road between Dijon and Lyon to save time, but the rest of the route was great.

We overnighted at Les Rousses on the way back, it was free at the lift station car park. We'll be stopping there to check out the skiing next year.

See you at Newark!! No kids this time! Yippee!!!!!

 

[petensal]

Apparently it was a fuel problem so who knows.

Glad the route helped.Did you drive through much snow ? Roads were covered on Sunday, made things interesting on the motorways.

We stopped at the lift station at les Rousses on the way down just for a look and wondered what the skiing would be like. Another one to try?

Looking forward to Newark, see you there.

Pete

 

[haganap]

Apparently it was a fuel problem so who knows.

Glad the route helped.Did you drive through much snow ? Roads were covered on Sunday, made things interesting on the motorways.

We stopped at the lift station at les Rousses on the way down just for a look and wondered what the skiing would be like. Another one to try?

Looking forward to Newark, see you there.

Pete

We stopped here a few years back when we were accompanied by ash and Lynn. It was really windy and really tough skiing. You can ski Switzerland from France, but the reds were like blacks...!!!!! I ached after half a day but it was cheap passes. There is also a proper ski jump school in the area, however, I opted to give that a miss frightening is the only way I can explain that....

We stopped at the lift pass shop they seemed genuinely pleased to see us.

It's a lovely route back that way with some great views..

 

[petensal]

Hi Paul

Best wishes on your forthcoming trip, have a good one

Pete

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[champers]

Jim could we have a album in Rally pics we have some to load up please


Yes we all made it back safe n sound, we followed Brian n Mark back via Luxembourg n Belgium non tolls with snowy driving on the Nantua mountain though, then stopped over at a pretty town which i think was named ELL, Mark even had his Donar Kebabs when the kindly man re-opened his shop for us :thumb:

We had very high winds travelling later in the UK though and awful weather here at home since

Steve and Lynn had to leave earlier in the morn but arrived safely home

Sorry if we called whilst everyone was showering, just wanted to share our party with ya!

We all had a great time, did more blues and think Rory n Jan would of be proud of us all this year, I had a few off days as the misty days n altitude made me feel dizzy this time but once suited out with new goggles felt great

Yes we all wore helmets and luckily too as Mr D did have a fall and fell backwards onto his head, hell of a bang... the tensioner even though padded in the back of the helmet left a lovely lump ... but if he had not had a helmet on he could have landed in hospital so a good lesson was learned :thumb::thumb:

"Bruno" was lovely n toasty no probs at all ... only ice was on the hole where the reversing camera is fitted ..all lockers warm (only complaints about the beer being warm as that is where they were stored )

Gas lasted well , would have even been better if the thermometer blub hadnt slid down so it was warmer in the van than it read no wonder I needed air cond

We did think of staying or returning for the haggers do but luckily for you all.... my passport runs out feb and Johns shortly after so had to send them off for renewal !

But you never know .... pigs flying again

PS Have a great trip all
John n Kath x

 

[jonandshell]

You know what?

We considered heading back out there ourselves!

We had planned for the extra expenditure, but my employer wouldn't have it!:Angry:

It would have been bliss without the kids!:thumb:

 

[Lynn ( Mrs Ash )]

We all had a fab time , all the vans coped well even my Bessie
Yes Rory & jan & you haggers will be proud of us , we had lessons and did lots of blues ( worth every penny ) as champers said we had to leave a little earlier and take the tolls as my dad got took into hospital :Sad:
Really glad we went in January as I think we would have had to cancel if we were due there in feb ,
Looking forward to next time now :thumb:

 

[haganap]

You know what?

We considered heading back out there ourselves!

We had planned for the extra expenditure, but my employer wouldn't have it!:Angry:

It would have been bliss without the kids!:thumb:

I think you and shell look ever so poorly John, maybe you need to take a couple of weeks off sick


Well done Lynn & Ash on the blue runs, another 5 years and you'll be flying down those Reds

No problem about the phone call Kath , I was going to ring back as was working nights but sadly was busy.

Still, I've got your number, so If i get edgeyd by Ian and Shirley make sure your phones off



Can't believe that we go,,,,two weeks today and we are on our way......

 

[Lynn ( Mrs Ash )]

Well done Lynn & Ash on the blue runs, another 5 years and you'll be flying down those Reds :



If that's what it takes Paul so be it , no rush

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