snowboarding

dezzy · Post by **dezzy** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 1:14 am

Well, we went to Xscape tonight . . .

I think it's a great place to learn and to practice your technique, but I don't think I'd use it regularly. Had a strange conflict in my mind at the end of the hour: really wanted to ski more as was really enjoying the skiing, but was totally bored by the slope. I appreciate it's really impressive for an indoor ski slope and is much better than a dry slope, but I got fed up with the length and also thought it could have done with being a wee bit steeper at the top.

I'll definitely go back again to practice and I'd recommend it to people wanting to learn instead of a dry slope, but I think experienced skiers would get bored of it easily (not that I'm experienced though!).

Cheers,
D

jamie · Post by **jamie** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:44 am

They should replace Hillend with a snowzone now that would be nice and steep

I find a pair of short radius slalom type skis make it a bit more interesting as you get a higher turns per run ratio

RDH · Post by **RDH** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 9:03 am

I'm in Dubai this week and went to the Indoor Snow zone last night - just for a look - didn't have time to ski or board, but the set up is pretty impressive!

They have an indoor black run

- the place is huge - they also have a fun zone with snow tubing for the kids - and other non-skiers!

It's bizarre seeing everyone dressed in ski-gear in the middle of a desert city!

jamie · Post by **jamie** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 12:01 pm

I have seen some pics of it looks very cool dread to think of the cost of keeping thst sort of area chilled!

craigs135s · Post by **craigs135s** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 9:36 pm

Well had my first lesion and it was brill. Cant wait to back for my second next week. Roll on the big hill

Cheers
Craig

Post by **simon** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 10:38 pm

craigs135s wrote:Well had my first lesion

dezzy · Post by **dezzy** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 11:07 pm

craigs135s wrote:Well had my first lesion and it was brill. Cant wait to back for my second next week. Roll on the big hill

Cheers
Craig

Good stuff mate! I'm off to Glencoe tomorrow . . . once you've had a few lessons and are confident enough, we should arrange a wee trip up to Glencoe or somewhere else in Scotland.

ExigeKen · Post by **ExigeKen** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 10:48 pm

dezzy wrote:
Good stuff mate! I'm off to Glencoe tomorrow . . . once you've had a few lessons and are confident enough, we should arrange a wee trip up to Glencoe or somewhere else in Scotland.

How was Glencoe Dezzy? I was up Aonach Mor today and the snow was quite good, the weather was pretty cr*p in the afternoon very wet. Hurt my shoulder on bad fall though.

Ken.

Post by **campbell** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:08 am

I had no interest in snowsports of any kind until an office social trip to Fort William area around 1998-ish. Some wag suggested a group snowboarding lesson at Aonach Mor and I thought, what the heck.

Several faceplants and headsmacks later, I was hooked.

Yes, it's a painful yet short-ish learning curve to get the basics together, but worth it when you find you are able to join a few turns together and use similar balance skills to bike-riding etc. Ability to walk sensibly off-snow in the boots helps a bit too, and I have found transporting the kit pretty easy also.

Scotland offers some very enjoyable terrain for the boarder who likes bumps, tricks, etc, although for the serial carvers like me, it's a bit iffy IMHO and I have generally enjoyed my time on European pistes a lot more.

But as with skiing, if you can learn and succeed in Scotland, you can do it ANYWHERE so stick in and don't give up too soon. I read a couple of useful books whose titles and authors I can no longer remember, sorry, but reading up can help a bit I think.

A 160+ cm board fits in the pax side of an Elise and your boots will fit in the boot no problem

Iain F and I had a hoot at the Lecht some years back before joining Rossy Boy and the crew in Abz for a beery night out, Iain's blades got him into all sorts of fun and trouble

Easyjet fly direct to Geneva from EDI all year now so there is no excuse.

Chateau d'Oex snowsports holiday pics

Campbell
(Dodgy Boarder Faction, callsign Phat Fordy)

dezzy · Post by **dezzy** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 2:05 am

Ken, Glencoe was not that great to be honest. I'm not sure if I've just been spoiled by learning to ski in Swizterland at New Year there, but Scotland's snow conditions are just nothing like it.

It was okay in some of the higher runs once it softened up a bit. Was really hard packed in the morning. Weather was okay at points but visibility was sometimes poor and skiing in the rain is not really what I set out to do!

I really can't be bothered with trying to avoid rocks, mud, grass, and gravely slush, so I don't think I'll ski in Scotland again unless I know there's been a really decent snowfall (which there will hopefully be again this year!).

I still had a good day and definitely enjoyed myself once the conditions got a wee bit better. I guess it'll toughen me up a bit like Campbell says . . . if you can ski in Scotland you can ski anywhere!

Hope your shoulder is okay Ken. If the snow was good, I might need to head up there myself sometime soon.

Can't wait until a week today when I'll be hitting the slopes of Meribel (and the other valleys) for a week!

Cheers,
D

dezzy · Post by **dezzy** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 2:13 am

campbell wrote: A 160+ cm board fits in the pax side of an Elise and your boots will fit in the boot no problem

I can fit my skis in the pax seat of the Elise no problem, but we took my friend's TT today as I thought the 4WD might be a bit safer if the roads were icy or snowy. Turned out the roads were fine, but that would be what stops me taking the Elise up North to go skiing . . . would be too worried about hitting non-Elise-friendly road conditions!!

BTW, my friend was still too drunk from the night before to drive her TT today, so I got a shot of it to drive us up to Glencoe . . . was a nice drive. Nothing compared to the Elise obviously, but it shifts fairly well and handles quite well. I think if I was going for a more "comfortable" convertible, I'd maybe consider one . . . the heated seats definitely came in handy after a day on the slopes!

ExigeKen · Post by **ExigeKen** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 9:21 am

dezzy wrote:Ken, Glencoe was not that great to be honest. I'm not sure if I've just been spoiled by learning to ski in Swizterland at New Year there, but Scotland's snow conditions are just nothing like it.

Cheers,
D

Yes you will never quite get the same conditions in Scotland as Europe but then the mountains are as high in metres there as they are in feet here. Aonach Mor just now will not be a patch on what you had in Switzerland. Your best bet for Scotland is to watch the forecasts for real heavy snow and then go in the week if you can as it will be not so crowded. Shoulder really stiff this morning

Post by **campbell** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 12:02 pm

Ken's advice is spot on. http://www.winterhighland.com is a great source of accurate, unbiased opinion when planning a trip.

I often head up midweek at very short notice. In this way, I've boarded on Cairngorm when the fences have disappeared under the amount of snowfall!

The Lecht is also a hidden gem due to different orientation to most other resorts and they do work hard to keep it open and in good shape.

Campbell

dezzy · Post by **dezzy** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 12:40 pm

Cheers for the advice guys. I've bookmarked that website.

Skyenet · Post by **Skyenet** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 4:55 pm

campbell wrote:Iain F and I had a hoot at the Lecht some years back before joining Rossy Boy and the crew in Abz for a beery night out, Iain's blades got him into all sorts of fun and trouble

A great day out. Good drive up with the lorries on the A9 tipping vast quantities of snow into our open topped Elises as they passed snow drifts

Snow only started comming down a few miles from the Lecht so the drive up was okay.

Great day at the Lecht and was the first time I had been there. We enjoyed comming down a wide variety of run thoughout the day. We were the last to leave the car park, not just because we were on the slopes to the lifts stopped, but becuase we thought it easier to wait to everybody had left before trying toget the Elises out of the car park. It was quite icy and they are not renowned for their snow grip

Once out we headed to meet up with Robin and head into Aberdeen to meet up with moreof the SE gang. Apart from a tricky downhill section which was interesting when following Campbell in his S1

we made it to Aberdeeen fine.

Was my first time meeting many of the Aberdeen SE & SIDC gang and we had a great meal out. A clear run home on a crisp moonlit night ended a memorable day out.