Why do people Telemark?

freeheeln wrote

so narrow minded perhaps even bigoted

  What?  Please explain how someone who simply observes that many/most telemark skiers are not very good is "narrow minded perhaps even bigoted."  I can't WAIT to hear this.  

Why are people on this forum so disingenuous about this topic?  At least Harvey admitted there are a lot of beginner telemarkers these days.  The observation I made is held by a wide group of skiers I know - I hardly made it up.  It doesn't mean all telemark skiers suck - just a surprisingly large percentage of them.  Why is that such a controversial statement in here?  It's a pretty common one on chair lift rides I've been on in the last ten years.  Why would that offend anyone?

"Free your heel, free your mind."  Did you really just say that?  That's so 1995.

campgottagopee wrote

I will say that one of the best rippers I've ever skied with was a tele skier, the dude just rocked.

How is that inconsistent with my observation?  

lingerlonger wrote

campgottagopee wrote

I will say that one of the best rippers I've ever skied with was a tele skier, the dude just rocked.

How is that inconsistent with my observation?  

It's not inconsistent with your obvious observation.

Do you tele??

Lingerloser, The video speaks for it's self. Don't knock what you haven't tried.

campgottagopee wrote

It's not inconsistent with your obvious observation.

By characterizing my observation as "obvious" are you agreeing with it?

campgottagopee wrote

Do you tele??

No.  Never have.

lingerlonger wrote

campgottagopee wrote

It's not inconsistent with your obvious observation.

By characterizing my observation as "obvious" are you agreeing with it?

campgottagopee wrote

Do you tele??

No.  Never have.

Yes, at least at where I ski (GP) there aren't too many what I would call "good" tele skiers.

campgottagopee wrote

Yes, at least at where I ski (GP) there aren't too many what I would call "good" tele skiers.

Your experience is universal.  Except, apparently, Gore - where they have a disproportionate number of absolutely "ripping" telemark skiers.

LL in your original post you said "many/most telemark skiers just aren't very good."  I'd agree with many, but have no way to judge most.  

I do think a bad teleskier is easier to notice from the lift. Think of all the people you see on the lower angle terrain doing wedge turns, and how many people you see in ski school. Maybe others don't see them because they don't ski low angle terrain - I do as often the snow is better.

I came across these two little girls a few weeks ago, learning to tele:



I spoke to them for a while and asked why they were trying it. "Our dad does it and it looks so cool!"

I never saw this 5 years ago.

I love the line under the Straightbrook Chair at Gore. I ski it a lot, and hey I fall there. It's obviously a visible spot, and at times I get comments from people on the chair. Last week somebody said - "guess you're not so good after all."  Thing is I never said I was good.

My observation about Gore - 5 years ago tele skiers were a small group of excellent skiers. Those skiers are still there, but now there is another group - a larger group of people who are trying something new.

Another way to express the idea that someone "sucks at something" ... you could say ... "brave enough to try something you aren't good at."  I think most people were bad skiers on their first day out.

Harvey44 wrote

 
Another way to express the idea that someone "sucks at something" ... you could say ... "brave enough to try something you aren't good at."  I think most people were bad skiers on their first day out.

You hit the nail on the head for me, Harv. I have NO interest in learning anything new when it comes going down the hill. Why??? Couple reasons: 1. my time is limited when it comes to skiing so I don't want to "waste" any time flailing around. 2. my body already hurts and can't imagine falling anymore than I do now.

If I were to venture off into a new means of sliding downhill it would be tele---I just think it looks cool.

a freeminded person says "wow look at all these people sliding around on the mt havin fun" oh yea more like late 80s

My 2 cents, find a hill with snow, strap a board or boards to your feet and slide down. If you're having a good time, that's all that matters screw everyone else. Why do people constantly feel they have to prove themselves? Or that others have to prove themselves to show some worth. Guess what, you're a better skier than me, doesn't mean you're a better person. It's as simple as that.

Funky Polak wrote

My 2 cents, find a hill with snow, strap a board or boards to your feet and slide down. If you're having a good time, that's all that matters screw everyone else. Why do people constantly feel they have to prove themselves? Or that others have to prove themselves to show some worth. Guess what, you're a better skier than me, doesn't mean you're a better person. It's as simple as that.

+1

Well said!!!

Even though Linger Longer did it with a few douchebag jabs, he verbalized what alpine skiers think about every time they see tele skiers.

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Lighten up, Francis. I wasn't referring to LL's comment about tele-ers sucking (that's what I meant about his douchebaggery). I started downhill skiing when I was 35 and am aware that I'll never make it past a certain level. Big deal.

For the record, I've said several times in here that tele skiers seem to be having more fun than alpiners in certain conditions.

I'm a vegetarian and people are constantly asking me "why?" yet I don't get all butthurt about it; they're just asking a simple question.

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Burgermeister wrote

Hey, nothing personal. It's called a troll. People like you from the Armpit area love that stuff, apparently.

http://forum.nyskiblog.com/Internet-Tough-Guys-tp2509606p2519109.html

Flameo, Hotman.

Why you all jacked up??? I really doesn't matter to me, just curious is all.

The burgerman is just trying to show exactly what lingerloser is doing......pissing people off.

 

Kirbyvv wrote

The burgerman is just trying to show exactly what lingerloser is doing......pissing people off.

I thought maybe. Seriously, how can words typed on some stupid computer, by someone I don't even know piss me off. To me that's just plain silly. Again, he's an assclown and should be treated as such.

The spoken word drifts off and is soon forgotten.  The written word lingers for all to see (and think about).