GavinB Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 Yep ...This is day # 22 on the snow for me since I arrived here at the end of May ... So I have stood in the lift lines MANY MANY times over the past 22 days on the snow (with very few rest days in-between) So .... At the risk of offending some folks out there ... I am reporting what life is like in the Timberline Lift lines ... as a lone Alpine Board Rider ... surrounded by hoards of younger Summer Camp Ski Race Team Kids. At first I was very accommodating of the kids in line and let them do what ever they wanted to do, that is ... push in-front of you all the time. BUT ...as of today ..... I am READY TO KILL these little Ski Race Team Brats in the Lift Lines !!! My patients has finally run out !!! Now I don't take any of their crap in the lines anymore... I am probably becoming the most hated snowboarder in line at Timberline !!!! They just try and push to the front of the line when their friend in the front calls them .... (God Forbid they should ride with a stranger). and they think that the have the RIGHT to just push in-front of you when you were in the line long before them..... because they are on some school race team etc ... or have rich parents who never taught them what a line is !!! Well now I am sick and tired of them and do not let them get past me anymore ! I even stood up to one of their moms today and told her that she had to wait for me to go first !!! She was behind me and says to me that she has "FOUR" .... I said I don't care how many she has and that she can wait for the next chair after mine !!! She actually expected me to step aside for her and her three kids!!! (I should have told her to stop acting like a FOUR year old) (I am trying very hard not to be RUDE though) !!! BUT.... I have run out of patients with them .... they are actually making the snowboarding experience UNPLEASANT !!! BUT ... they leave around 11:30 AM so I have peace and quiet until 1:30 when the ski lifts close for the day !!! So I am now going later and staying later ...so only have to deal with them for less than two hours !!! IF they had SINGLES lines set up at all lifts all the time ...it would solve the problem right away .. but they just let everybody converge .... so those who arrive in the line after me ...now have to wait to get on a chair after me (what a BIZARRE concept) !!! Anyway I am bigger and stronger than them .... so I get to go on my chair when it arrives !!!! I just wish I could bring some LA GANG BANGERS up here and put them in the line !! They will sort these little brats out in one morning !!!! I can promise you one thing ... the next day there will be absolutely no pushing to the front of the line or line cutting etc !!! Other than that ..... the snow has been good for me from 11:30 till 1:30 on Magic Mile and Palmer and virtually NOBODY on Magic Mile or Palmer then.... as the Racers pack up and leave by then and the snow is still pretty smooth and not slushy or sticky yet ... except for much lower down!!! GREAT for me !!!! My legs are very tired but I keep going every day !!! Will take this weekend off ..... maybe go Paragliding instead. Then finally head back home on the 5th July ! Gavin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 Yes! What you're describing is the biggest (only?) drawback to summer riding at T-line - the spoiled little ski team brats and their lousy mountain etiquette. Way to put them in their place. You might also get some spike stomp pads for the tail of your board to discourage lift line rash. Never having paid for their own equipment, those kids don't respect anyone else's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 We ain't gonna take it! No! We ain't gonna take it! We ain't gonna take it! Anymore! ****'em. If they're being little ****s, push'em over. There have been occasions where I have been certain that the ski-racer kiddies behind me in a lift line have ridden up onto my board purposefully. when that happens, and I am sure that it is purposeful, I usually lift my board up, get it to the side of or between of their skis and just start moving back until I'm basically standing on them, since they just have to be so close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnisiWaya Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 GAvin wrote They just try and push to the front of the line when their friend in the front calls them .... (God Forbid they should ride with a stranger). Kids are bad but here in the northeast we have the adult version called "Ski East". They are even worse. I try to head them off ahead of time by engaging them in conversation about racing. Technique, equipment, coaches. Then I drop the "bomb" and ask how their training is going and if they do Nastar as a regular measure of handicap improvement. "oh you do very good...........what is your current handicap? I used to be a pacesetter." This while I'm on one of my boards. LOL Then they ask What was your handicap? Or you can lead them into it. Oh I had a 13 but that was against Andy Roblar the US ski team downhiller, He was 28 and I was 48. Talking to them establishes that you are in front of THEM. But even better By talking about their perceived Sport/racing ability they will talk about themselves (EGO Ego Ego.) So Gavin if you need some Nastar gold pins let me know I am sure I have extras around her along with maybe even an extra Mountain Dew Challenge gold medal or two. Thing to remember is a fully nailed carved turn is always faster than a skidded one. As a carving boarder you know much more about crossover, Crossunder, Push Pull and other ways to nail a turn than most of their coaches. Ask them if they have any free run time. Make a run date with them. then kick A$$$. Christmas day was out with son Sam We were on Exhibition under the six pack lift. I was doing push pull turns full width of the trail on my Omecarve Dynastar skis. two of the racers were bombing straight down the center of the trail and just could not quite catch me. They were running flat (lots of surface drag) and I was not just on edge but was getting lift off air time from tail coil up/release with every turn. Acceleration, OH Yes. At the lift line they both came up to me and asked how I did that. I just said "oh I never ski parallel and I just fall down the mountain and drag the skis along for the ride not the other way around." They went off shaking thier heads .............Ten minutes later with my easily recognized, flamed black helmet, buzzed their course on my GS board. LOL So ....just my way of handling the oafs. Chase Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P06781 Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 IF they had SINGLES lines set up at all lifts all the time ...it would solve the problem right away .. but they just let everybody converge .... so those who arrive in the line after me ...now have to wait to get on a chair after me (what a BIZARRE concept) !!! [/! Gavin Ahh the Chaos Theory applied to lift lines.... Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galen Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 Just bring your snakes. Not only will you get to the front of the line, but you'll have the chair all to yourself. I developed a technique for the campers that repeatedly bump my tail: Lift up tail, slide back, stomp down. Seems to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radial Posted June 27, 2008 Report Share Posted June 27, 2008 Hey Gavin, Yea, I feel really sorry for you, riding all day in the sunshine, kiteboarding in the afternoon. I only wish lift lines were the worst of my problems today! My advice is to focus on the cute coaches. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeW Posted June 29, 2008 Report Share Posted June 29, 2008 Hmm, since I lived there for three years, it was never a problem for me, really. I just simply just stick to true -locals- and we -erhm- talk to the lifties, cuz we know 'em, and they do play it dirty with the ski racing school team, too, by letting us board first. -smirk- life is lovely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy Kleh Posted June 29, 2008 Report Share Posted June 29, 2008 My solution to rude kids? Speak to them directly. They hate that. They may give you attitude, but they'll avoid you the rest of the day and they sure as heck won't cut in front of you again. I have kids drop into the halfpipe out of turn because we all get a certain amount of time to get practice runs in before a competition. I just smile at them and say "Excuse me but I believe I was in line ahead of you." I don't pull the I'm an adult and you're a kid thing. Kids prefer to be addressed as equals, just the way their peers wouldn't let them cut in front. I know what you mean about rich race kids. I had an 8 yr old call me a whore. I asked him if he knew what that meant and he ran away and never bothered me again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GavinB Posted June 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2008 OK LeeW So... you are a TRENCH DIGGER and I am just a lowly SKIDDER.. you lived here for THREE years and I am just a NEWBIE... you have CONNECTIONS in the lift lines and I have NONE... Rub it in while you can ... BUT .... I am going Paragliding this afternoon with Brad ... and Brad drives the SNOW CAT up at Timberline.... so hopefully my months of being an UNCONNECTED, NEWBIE SKIDDER are soon to be over !!!! (well maybe not the SKIDDER part) GavinB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GavinB Posted June 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2008 Hey Cindy Thanks for the advice .... I really don't pull the "I'm an adult" line ..... I basicaly do just what you do .... "Excuse me, No ...you cannot get past .... You can also wait in line" !! But find that going later and staying later is the best solution as most of the Ski Kids are tired and hungry and want to get back to the lodge by then and all the lanes start opening up. Anyway ... yesterday we went on a Great Motor Bike ride up to Mnt Adams area ... then for a Kayak across the Columbia River and UP the White Salmon for a little way. Did not see a single Ski Kid along the way ... Was a GREAT day... but HOT .... was a record in Hood River ...99 degrees !!! Gavin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buell Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Hey Gavin, Been there at T-line. A couple of years ago in mid June. It was great until then, no lift lines, uncrowded slopes. Once the camps start full force, there is barely any snow left for the public to ride and long lift lines of camp kids. Here are some photos shot by oldsnowboards on that day. Sounds like you have plenty of other things to enjoy up there. Take care, Buell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GavinB Posted June 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Yep .... that is EXACTLY what I am talking about ... but "oldsnowboards" did warn me earlier to hurry up and get up here before the "ski Kids" arrived. Unfortunately I had no choice ... this is the only time I could be here. So will be back amongst those crowds tomorrow. At least I get to go snowboarding tomorrow, while most others cannot !!! Unfortunately will have to go early ... as it is going to be pretty warm up there tomorrow. Gavin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeW Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 OK LeeWSo... you are a TRENCH DIGGER and I am just a lowly SKIDDER.. you lived here for THREE years and I am just a NEWBIE... you have CONNECTIONS in the lift lines and I have NONE... Rub it in while you can ... BUT .... I am going Paragliding this afternoon with Brad ... and Brad drives the SNOW CAT up at Timberline.... so hopefully my months of being an UNCONNECTED, NEWBIE SKIDDER are soon to be over !!!! (well maybe not the SKIDDER part) GavinB That wasn't my intention to rub it in. I was suggesting you to hook up with the lifties there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GavinB Posted June 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Hi Lee Don't worry ... I did not think you were trying to "rub it in"!! Gavin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeW Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 Well, its nice to talk to the lifties, cuz they do work all day long loading and unloading the people. I do know from an experience of being a liftie back then. Anyways, I noticed youre heading out to Mt Hood River -- man, that place ROCKS for windsurfing and kiteboarding and -gasp- fishing! Dude, this is only my personal opinion, but if you intent to purchase a season pass for winter time, I would definitly recommend Mt Hood Meadows over Timberline, hands down. (sorry, T-line people) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GavinB Posted July 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 Hey Lee I was snowboarding at Mnt Hood Meadows in Spring time this year .... I bought a Spring Pass for $119 .... what a great deal ...... so I agree 100% .... Meadows is far better than Timeberline ... but Meadows is closed now and Timberline is open ... and I have to get as many days on the snow as possible ...to catch up with the rest of you on this forum...so here I am at Timberline for now. Yep ....Hood River is totally awesome .... I am moving up here in September .... that is why I just started learning to Kite Board ... I also have two Kayaks, a Paraglider, a Mountain Bike and a Dirt Bike. Hood River is PERFECT for all these ...not to forget Snow Boarding. I plan on renting a house for six months or so when I get here, while I look for a house to buy. So ....any of you out there with Alpine Boards .... will be welcome to stay over if you are coming into Hood River to ride at Mnt Hood Meadows this coming winter. Gavin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeW Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 Dirt bike. Whatcha got ? me -- husqvarna CR250 2001 model but modded for off-roading (its a bit too much, i admit, of a motocross bike). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GavinB Posted July 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 Suzuki DRZ 400 .... great now for running around town .... perfect for retrieving my van at the top of the mountain after paragliding ... when I am not able to TOP LAND .... and lots of fun on the old logging trails around here in Hood River. BUT ...I would love to get a BMW GS1200 for long distance...but will probably only get that after I win the lottery !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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