Since 1984 THE BINDING RELEASE Volume No. 52 Issue No. 10 February 2015 IN THIS ISSUE: The Prez Sez…..by Steve Sexsmith Prez Sez……….Page 1 – 2 Executive List……...Page 2 Ski with Mike, Birthdays, Other Info ………..…………….Page 3 Whistler 2 Legends …………..………….Page 4 Good Friends …….Page 5 2014/15 Ski Trips …Page 6 GORGONZOLA …Page 7 Big White TELUS….Page 8 Sponsors ………….Page 9 Never been out to a Ski Club event? Come and meet us at our monthly social and find out what our club has to offer. You may be surprised to learn that we do more than just skiing & boarding! We welcome new members. Anyone 19 years or more may attend one free meeting. We look forward to seeing you there! I’m sitting at the laptop on the last Sunday in January (wasn’t it just New Year’s Eve?) and I’m looking out the window at a very wet day. The pineapple express that has hit south west B.C. is not great news for us skiers. It is currently raining at Mt. Washington all the way to the top of the mountain and they have lost 20cm of base in the past two days. Whistler is also currently getting rain all the way up to the Round House and they have lost 10cm of base at mid mountain. The good news for the 32 of our club members going on the Whistler 3 trip is that the long term forecast calls for mostly sun for next weekend so a great time should be had by all. This coming trip will see us staying right in the Village at the Delta Hotel, which will be the first time the club has stayed in the centre of town in my 14 years with VASC. The club has already gone on two Whistler trips so far into this young season, and the Coast Hotel in December and Legend’s last weekend both turned out to be great trips and a ton of fun. The first trip to the Coast oversubscribed with 31 of our members joined by one person form the Pacific Ski club and the club made $500 profit. Trip two to Legend’s last weekend was originally estimated to be for 32 but was scaled back to 28 beds of which we sold 26 and we lost $300. This coming weekend the executive had originally estimated for 28 beds but due to popular demand we booked an additional room and we now have 32 beds sold. The final numbers aren’t in yet but we should make a profit of $600 to $700. This is great news because based on only 14 members currently signed up for our one club trip to Mt. Washington Feb. 13 - 15 we will lose $950. As we are a non-profit club our intention is not to make money, but we can’t operate indefinitely if we continue to lose money. The executive meet prior to the start of every season to plan a slate of ski trips that we believe will offer something of interest for everyone in the club. CLUB NIGHT SOCIAL! Thursday, February 5th, 2015 7:30 p.m. till 10:00 p.m. Victoria Ski Club You don’t grow too old to ski, you grow old because you stop skiing. February 2015 (Continued from page 1) (Prez Sez) The Victoria Alpine Ski Club Is a registered non-profit Society of VICTORIA, BC Website: www.VictoriaSkiClub.org The Victoria Alpine Ski Club is a non-profit organization, now in its 30th year. The purpose of the club is multifaceted: to promote skiing, boarding and snow sports by organizing ski trips and activities, organize social and sporting activities, create an atmosphere that promotes a sense of community, and most importantly, to have fun! Your 2014 – 2015 Executive: President Vice President Steve Sexsmith Shelley Berg Treasurer Secretary Donna Kerkhoven Barb Snyder Directors Maggie Burnham Terry Crockett Past President Paddy Bradley Newsletter Editor Maggie Burnham Contact us at: [email protected] We welcome your comments and ideas! This year we only have one club trip planned for Mt. Washington in February as well as the Winter Games in March. In the past three calendar years that I’ve been on the executive every single trip to Mt. Washington has lost money. With the exception of last weekend’s trip to Legend’s, every Whistler trip has made money. Unless we get more interest in going to Mt. Wash, I’m going to recommend that next season we do 5 Whistler trips and a weeklong to the interior and skip Mt. Washington entirely. The numbers speak for themselves 31 members at the Coast, 26 at Legend’s, 32 at the Delta, 35 for the Whistler week long (15 Inside Edge cabin and 20 at the Delta), 14 at Mt. Wash. Foster’s and 8 at Mt. Wash. Winter games. We already have more people signed up for Whistler 5 to Legend’s in April then on our Mt. Washington trip. We still have a couple of weeks until Mt. Washington, so anyone interested - your club needs you, sign up ASAP. I will be thinking of all of you on this on the trip while Verena and I sip Mai Tai’s on the beach in Maui, retirement does have its privileges. Standing at the ferry waiting to board last Thursday Brian Money came up with a great idea. With the Canadian dollar sinking like a stone, trips to the U.S. and Europe don’t make financial sense at this time, so we should look at a weeklong trip to visit the interior of B.C. I would love to hear from the members with your suggestions. We could do a bus trip or a u-drive, we could go to one mountain for a week or visit several, and it’s up to you. I personally would suggest a road trip doing carpooling - 3 or 4 per vehicle with stops at Apex, Red Mountain, White Water and Kimberley. I would also be interested in 4 days at Big White and 4 days at Silver Star. Or 2 days at Sun Peaks, 3 days at Revelstoke and 3 days at Kicking Horse. Or 2 days at Apex, 2 days at Big White, 2 days at Silver Star and 2 days at Sun Peaks. We could go to Banff for a week or Revelstoke for a week or? So many great ski destinations and amazing small interior towns to explore, so little time. Get off your wallets and sign up for one or more of the great trips we have left in the season. I would also love to hear back from each and every one of you as to your preferences for next season’s trips. Thanks you all, Steve Sexsmith President 2 Victoria Ski Club You don’t grow too old to ski, you grow old because you stop skiing. February 2015 Mike McPeek is a CSIA Level 3 Ski Instructor and long-time Ski Club member. Last month I talked about turning and in particular the importance of turning with our legs, not our body. While turning with our legs is important, there is another aspect of turning that we need to talk about: edging. By edging I mean the ability to put our skis on edge and the skill to maintain grip on the snow with our edge while skiing. Without proper edging we won’t change direction when we try to steer our skis; we will just skid sideways. Watch a ski racer – notice their minimal sideways skid? Racers have awesome edging skills. The good news is you don’t need to be able to edge as well as a racer does any more than you need to be able to weave your way between gates on icy snow at high speed. But if you have ever wished you could ski forward (the direction your skis are pointing) instead of skidding sideways – or even just grip the snow better while trying to turn – then better edging is the answer! Ever have your skis skid out from below you? You need better edging skills! If you have never really felt – or thought about – your edges, then try this simple drill. While wearing skis, stop on a hill and slide sideways slowly, then tilt your skis on edge and feel them bite into the snow. Or if you are more advanced, try skiing at a moderately fast speed and then stand on the inside edge of one of your skis. Could you feel the ski grip the snow? Did it start turning all on its own? Does your ski track look like a sharp “pencil line” in the snow? That’s feeling your edges! One of the secrets to better edging is a low stance. Try standing as tall as you can on your skis and, while staying tall, try tipping your skis on edge. Now get lower with your skis wider apart and try tipping onto your edges. Works better, right? Another secret is what we in the ski instruction industry call “angulation”. You can google “ski angulation” if you want to watch videos and see pictures, but what we are talking about is bending our upper body to counter the lean in our lower body – that lower body lean being how we tip our skis on edge. FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS!!! Andrea Clark Feb 7 Heather McArthur Feb 12 Next time you are out on the slopes play around with feeling your edges and being able to balance against your outside skis inside edge while turning. You might just find you like skiing on the edge! Terry Viggers Feb 12 Steve Sexsmith Feb 16 Barb Snyder Feb 16 Dan Tosczak Feb 18 Need help improving your skiing skills? Come take a lesson please request me as your instructor – and I can help you take your skiing to the next level. See you on the slopes! Send your questions and comments to [email protected] 3 Victoria Ski Club You don’t grow too old to ski, you grow old because you stop skiing. February 2015 WHISTER 2 - LEGENDS The trip started off with 25 club members standing in the entrance of Swartz Bay’s parking lot with their luggage ready to load onto the ferry luggage bins and make their way to the departure lounge. Patrick Wilson was to have been the only new member signed up for the trip but was unable to attend due to the flu – let’s hope we see him again soon. We were well fed by White Spot on the crossing and the transition to the bus in Tsawwassen was relatively painless - remembering that the less gear you have makes for an easier loading of the bus. We were entertained on our drive up to Whistler by Trevor on guitar and John on the banjo accompanied by a group of vocalists and a number of adult beverages. We arrived in good time and were able to unload the bus and be checked in before 10:00 p.m. to the always fabulous Legend’s Creekside. Once settled into their rooms some club members decided to relax and others roamed the hallways looking to do some socializing. Friday morning we were met with overcast skies and despite the lack of new snow over the past few weeks and the temperatures and snow conditions exceeded most of our expectations. This being said you still had to be careful and watch for exposed rocks. Saturday we awoke to a dumping of big flakes and an accumulation of new snow and long line ups as everyone wanted to take advantage of some turns in the fresh snow. The visibility was poor all day but the new snow was welcome. Après ski (perhaps one of the best parts of skiing) saw some club members hitting the great outdoor deck at Dusty’s and enjoying a cold one (or two). While others headed straight for the legendary hot tub which can squeeze in our entire club at once. Friday night’s potluck was held in the Alpine room with a great variety of yummy food and dessert. Saturday evening about half the people went in to the village for dinner and the other half used the hotel supplied BBQ’s and had dinner in their rooms. On Sunday a few of our brave members went out to endure the high winds and blowing snow and rain - even Shelley and Tam took the day off. A large number took the bus from Creekside to Whistler village for an afternoon brunch. Our great long weekend ended with our bus arriving at 3:15 and we were on our way by 3:30 arriving in good time at 6:15 (despite heavy traffic) for the 7:00 ferry. This trip continues to be everything legends are made of including great snow, fine food and good company. It’s no wonder the Legends trip has become a club favourite and routinely sells out. Whistler/Blackcomb offers something for everyone from top-notch skiing, a relaxing ambience, fine dining and quality shopping. If you manage your time right, you might just be able to do it all! Thanks to everyone for making this an awesome trip! 4 Victoria Ski Club You don’t grow too old to ski, you grow old because you stop skiing. February 2015 5 Victoria Ski Club TRIP Whistler 1 @ Coast Blackcomb U-Drive Whistler 2 @ Legends Bus trip Big White Brian’s TELUS Bus Trip Whistler 3 @ Delta Hotel Bus trip Mt. Washington Fosters Cabin 10 bedrooms, 2 kitchen Bus trip Breckenridge, Colorado, USA Whistler 4 @ Inside Edge Cabin U-Drive Whistler 4 I.E. cabin alternative @ Delta Hotel UDrive Mt Washington Winter Games U-Drive Whistler 5 @ Legends U-Drive You don’t grow too old to ski, you grow old because you stop skiing. DATES Dec 12 – 14 Jan. 15 – 18 NIGHTS EARLY BIRD PRICE # OF SEATS EARLY BIRD DATE 2 $165.00 20 Oct. 2 – Nov. 5 3 $350.00 32 Oct. 2 – Nov. 5 REGULAR PRICE $185.00 SOLD OUT! Good time had by all! February 2015 CO-ORDINATOR Steve Sexsmith [email protected] $375.00 Good Times! Shelley Berg [email protected] $625.00 or $585.00 seniors Brian Money [email protected] Jan, 21 – 25 4 N/A Jan. 30 – Feb. 2 3 $365.00 28 Oct. 2 – Nov. 5 $385.00 SOLD OUT! Steve Sexsmith [email protected] Feb. 13 – 15 2 $280.00 20 Oct. 2 – Dec. 3 $300.00 TBD Sue Seagrave Suz_seagrave@hotmail .com Feb. 21 – March 1 8 N/A 16 SOLD OUT! March 8 – 13 5 N/A 20 $220.00 Terry Crockett [email protected] $350.00 (min. of 8 people) Steve Sexsmith [email protected] Destination and prices TBD Terry Crockett [email protected] Est. price $185.00 Shelley Berg [email protected] March 8 – 13 5 March 19 – 21 3 N/A April 9 - 12 3 Est. price $150.00 Oct. 2 – Jan. 7 6 Victoria Ski Club December 2014 GORGONZOLA! No, it's not blue cheese, but you might hear some cheesy blues. th sure to mark February on 21 your calendar for a great dance event at the Vic Dove’s Bike Trip –Be Crescent LakeFriday & The Elwha20 JUNE Gorge Legion at 411 Gorge Road East. Our very own John Francis and Trevor Oram are putting on this event with their new band whose name will be revealed shortly (actually, they are still reflecting on a suitable name!) Maybe they need some suggestions? The band will do a couple of sets that you are sure to enjoy. In addition, our own Terry Cocke also has a new band that includes Maureen Ketcheson on keyboard and vocals. His band will open the event. Two bands! Starting at 8 o'clock - Doors will open 7:30 p.m. There will be three or four sets of Rock, Country, Blues, and maybe a little Ballroom thrown in too. Lots of fun! The event will also be sold through other Meet up sites (Friends, Social Golfers, Boomers Singles, and Victoria Wine-lovers). Tickets are $10 per person; they will be on sale starting next week before and at the Legend’s trip. Tickets will be available from John, Trevor, or Terry. Watch the VASC Meet up site for more details! SEE YOU THERE!! At the SIX MILE PUB January 25 Page 7 Victoria Ski Club You don’t grow too old to ski, you grow old because you stop skiing. February 2015 Five VASC ski clubbers joined the TELUS Ski Club’s annual trip to Big White from January 21st to 25th. Brian & Nancy and Albert (and old friend from the Alpine Club of Canada) were in one room. Karri, Shahn and Donna were in another room. There were a total of 25 skiers in all. The weather was typical for Big White, cloudy Friday, and foggy Saturday, a bit of rain Saturday, and sun Sunday. We had a group dinner at Snowshoe Sam’s on Friday evening. Bill Myrtle has been the trip coordinator for 41 years! 8 Victoria Ski Club You don’t grow too old to ski, you grow old because you stop skiing. February 2015 15% off year round for Ski Club Members A Note of appreciation for our sponsors: Our sponsors have been supporting the Victoria Ski Club for many years with prizes, giveaways and discounts. Did you now that Sports Traders offers ski tuning services and extends a 12% discount to our members on all goods all year round? Or, that Sports Rent offers a 10% discount on their services? Certified Athletic Therapist Stephanie Kruger has provided a very informative presentation at our Club Night social. Lighthouse Brewing Company supplies us with T-shirts, toques and various other items for door prizes and giveaways and happens to have some very tasty product as well. Saanich Parks and Recreation has donated a rec center multi=pass as a door prize at our Christmas social, and the Strath has in the pas accommodated our socials and parties. Please, whenever you can, consider patronizing our sponsors – they are a great group of folks. 9
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