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^^^^My thoughts and feelings 100%. While I don't mind hiking to the Castle, Murdocks, Backside,Highboy or even Main, I'll do it once or twice and then call it a day. Also, I no longer ski from bell to bell. If I ski hard from 9-1:30, I am exhausted. If so, it is one beer, walk the dogs, a sauna and then snoring in front of the TV.
echoing Bunion and schindler's comments, the change in my skiing has not been easy to accept ( I thought I had ten more years ! ) -
two injuries - Not skiing - have dramatically altered things ( and I am not skiing this season ) -
There was a time - and it. Is not so long ago - when I could not imagine Life without skiing!
But I am now aware, When/If I ski again, it will be Very different than it was (!)
Good luck (!)
skiJ
Turned 60 last Fall, been dealing with ACL / knee issues since ‘83. I’ve managed to keep myself on the hill just about every season, definitely less interested in tight EC tree skiing this year as I nurse one of the knees to a TKR procedure in the spring. I can handle about half a dozen groomers and I’m headed for an ice pack.
Perfect pitch powder skiing still drives me, looking at being able to spend more time in snowier places not in New England once I get the new kit installed and ready to roll.
Heading up for my half dozen groomers in about an hour, the older I get the better I was.
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Used to be a legend, then I discovered, most real legends are dead.Quote:
Heading up for my half dozen groomers in about an hour, the older I get the better I was.
Well, I am sixty six years old. I do not really think my skiing has changed much. I skied Park City for over two weeks in January. I skied mostly bell to bell. I hit sixty six point three MPH on my birthday. I also got first tracks on a couple of bowls when they opened up. I do not ski long after they get tracked up, but I never did. I do spend more time worrying about injury, but so far I have been lucky. Moderate depression has plagued me my entire life. Now that my kids are grown and I am financially more secure, the lack of stress makes things much more manageable. I am still working and that helps keep my mind from spinning. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Having a dog helps, as well.
At 50 I’m battling “runners knee” in my left knee and have been doing PT for it. It hasn’t helped enough to make me really confident in strong turns on really steep or really tight treed terrain, and that’s been a bummer. I just don’t trust my right turns, since I’ll get pain in the middle of the turn. Advil sometimes helps for 4 hours. I’m not sure if I should just bite the bullet and get a shot?
Anyway, I do treasure everyday out there and hope I can keep this up until at least 70. It’s too much of my life to stop skiing in this decade of life. That depresses me greatly.
I did hit a tree while I was out west, So maybe my judgment is failing!
Ski J
Glad to hear you’re hanging in there. Gratitude is not always easy but it’s clear you’re facing these challenges with grace.
Hope some sliding on snow is in your future sooner or later.
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I have not been around much, I guess I got too busy being retired, but I will throw a few cents worth in here. If one starts feeling sorry for themselves, move to a community and have it burned down. Lose everything you own and learn a wonderful new perspective. As many of you know, my wife and I lost everything in 2017 in a California wildfire...(it's deja vu all over again). When you just lost everything, it gives one such a wonderful and clear perspective of what is important. It is people, pets, and what you enjoy in this world. Fortunately, all our pets were safe, and so many people around us were so wonderful that it reinforced my love for humanity. Everybody in our community can together and helped each other. Sure there was the odd report of looters and others trying to take some advantage, but they were .01%, if that, while the ones reaching out to help were 99.99%. Even around here, where we bust each other's chops on the regular, you guys really came through with love and support. A special shout out to Ski J, thanks Mang we are still sliding on all that gear. On the day of the fire, my wife and I sat in the local McD's parking lot try to see if our house was gone or not. We finally left after dark, still not knowing if we had a home. As I was driving out of the lot a homeless woman was sitting on the curb with the usual sort of cardboard sign, so while I had potentially nothing, I slipped her a $20, which put such a huge smile on her face since she knew she would eat for a few days, or for the more skeptical, drugs for a few days. Neither of us had anything, and yet we were both happy. My wife and I bounded back, rebuilt a beautiful house, are now both retired and traveling more, and spending time with our first grandchild. So, while life can be a pain in the ass, it is still wonderful. I am getting a bit long in the tooth at 67, and am slower on the skin track, but I still enjoy being in the mountains, or running with my dogs on the beach. Our kids don't "need" us, but we still are a wonderfully family even we live long distances apart (at least one moved back to California and is only 4 hours away instead of in Maryland). It is my family and friends, as well as our pets, plus just getting out into this beautiful, if at times fucked world that makes getting out of bed each such a joy. People matter, even those you have never met. People are a source for a $20, or a pair of skis, when you have nothing else. Pets love you unconditionally, and at least for me, being in nature has always been at my core. I have enjoyed so many great days on the snow with so many here, and hope I will meet and ski with many more. There will be a time, hopefully not for awhile yet, that I will be using a drool bucket and living in Depends, and all I will have is memories, but what fucking great memories. So, get out there, make some memories, a drop a $20 occasionally. You won't regret it.</p>
Well said Hutash. Cheers
When I talk to the bartender at the craft brew she tells me her dad is 1 year older than me and he is in full care at the Bulkley Lodge and so you never know what life will deal you also i have 3 buds who are quads so there is someone who has it worse than you.
In any case I always laugh when i see the 50 on this thread becuz for me it was awesume good health/ no job/ people send money/ ski 75-100 days a year/ really get hard into ski touring/ bike/ paddle/ drink beer repeat.
Then at 63 blown ACL so I had to take a year off and also Covid changed EVERYTHING even tho I really had no $$$$$$$ hardships, I almost gave up skiing twice, I had to take a year off for surgey, the knee took 4 yrs to come back and i have to keep at it or backslide
Blow a knee at 63 and its tough to come back, when i badge in at the gym it sez 252 visits so I'm still at it but I don't feel the same, so I am willing to admit shit has changed but I am not too tired to continue
Hutash, I was thinking of your home last month during the LA fires and wondered how you were doing. Glad it’s good
Me too.Quote:
Originally Posted by mcski
Thanks.
Thanks, all is well, for us at least. My cousin was evacuated for days, and was just a few blocks from it, but all is well there. I talked to several people who lost homes and helped talk them through what to expect and how things work with insurance, city and state bullshit, and how to deal with the loss and such.
While there is always a little PTSD with any new fire, we have dealt with it in a healthy manner, so we try and help others going through it now. Like I said, it is all about people helping people. We are social monkeys, so when we are at our worst, that is when we need others the most.
Hutash -long time mag in the Kitty thread is looking for vet tips for a 14yo with sinus issues - if you have any helpful advice
A Hutash sighting. That can only be good.
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Good to ski you are doing well, add another to the list as to wondering how you were doing.
x5, good to see you here and well, hutash.
thanks for posting up hutash glad thigs are good. now stick around.
but mix in some paragraph breaks, yeesh Or did the forum mash it all together?
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Agree with Hutash. Although not nearly as drastic, going through the flooding of our house has provided a ton of perspective. House flooded on Sept 26th, construction should start sometime in March. We have been living here since it happened, since we didn't lose furniture, appliances, etc., just floors and 2 ft of walls. I bought a Snowbird pass for me and my daughter on Sept 24th (I think the cutoff was Sept 25th). 2 days later we flooded. What great timing. I went out for 5 days a few weeks ago, and heading back for 6 days in March. I am so glad I pulled the trigger. If I had been able to wait, I probably would have done the "smart" thing and not have spent the cash. Skiing is my happy place, and those 5 days with friends were much needed. I surprised the hell out of myself and went bell to bell several days, logging about 130,000 ft of vert in 5 days. I felt 25 again. I guess hauling half your house to a dump site for months is good training. Finding your happy place at 51 can be tough. I always have a project, whether wrenching on my Jeep, restoring my daughter's Bronco, learning body work and auto paint, or fixing our busted ass house, I am always busy. Finding others to do that stuff with is the challenge. With skiing, I have peers. With many other things I am alone. I am still not sure which I prefer.</p>
Hutash - FKNA!
And warthog too.
Hey, good to see hutash posting and it is a thoughtful, insightful and well written post as usual. So going to chime into the old fuck trying to still get at it conversation. I am due (may be a bit overdue) for 2 knee replacements but my knee guy said go hard, get strong and bike, ski, tour as much as possible so you are strong when it comes time for surgery. The next big tweak or catastrophic crash/knee injury means the knife. I am taking it to heart and had a pretty good biking season, hitting the gym fairly regularly and I am at ski day 52 now and going for 100. Skiing a fair bit with the dog too, shes probably got 40 days in so that means at least 40 of those ski days have 1200 - 2500ft vert as well. But man, it is tougher than when I was 40 for sure. Stretching and whirlpool hot tub, sauna are pretty key. Finding new things hurting as well like hip flexor or hip (something is not great), but I am plugging at it just the same. This year I am feeling ripping down powder double blacks at mach chicken with air time and GS turns are a thing of the past. I am having fun switching it up and hard boot boarding and telemarking the odd day. This is keeping it interesting, using different muscles, and possibly helping keep the 100 day goal attainable (hopefully). One can only try. edit to add I turned 64 in Dec.
Getting older is no joke, you’re gonna lose people, medical challenges etc. I’ve felt the same way, not much I care about anymore. You learn what you are, and are not, and settle in. Not much I haven’t seen or done, luckier than most.
I was on a chair once, with a 90 yr old. I complimented him, and ask him how the fuck he was up here? He laughed, said he wouldn’t trade places with me, that when he was my age, he could only use 1/2 is brain, and now he doesn’t worry about the shit I do.
Some truth to that.
Thank you, magg.s -
there is wisdom in yesterday's posts, Thank you. !
And it's really Nice to see hutash back it these pages !
skiJ
Gonna be Sixty next month. Flat light days can go fuck themselves! Seriously it’s gotta be just right for me to deal with the Alpine hill these days. Nordic is my new jam! Y’all want a challenging and demanding but seriously rewarding day on skis? Get on some modern skate gear and go rip it at the local Nordic center. Oh and for the single fellas, Nordic chicks are smoking hot.
"Why are you watching Women's cross country skiing on TV?""
I dunno, I just am. I"m not rally watching, it's just on."
What I really wanted to say, "I mean, just look at those asses and thighs, the paper towels are to wipe the drool, these are some of the most amazing women I have ever seen. Thank god for skin suits. Thank god for those legs. If anyone of them wanted to squeeze my head with those thighs I'm game."
And then consider biathlon. Hot women WITH GUNS!
I turned 50 this year and am loving all the feedback/advice from those of you who have passed this way before me. I think my goal at 50 may be to do what some of you guys are doing in your mid-60s and above. Thanks for the inspiration!
Hutash!
I am 53, not a veterinarian, and my house hasn't yet burned down. In honor of the return of the great Hutash, here is a random picture of my dog who helps me through every day.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...b4183cc3ec.jpg
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Why stop doing things you like, that aren’t self-damaging or bother other people?
plug-, physical limitations and the potential for self-damage become real factors -
The day I tried to ski in the 2020 season was Painful ( a degenerative spinal injury that goes back decades and was not properly diagnosed ). and then
in 2022, without a fracture, I broke my neck three degenerative vertebrae, and two degenerative discs. I did rehab. and PT for two years )
pain is always there -
damage Has been done -
it's important I not cause damage to others trying to ski like I did when I was fifty (50)
( no Risk, but Strong and sometimes fast )
My response to your post is
Know your own limits
( I am still figuring-out what mine are )
roll on, plug- !
skiJ
I raced X-C in highschool. It is the best full body workout next to swimming and rowing, I think. The scenery in swimming blows (in the pool at least). Rowing, you just see the same section of river. X-C you get nature, hot ass, and the vision of blood as your eyes blur and you pass out due to hypoxia. Watching X-C with my wife once and she asked why they all collapse at the end. I mean, being olympic athletes I guess I saw her point. I just told her that X-C was the one sport that mid race I might have opted to ski off a cliff and end it all instead of finish. Man it was fun though. Plus, spinning a 360 on skate skis is just way easier.
I'll bet XC skiing is actually better than swimming. It's very easy to more or less float your legs in swimming.
I was so close to being capable of putting on some classic gear and shuffling around and then I had a setback. My PT thinks I should try it soon just for the stretching motion if we still have snow next week. The aqua fitness workouts tgat I do at the pool always have a portion where we do several variations on a XC movement in the water, with and without devices for added resistance. I doesn't help watching my wife disappear in the distance when I drop her off at the neighborhood trail.
What happened? I must have missed something...Quote:
Originally Posted by riser4
Underwater cross country skiing sounds hardcore.
it's a big step up from underwater basket weaving.
According to the TGR intelligentsia going nordic= going ghey not that theres anything wrong with it
my pops is up for a TKR on his right knee in July, he’s 68 and still fairly active, we went skiing last weekend and he’s slowed down a bunch over the past few years but still gets after it on the groomers
I have stressed the importance of pre-hab and being fit ahead of time but he seems to think he will just be fine getting the operation and doing PT afterwards. He’s gained weight in recent years and doesn’t make the healthiest choices - do you guys have any advice on how to get him in gear prior to the surgery so that he can come back solid afterwards? He’s kinda stubborn so I just wanna be tactful about my approach, He’s said he wants to ski til at least 75 and I’d love to keep getting out there with him