Gaper vs. Gorbie???

[robnow]

All this Gaper talk recently made me finally post up on this subject.

Growing up ski racing in Alberta we always used the word "Gorbie" to describe Gaper skiers. And it really wasn't until a few years ago that I finally started realizing people using the term Gaper.

Is Gorbie something we've only been using in Western Canada? In Alberta? Did "Gaper" replace "Gorbie" at some point in history and we we're just slow? Don't tell me we are the only ones. Anyone else?

Other terms:
"Gorbie Gap" - The gap left when goggles are pulled down too low over your nose and the touque too high revealing your big shiny forehead.
"Squid" - Gorbies that "schoosz"(sp) feet together and let their arms fly after they pole-plant in a strangely stylish way.
I'll add too for Gaper day, we called it "Saskatchewan Days" - dress like your favorite hillbilly Gorbie from Saskatchewan

[PNW Skier]

I'm not sure where gaper came from. It was/is the term I've used most often to describe the general retardation here at whistler. But recently my roomate tried to correct me telling me that gorby is the actual term which is an acronym for Geek on Rental Board.

[powder_prophet]

I prefer the term Beater to either of the above.

[GoEhuge]

^^^As do I.

[MOHSHSIHd]

Yeah, I generally use the term beater as well.

[Lone Star]

in Colorado, I hear "gaper." in Utah I hear "beater."

[powder_prophet]

^^^ True, I never really heard Beater until I lived in Utah. Growing up in Wyoming, they weren't gapers, gorbies, or beaters. They were Nebraskans.

[Diamond Joe]

hmmm... working at a mountain, weve always used the acronym "spore". Stupid People On Rental Equipment.

[L7]

Gaper = gorbie for a new generation is how I see it. I was thinking about it myself reading the gaper day, Vail thread.

Best point in that thread is that the folks most inclined to ridicule gapers/gorbies are the ones that are only half a step away from gaperdom/gobiedom themselves. Otherwise you just go out and do what you love to do at the level you do it and let others do the same. All the while realizing those ones being ridiculed are footing a lot of the bill that make it possible to do what you love.

I had that basic message drilled into me driving cat at lake louise in the early 80s. Doesn't really matter who buys the ticket it paid my wage to drive the cat at night so I could ski on the gear I could afford all day. Don't know why anyone would ridicule people who do that for you.

[strode420]

they were always just Tourists or Texans when i was growing up

but i've grown fond of the term gaper.

[Lone Star]

the folks most inclined to ridicule gapers/gorbies themselves are the ones that are only half a step away from gaperdom/gobiedom themselves.
.................
Don't know why anyone would ridicule people who do that for you.

There's definitely a handful of assholes who hate on beaters and you wonder why they don't up and move away from a tourist destination. however, I think most of the "gaper day" type celebrations are in good fun and don't have any mean spirit associated with them.

[Zaeius]

Out east we used to call them yetis.

[iscariot]

punters.

[Gripen]

When I was young in NM we called them Texans... as in the Texas Tuck, poles straight up in the air.

[MOHSHSIHd]

There's definitely a handful of assholes who hate on beaters and you wonder why they don't up and move away from a tourist destination. however, I think most of the "gaper day" type celebrations are in good fun and don't have any mean spirit associated with them.

Exactly.

If you really hate beaters/gapers you are an idiot. Anyone who has ever worked at a resort understands how vital it is that tourists come to town for a week and spend a shitload of money.

[cuseo]

Gaper On Rental Boards

.ps. Hating on anybody is bad business. Honestly, who can afford even a shred of bad karma out there on the mean ol' slopes?

[leroy jenkins]

Exactly.

If you really hate beaters/gapers you are an idiot. Anyone who has ever worked at a resort understands how vital it is that tourists come to town for a week and spend a shitload of money.

I don't hate on anyone, but if I see someone doing something stupid (like snowboarders sideslipping down stuff on powder days) you can bet I'll heckle the shit out of them.

I don't heckle people for not being a badass skier or for being a tourist, just for being retards, and I don't get pissed off, I just figure someone should say something.

I love the tourists in aspen though, most of em spend a ton of money and spend all their time in the lodge. Can't beat tons of empty high speed lifts paid for by people that barely use em.

[Nuthon]

I always liked touron = tourist + moron

[butterscotch]

I heard "Otan" used to today to refer to MinnesOTANs and North and South DakOTANs. Interesting, but I've always loved "beater". Too bad no one at Bridger says it.

[powder11]

"Joey" is one used in southern VT. As in "Yo Joey... check me out, I'm awesome on skis!" usually exclaimed by some asshole from the tri-state area who is probably going to steal something from someone else before his bus trip back to whatever shit hole he came from.

[Chronic]

I always liked the term SPORE (stupid people on rental equipment). But as long as they're having fun, more power to 'em.

[Art Shirk]

As far as I am concerned, beaters generally blow at skiing. Gapers usually blow at skiing and either (a) overcompensate with gear that is expensive and unnecessary, or (b) unknowingly undercompensate with gear from the set of Hot Dog. I am a beater, I am not necessarily a gaper.

[Mofro261]

I remember term gaper from my earliest ski racing days, going back to the late 70's/early 80's and it referred to a gaping stance-someone who skis with their feet at least 18" apart, bent over at the waist and with their hands below and behind your knees. Jeans and starter jackets. This is usually the guy way out of control on the green run. Beater (to me) has always been a more general term that's not necessarily skiing specific but covers those lacking skills and likely to take a "beater".

[lax]

gaper comes from the park from my parts, as in retards gathering on jump takeoffs/landings/knuckles and gaping at the people that actually hit the feature.

people at alfs this year claimed that alf engen created the term beater. beater is sweet cause it translates to beaters "beatering around," which kind of sounds like beating off. beaters beatering around in pow is usually pretty funny cause they usually proceed to complain about the conditions.

[gramboh]

We used gorbie as well (racing in Alberta). Touron is another I've heard, I hadn't heard of gaper until the TGR boards.