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Why do we ski?

Carl Kuck

Ambassador of Stoke
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Del Mar
I saw the following on Facebook and thought I would share it here. If this has already been posted somewhere, let me know and we can scrap this thread.

So, why do we ski? This really resonated with me, and also reminded me of my surfing days...

why_do_we_ski.jpg
 

SSSdave

life is short precious ...don't waste it
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One might also claim, all our perceptual senses cannot be fully effectively be described with words. A more basic mystery bearing on that is what is awareness?

How does one describe the feeling of putting one's hand in warm water versus cold water? Well it's an brain internalized neurological electromagnetic DNA organic Earth animal creature brain wave perceptual phenomenon of moment to moment awareness feelings that allows animals to sense differentially a narrow range of liquid water temperatures with special sense cells plus sensations of wetness and pressure on skin. We might say the same thing for an octopus but because of the enormous difference in evolutionary paths over hundreds of millions of years, we have no way to convey or understand what either creature phenomenonally experiences that could be vastly different... alien.

With skiing what we can do as intelligent entities with vocal language communication, is describe sensations by using similar familiar human experiences involving body motion and mechanics. For example, the feeling of bouncing on a trampoline could be used to describe part of that internal experience.
 
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Tom K.

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THE TURN!!!

Every single sport that I truly love is focussed on the turn (alpine skiing, mtb and high-wind windsurfing).

Secondary: Not being a pilot of anything, I at least think I ski because it is the closest I can come to flying without leaving the ground (much).
 

Ogg

Skiing the powder
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"There are no scores or points to skiing"

Very true, but then some of us dumbasses have to screw things up by making it a competition of one sort or another.
I think even amongst a lot of recreational skiers there is an element of casual competition in their social groups.
 

JSel21

Booting up
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Agree on the turn! The feeling of building up g's in a corner is so addicting. Closest thing to driving a race car.

Constantly chasing little improvements is so satisfying as well. The social aspect is great too. Chatting on the lift, in line or relaxing in the lodge.

I imagine it's similar to how others view golf, but with way less frustration and chucking equipment!
 

Tony Storaro

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Chatting on the lift, in line.


Awww man, no! This is the last reason why we ski. Chatty stranger on the lift for me is as bad as a snowboarder. Perhaps even worse as a snowboarder crashes into you and it is all over in a minute or two whereas the chatty stranger can torment you for half an hour sometimes. :ogbiggrin: :ogbiggrin:
 

SSSdave

life is short precious ...don't waste it
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Another related interesting facet of the article's questions would be, "How does one explain to a snow skier, like many that just ski in The East infrequently, why fresh light cold dry powder skiing, is at a whole higher level of potential visceral enjoyment.
 

Jim Kenney

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For health/safety/personal reasons I didn't start skiing this winter until Feb 19. That's by far my latest start in 50+ consecutive years. It was depressing. I felt the FOMO thing for real.
Skiing is a gift, and you appreciate it even more when you've been subjected to some delayed gratification.
 

Tominator

Totally in the present
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Can't argue with the sublime feeling of the G-Force in an arc. But for me, it's the mental aspect of being totally focused on the moment - being completely in the present. When I'm skiing, all I'm thinking about is the transition from the turn I'm in to the turn I'm about to make. Nothing else is clouding my mind.
 

crgildart

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To prove I'm better at it than you :P

Really though, something fun to do with good friends and other new friends you just met out on the lift..

Also some good solo time soul searching doing the closest thing there is to flying.
 

JSel21

Booting up
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Awww man, no! This is the last reason why we ski. Chatty stranger on the lift for me is as bad as a snowboarder. Perhaps even worse as a snowboarder crashes into you and it is all over in a minute or two whereas the chatty stranger can torment you for half an hour sometimes. :ogbiggrin: :ogbiggrin:

Oh man I should have clarified- not strangers, friends!
 

Truberski

Getting off the lift
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Jul 23, 2019
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Vermont
Not as frequent in my current locale but skiing deep powder is one of life’s best sensations. Silence, weightlessness, and vertigo......
 

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