It's not a Happy New Year for any of us as 7 of us, yes 7 are crammed into the car with all out luggage. Catherine and Zac couldn;t get alternative flights so we're all heading home together.
Finally turn suicidal as we board the boat at 4pm and Mark text's to say "it is snowing in Les Gets". I can gloss it over or make no mention of it but I declare to everyone "I wish I was dead".
Xmas Skiing Holiday 2006, so eagerly anticipated, was well and truly over.
Wednesday 31 January 2007
New Year's Eve 31/12/06
No one's skiing. All books read. Everyone's sick of walks, video games and books.
Time to call a family meeting; 100% agreement we're off in the morning 6 days early.
Time to call a family meeting; 100% agreement we're off in the morning 6 days early.
Sat 30/12/06
This is crap.........................no-one's skiing. There is nothing to ski on and it appears most of Europe is suffering.
Fri 29/12/06
Snow is absolutley SHOCKING and conditions continue to worsen.
Take Chesc and Francis for a local ski and we come down a closed route. Begin to understand why it's closed for use halfway down as we have to resort to hopping and jumping to make our way down until we come to an unpassable 6ft, and 6ft wide gully/mud hole. Am trying to suss out how to cross it and WHOOOSH, Francis hurtles by singing "I'm a living legend" as he just gets enough of the lip to launch up upwards and over.
I'm going home - this is soul-destroying (and base-destroying. Bartletts are gonna be busy when we get home)
Take Chesc and Francis for a local ski and we come down a closed route. Begin to understand why it's closed for use halfway down as we have to resort to hopping and jumping to make our way down until we come to an unpassable 6ft, and 6ft wide gully/mud hole. Am trying to suss out how to cross it and WHOOOSH, Francis hurtles by singing "I'm a living legend" as he just gets enough of the lip to launch up upwards and over.
I'm going home - this is soul-destroying (and base-destroying. Bartletts are gonna be busy when we get home)
Thur 28/12/06
"Jay; this is the last day cos conditions are so bad and we're down to just one - don't let anything go wrong". Give Jay his due as I thought he'd just call it and refuse to do anymore skiing with any of my kids. To play safe I stay at the park. But Francis doesn't really enjoy it without his bro or sis and I also think he's pretty nervous......................
So a quiet morning and injury free.
So a quiet morning and injury free.
Wed 27/12/06
Meet Jay for another morning session but now down to two; Ell and Francis. Myself, Jo, Chesc, Zac and Catherine drive all the way up there this time and unload them straight to the park and Jay and Jo stays to watch while the rest of us go for a coffee and a walk. Conditions so shite its not even worth trying to ski.
Ellie and Francis enjoy the rail session and as we pick them up Jo and Jay mention Ellie "had a slight fall onto her hand". Oh bloody no! She can't make up her mind if its broken or not and for once I can't "parent-diagnose" as all previous five times I've correctly called her broken arms.
Back to Les Gets and its obviously bothering her so Les Gets medical centre..................."I can't tell if it's broken or not, even with an x-ray". After bigging them up for so long the medical centre's let me down!! Thinks at best she's bruised the cartilage so another day, another one down.
Catherine is not smiling on our return.
Can't resist the opportunity to text Jay to tell him he's a jinx - he's drowning a pint asking himself "why. why. oh why me?"
Ellie and Francis enjoy the rail session and as we pick them up Jo and Jay mention Ellie "had a slight fall onto her hand". Oh bloody no! She can't make up her mind if its broken or not and for once I can't "parent-diagnose" as all previous five times I've correctly called her broken arms.
Back to Les Gets and its obviously bothering her so Les Gets medical centre..................."I can't tell if it's broken or not, even with an x-ray". After bigging them up for so long the medical centre's let me down!! Thinks at best she's bruised the cartilage so another day, another one down.
Catherine is not smiling on our return.
Can't resist the opportunity to text Jay to tell him he's a jinx - he's drowning a pint asking himself "why. why. oh why me?"
Boxing Day 26/12/06
Off we go to Avoriaz to meet Jay of Amplid who's doing a season in Morzine. He's gonna do a three hour session with the kids in the park - Josh, Ellie and Francis. Oh hell, didn't buy lift pass in Les Gets or Morzine; figured we'd get it there so drove halfway there to join the lifts up to Avoriaz from Morzine thru Super Morzine................except there's no bloody pass office there. Park up anyway and blag our way onto the down gondola back to Morzine to lift pass office texting Jay on-route. He's chilled as he's late anyway!
Finally get there an hour late and meet up with Jay and between them all they decide to session the rails for a couple of hours after starting on a small kicker. The park is tiny as still so little snow and what's there is pretty hard-packed and unforgiving so here's hoping! Jay tries to persuade me but no chance - too fat and too old.
Josh settled in pretty quickly to some tidy-ish 3's and 5's and then Ellie started on her 1's 3's; tip-top as I thought she'd bottle it. Finally Francis popped some very neat 1's and all seemed fine.
Out of nowhere appeared the legend that is Ludo and his boy Lon - they were staying somewhere lower down in Le Grand Bornard and were travelling all the resorts to try and find some snow. Ludo is an absolute legend; born before God created man and just epitomises skiing and riding and what it's all about. No airs, no graces, no waffle, no bull. Straps his skis on and gets out there and puts many a freestyler to shame.
Anyway we swan off for a coffee as Lon joins my three (on his board but that's okay cos he can actually board) and after an hour, 2nd coffee and fourth ciggie Jay bells me "where are you?". Just having a long coffee, any probs say I and Jay; "well not really, Josh taken a little tumble and doesn't want to ski anymore:". Oh ok I think and say we'll be back in 10 - which after another chat and ciggie becomes 30mins! Josh is lain prone on the floor, clutching his shoulder with tears in his eyes - he's hurt. My boy doesn't go down on snow unless there's a problem. He's done a (lovely by all accounts) 540 and as he skied out caught his skis on some rocks and earth coming through. Call a first aider in and we troop off to the medical centre in the centre of Avoriaz. I have to jump on the skidoo as Josh is in a tow-along-stretcher and apparently look like Gareth from The Office as he was taken off by the swinging couple after the staff night out. Lucky Mark, Caroline & co were skiing by so they took Ellie and Francis off for lunch - less we say about Francis then tumbling headfirst down the restaurant steps the better??
Medical centre's in ski resorts are ace. Full Stop. In you go, assessed within 10 mins and if you're proper knackered they ship you on elsewhere, if they can deal they deal. Even so it was proper packed; I guess a combination of crap snow which was, in the main, hard packed ice and too few runs so lots of collisions. What's even better about the medical centres there is they assess first and use x-rays afterwards to confirm. "He has broken his shoulder" said the Doc, 10 mins later he was x-rayed and it was confirmed. Proper body harness and no ski for 4-6 weeks so Josh's holday over elsewhere. If that had been a hospital back in the UK i bet I would have been 5-6 hours. And Thank the Good Lord I paid extra premuim on holiday insurance for no excess. Text Jay the news to rub it in; he was feeling guilty as it was!!!! Get snow sleigh cab to edge of resort, meet Mark & co to look after Josh and me, Ellie and Francis hit the trail back to the car which we will have to drive all the way up to collect Jo and his kit.
Pistes are knackered and worn out and the one official line down has a 20 metre walking mud patch to stumble over (had spotted it from the chair on the way up) so bo**ocks to that. We were off-pisting it down. I was quickly assigned to "back-marker" duties as Ellie and Francis skied, skipped and jumped beautifully down the fields with the occasional patch of snow. There is no doubt about it - they are all such smooth confident skiers and now leave me behind.
Finally made it to the car five full mins after them absolutley exhausted and covered in sweat while they nonchantly asked where I'd been? Back to pick up Josh and face the wrath of a beautiful, beautiful, sexy and wonderful wife - not a happy woman at "yet another bloody skiing injury".
Xmas Day 25/12/06
Snow remains shocking, still no snow on the forecast............
Went for a gentle family ski for a couple of hours but what's the point - it's packed, its a nightmare.
Mark & co over for Xmas lunch of mexican chicken - ace!!
Went for a gentle family ski for a couple of hours but what's the point - it's packed, its a nightmare.
Mark & co over for Xmas lunch of mexican chicken - ace!!
Sun 24/12/06
Picked up Cath and Zac late last night from Geneva and as usual a Swiss policeman threatened to shoot me for parking in the bus bays for five mins. What is their problem; they give it large with their guns but where were they 14-18 or 39-45?? Also why the hell do I have to park in short stay, go and buy something from a shop to get swiss money to get out of the car park and then be left with totally useless swiss currency which I always end up throwing away at the end of the holiday!!
Woke up this morning and I'm officially well depressed. NO snow in Les Gets, four or five poxy runs open and already packed and NO snow on even seven day forecasts!!
Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit. So its gonna be a walking holiday!!
Woke up this morning and I'm officially well depressed. NO snow in Les Gets, four or five poxy runs open and already packed and NO snow on even seven day forecasts!!
Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit. So its gonna be a walking holiday!!
Sat 23/12/06
Meeting up with Mark, Cazza, Clare, Joey-lad and Graham at Avoriaz. They are late despite promising they wouldn't be and we wait around for over an hour at the bottom of les linderettes gondola...............
Hope the snow up there is good as it looks shite in Les Gets and down here at the bottom I'm thinking?
Arrive and a full day of skiing but snow is worst we've seen for 7-8 years; naff-all and only Avoriaz is open - can't ski out to any other resorts or do a circuit as Mark's saying none of the link-in villages have any snow at all. Slopes crowded, losers and no-marks and incompetents everywhere - Christ it winds me up when the kids are at deaths door from idiots barely in control hurtling past them.
Lunch is crap and the restaurants's are choker but no one's got anywhere to go as skiing area so limited - still the toffs are out and can be overheard hooting and giggling like fools on their 2.5hr lunch breaks before heading down for their "R & R". Just go away - why do you bother coming?
What they are doing is a crime as it just pushes prices up as everyone knows the w**kers will pay yet it stops real skiers, boarders and riders from doing what they live for.................
Off home and I'm knackered at the days end. As usual I've done nothing; I'm still fat, still unfit and my thighs are screaming in pain. It's so bad I just bounce down the last run of the day.
Still the anti-dogma's are surprisingly better than I thought on the piste - put it this way they still had a bit of edge to cut into the hard pack unlike last years Seth's which were awesome in the pow and through the crud. But let's get real - Avoriaz or France is just not America or Canada where you get fresh powder every other day.
Hope the snow up there is good as it looks shite in Les Gets and down here at the bottom I'm thinking?
Arrive and a full day of skiing but snow is worst we've seen for 7-8 years; naff-all and only Avoriaz is open - can't ski out to any other resorts or do a circuit as Mark's saying none of the link-in villages have any snow at all. Slopes crowded, losers and no-marks and incompetents everywhere - Christ it winds me up when the kids are at deaths door from idiots barely in control hurtling past them.
Lunch is crap and the restaurants's are choker but no one's got anywhere to go as skiing area so limited - still the toffs are out and can be overheard hooting and giggling like fools on their 2.5hr lunch breaks before heading down for their "R & R". Just go away - why do you bother coming?
What they are doing is a crime as it just pushes prices up as everyone knows the w**kers will pay yet it stops real skiers, boarders and riders from doing what they live for.................
Off home and I'm knackered at the days end. As usual I've done nothing; I'm still fat, still unfit and my thighs are screaming in pain. It's so bad I just bounce down the last run of the day.
Still the anti-dogma's are surprisingly better than I thought on the piste - put it this way they still had a bit of edge to cut into the hard pack unlike last years Seth's which were awesome in the pow and through the crud. But let's get real - Avoriaz or France is just not America or Canada where you get fresh powder every other day.
22/12/06 Off we go - two weeks skiing
Head off at the normal 5am for 7am ferry - Chesc moaning as usual "why can't I fly with Mum" and me with the same answer as EVERY other time; "Mum's flying with Zac as I'm not having the lunatic in the car for 7-8 hours". Arrive 5ish, chalet freezing and no bloody water. Why am I paying 3-4k for this. Quick call to letting agents and someone pops up to turn the water and heating on "as we're the first guests of the season". Can't help feeling why didn't someone do such basics this morning or yesterday. Manage to also get some sheets and towels off them!
Tues 30/01/07
Francis is eight today(!!) and lying on the sofa doused up on painkillers and still in a little pain. But for the Grace of God it could have been far, far worse..............................
Am still in shock and neither me or Catherine want to discuss it.
Am still in shock and neither me or Catherine want to discuss it.
Mon 29/01/07 - NIGHTMARE
It's long and it's detailed but it needs to be to get the seriousness of what happened over.
Last night we went to our local Bracknell Ski slope with Ellie and Francis (Josh's bro and sis - Josh not skiing because of his shoulder injury) for their freestyle night. Everything as normal, wolf down some tea, cram in homework, grab skis, helmets, etc, etc. Out the door, oh damm, back inside for some drinks and a snack. Ready? Yes - lets go.
Drive manicly, but as usual 10-15 minutes late, rush in, pay (yes "pay'!!), get kitted up and off they go.
Evening ticking along nicely, chatting to others, chewing the cud and glance up with another Dad to see my son. Francis is straight lining and hurtling from the top of the slope to the biggest jump on the slope that night. "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh shit" says Dave next to me and I, almost in unison. A split second later he hits the jump, way over speed and leaning so far back he's almost on lying on the back of his skis. He launches and I mean proper launches vertically into the sky, easily 15ft high, and he's still lying way too far back. He lands with a thump literally straight onto his back and before he's stopped sliding I'm alongside him. Thank God he's conscious - his lid stopped him being knocked out or suffering a head injury but what about the rest of him? He's in absolute agony, he's knocked ALL the air out of his lungs and can't draw his breath. "OH MY GOD" I'm saying to myself again and again as I try to cradle him and stop him moving in case he's really, properly damaged himself. I can't speak I'm so scared, I can't see because I've got tears in my eyes because of the pain he's in. I gently feel his arms and legs and keep asking him "where does it hurt" but he still can't speak because he's got nothing in his lungs and because of the pain he's in. I feel his back and feel only his soft skin; "where's his ******** back protector" I'm saying to myself feeling even more guilty because I haven't checked him; he's only seven - it's my job - I've always insisted no protection = no ski but as usual I've relaxed over time. Why, why and why?
Alongside me comes a slope medical officer and I notice ALL the other freestylers are around us and have conned off the slope and again I'm touched how they all look out for one another. The medic guy interrupts me, he looks like a spotty teenager (and NO offence is meant to the poor lad) who's done a basic first aid course. He asks "do you want some ice". DO I WANT SOME CHUFFING ICE. Francis could have broken bones, ribs or damaged his internal organs or far worse and far more bloody frightening he could have a serious spinal injury. Jesus Wept! Ice??
I calm Francis down yet he's still got difficulty breathing but as best I can, I figure out he hasn't broken anything and it's safe to carry him down. He still can't breathe easily and he's still in pain. Even though it's his back he landed on can the force of it caused rib damage? Or does he have some internal bleeding? "Ellie get changed and lets run him up to the local minor injury A&E". Off we go and again I'm touched by the amount of people who rally round to help lift gear to the car or offer to take Ellie home, etc, etc. The minor injuries are ace; they quickly see he's in pain and struggling with his breathing so they give him an immediate assessment. Go to the main hospital is the advice and quickly; "he's in pain and there is some spinal tenderness". Have you ever been REALLY, REALLY frightened for your kids? I have, many times (with 5 its inevitable and I've had lots of sessions in lots of A&E's) but at that moment I thought my whole world was about to cave in.
Off to A&E at the delightful Wexham Park, Slough and his breathing and pain has eased. He's seen pretty quickly and the Doc is tip-top; young, kind, caring and very gentle with my son. After a battery of tests he's pronounced fine and Francis himself, although battered and bruised is also smiling. THANK GOD ALMIGHTY. As we're leaving I ask Ellie "did you have your protector on" and no prizes for guessing her answer.
The Doc sees us out but holds me back and quietly says to me; "with the height and speed you've explained and his landing position Francis is very, very lucky". He's done some skiing in his time and says to me "do you know, unofficially we (i.e. Docs!) reckon 90% or more of skiing back injuries can be avoided by wearing a correctly sized and fitted back protector". Sobering words indeed......................
Back to my old mantra "I can't pack and sort everything for you guys but if we arrive anywhere with no protection you don't ride. END OF STORY".
You could say and you would be entitled to say "what a crap Dad not checking his protection" and you would be right and you could also say "what a crap Dad letting his son on the slope on an unsupervised freestyle night with the big boys" and again you would be right. In my defence we go 2-3 times a week and I let my guard down over checking protection, and normally he's a brave lad but also cautious on the jumps. The reason I've written the above and I hope it is forwarded onto you (whether I know you or you know me is immaterial) is whether you are a rider yourself or the owner of a rider there should be NO IFS AND NO BUTS. Freestyle, freeski, park, whatever you want to call it. Don't ride without a lid and a back protector. None of the above is meant to frighten you or put you off - Skiing and boarding are a great sport and a brilliant lifestyle choice but don't risk ruining your chances of doing it.
Last night we went to our local Bracknell Ski slope with Ellie and Francis (Josh's bro and sis - Josh not skiing because of his shoulder injury) for their freestyle night. Everything as normal, wolf down some tea, cram in homework, grab skis, helmets, etc, etc. Out the door, oh damm, back inside for some drinks and a snack. Ready? Yes - lets go.
Drive manicly, but as usual 10-15 minutes late, rush in, pay (yes "pay'!!), get kitted up and off they go.
Evening ticking along nicely, chatting to others, chewing the cud and glance up with another Dad to see my son. Francis is straight lining and hurtling from the top of the slope to the biggest jump on the slope that night. "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh shit" says Dave next to me and I, almost in unison. A split second later he hits the jump, way over speed and leaning so far back he's almost on lying on the back of his skis. He launches and I mean proper launches vertically into the sky, easily 15ft high, and he's still lying way too far back. He lands with a thump literally straight onto his back and before he's stopped sliding I'm alongside him. Thank God he's conscious - his lid stopped him being knocked out or suffering a head injury but what about the rest of him? He's in absolute agony, he's knocked ALL the air out of his lungs and can't draw his breath. "OH MY GOD" I'm saying to myself again and again as I try to cradle him and stop him moving in case he's really, properly damaged himself. I can't speak I'm so scared, I can't see because I've got tears in my eyes because of the pain he's in. I gently feel his arms and legs and keep asking him "where does it hurt" but he still can't speak because he's got nothing in his lungs and because of the pain he's in. I feel his back and feel only his soft skin; "where's his ******** back protector" I'm saying to myself feeling even more guilty because I haven't checked him; he's only seven - it's my job - I've always insisted no protection = no ski but as usual I've relaxed over time. Why, why and why?
Alongside me comes a slope medical officer and I notice ALL the other freestylers are around us and have conned off the slope and again I'm touched how they all look out for one another. The medic guy interrupts me, he looks like a spotty teenager (and NO offence is meant to the poor lad) who's done a basic first aid course. He asks "do you want some ice". DO I WANT SOME CHUFFING ICE. Francis could have broken bones, ribs or damaged his internal organs or far worse and far more bloody frightening he could have a serious spinal injury. Jesus Wept! Ice??
I calm Francis down yet he's still got difficulty breathing but as best I can, I figure out he hasn't broken anything and it's safe to carry him down. He still can't breathe easily and he's still in pain. Even though it's his back he landed on can the force of it caused rib damage? Or does he have some internal bleeding? "Ellie get changed and lets run him up to the local minor injury A&E". Off we go and again I'm touched by the amount of people who rally round to help lift gear to the car or offer to take Ellie home, etc, etc. The minor injuries are ace; they quickly see he's in pain and struggling with his breathing so they give him an immediate assessment. Go to the main hospital is the advice and quickly; "he's in pain and there is some spinal tenderness". Have you ever been REALLY, REALLY frightened for your kids? I have, many times (with 5 its inevitable and I've had lots of sessions in lots of A&E's) but at that moment I thought my whole world was about to cave in.
Off to A&E at the delightful Wexham Park, Slough and his breathing and pain has eased. He's seen pretty quickly and the Doc is tip-top; young, kind, caring and very gentle with my son. After a battery of tests he's pronounced fine and Francis himself, although battered and bruised is also smiling. THANK GOD ALMIGHTY. As we're leaving I ask Ellie "did you have your protector on" and no prizes for guessing her answer.
The Doc sees us out but holds me back and quietly says to me; "with the height and speed you've explained and his landing position Francis is very, very lucky". He's done some skiing in his time and says to me "do you know, unofficially we (i.e. Docs!) reckon 90% or more of skiing back injuries can be avoided by wearing a correctly sized and fitted back protector". Sobering words indeed......................
Back to my old mantra "I can't pack and sort everything for you guys but if we arrive anywhere with no protection you don't ride. END OF STORY".
You could say and you would be entitled to say "what a crap Dad not checking his protection" and you would be right and you could also say "what a crap Dad letting his son on the slope on an unsupervised freestyle night with the big boys" and again you would be right. In my defence we go 2-3 times a week and I let my guard down over checking protection, and normally he's a brave lad but also cautious on the jumps. The reason I've written the above and I hope it is forwarded onto you (whether I know you or you know me is immaterial) is whether you are a rider yourself or the owner of a rider there should be NO IFS AND NO BUTS. Freestyle, freeski, park, whatever you want to call it. Don't ride without a lid and a back protector. None of the above is meant to frighten you or put you off - Skiing and boarding are a great sport and a brilliant lifestyle choice but don't risk ruining your chances of doing it.
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