When the Idle Skier first set boots into bindings, skis were taller than the person using them by some distance. On school trips, when being given our skis, we held our hand as high as possible above the head and we were given planks that reached our finger tips.
As with everything, things change and now my skis reach about eye brow height. Now and again though, it seems that times have not really moved on at all. Tonight, when the Idle Skiers dropped into the pub, the rack outside held a pair of 210cm skis, long, narrow and ready to race.
Tomorrow is the Inferno, over in Murren. The best part of 1,600 skiers will head to Lauterbrunnen from the Schilthorn. The race is being run over the full course in the first time in a while and even for the fastest skiers, it is nearly 15 minutes from start to finish. There will be a few people sleeping lightly tonight.
Here in Wengen , it was another wonderfully sunny, very cold day. The cable car was busy, but people were soon lost on the hill.
I mentioned the other day the need for new ski boots. The need became urgent today when the linings of my old boots gave up the ghost. Tomorrow, I try a new pair for the first time in nine years. Here’s hoping.
A sunny, cold day, interrupted slightly by a visit to the boot fitter, brought 8,496 vertical metres in 18 lift rides and 45 kilometres travelled.
Idle thoughts from a mountain 