h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

As always, having you read my article fills me with joy. Why not post a comment or two and make me even more joyful?

You've done it again!!!

I'm *still* laughing (Chairlift Olympics!!!). Not only that, but the information you provide is really, really helpful.

And a big *shudder* in rememberance of having to go through that painstaking process. Chairlifting really should be included in the awards process of the sport - oh, the humanity!

Great article - consider me a fan

You know, after reading this I have to wonder how in hell I ever learned to ride a chairlift. I mean, I'm not particularly coordinated at all. Although I also manage to ski down hills, too, so something must work at least sometimes. Great article, hilarious yet totally instructional.

Thanks guys! It's about time I wrote something that is useful to the larger community

Notice, though, Frinkulious, that what you have provoked so far is nostalgia - you've yet to test the true instructional value of your writing! The article is, nonetheless, very funny, and would probably be something I would have liked to have seen before learning how to ride chairlifts.

Unfortunately, though, at the time when I learned I was a little young to take such things appropriately, and this article may well have frightened me so much I would have screwed it up with knowledge aforethought! As it was, I just blundered along and got it by watching others. I think the only time I have ever fallen while trying to get on to a chairlift was when another person fell into me - which made a great mess for the following skiers to laugh at, but which didn't really dent my self-confidence at all.

Are you going to submit this?

Hmmmmmm......I guess people who try to apply this article might think too much about it and have a little trouble.....but even if I cause injuries to hundreds of first-time skiers, if I help just one person, I've done my job.

Right?

Funny you should ask about submitting. As I was working on this, I posted a question about adding this to the new guide entry on skiing. But as the article got longer and more involved I decided it would work better separately (and I never received an answer), so I submitted it.

I received a suggestion elsewhere that I should add a short paragraph describing chairlifts in generic terms, for those who do not know what a chairlift is or have never seen one. I'm hesitating - I don't know if it is necessary. What do you guys think?

Whilst riding the chair is the drinking of 'hot toddies' allowed?

Nice article TV's Frink. I usually only make it as far as the bar on my rare visits to the ski fields. I obviously should pay more attention to the fun to be had at the chairlifts.

I suspect it's probably a good idea to add the description - distinguishing it from a T-bar is very important, particularly to those who have no idea what either is...!

Thanks L&PP! Remind me to pop over to your page again soon and check out some of your stuff

Excellent stuff TVF!

I've always imagined being run over at the top of the lift to be the most dangerous part. I carefully plan my life to avoid the possibility of being flattened into the top of a ski slope (Though I did have to fight it out with a musk rat on a cross-country trail once).

JTG

Hey JTG!

I cordially disagree here, but that's only because I have made a few mistakes that I can recall. The most dangerous part to my mind - having done it a lot in the 80s - was always the mount, rather than the dismount.

I've broken (as in snapped) at least one stock, by running over the pole in hand because I was paying insufficent attention to what I was doing while looking backwards at the chair while attempting to sit on it!

The lift attendants very kindly sent the leftover bit of the pole up the lift with the next chair - the occupants of which were trying very hard not to laugh TOO much! I got some good practice in learning how to ski without poles while I was waiting for the inspiration to go and beg a spare from the on-field hire shop, too...

I'd say I've seen more "incidents" occur at the bottom than the top. I guess that's because you can throw yourself off the chair even if you can't ski, but it is awful tough to throw yourself onto the chair.

However, you can get some serious pileups at the top. Especially when two people try to get off in different directions and run each other over, and then the next people off the chair are beginners and can't do anything but plow into the first group.....

ROFLOL! I am impressed! I mostly cross-country ski myself, but I *have* experienced the ol' chair lift in the back.

Thanks Gw7en! One question: I know what LOL means, but what about the ROF part?

I believe it's Rolling On (the) Floor? Then again I'm from PWAGAW - People Who Always Get Acronyms Wrong...

Kate

ROFLOL = Rolling on floor, laughing out loud

APWSTMTO = A person who spends too much time online

Funny, I thought APWSTMTO = TV's Frink

Excellent article, my GF had an encounter with a lift last tinme we went Skiing. She wasn't looking properly (and we had rushed to get onto this chair) and she was basically tipped off the Chair into a large puddle of Melted Snow, and almost hit on the head by the chair, needless to say she didn't think this was at all funny, at least until we'd had a couple of GluhWeins at the end of the day.

BTW I've linked to your entry from my Guide entry in progress, pop by and let me know what you think.

Cheers.

Thanks argon0