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

And wishing I was back in the Alps.

It *was* rather an in-at-the-deep-end experience - after 4 hours of (group) lessons and a few hours practice in the UK before going, I spent 7 hours every day following my friends, who are all much better skiers than me. Still, that seems to be the traditional way for potholers to learn.

Just greens and blues (including much falling over on the latter) on the first day, with an easy wide red (Glacier) on the second. Getting better by the day, I had few falls on day 3. Days 4 and 5 were fall-free apart from the very end of an off-piste trip (Grande Motte -> Vez via the Tour de Pramecou) when I learned what happens when the skis embed themselves in powder snow at speed - I catapulted straight forwards off the skis and skidded face down across the snow, much to the amusement of the people on the lift directly above me.

Day 6 started with an tiring off-piste trip on fragile-crusted powder (several over-the-front spills), and the afternoon included a 'easy' red with 'a couple of steep bits' which were negotiated mainly by sideslipping (when I wasn't falling down the icy slope).

In the week, I did almost all the open greens and blues (some quite a few times) in the Tignes/Val D'Isere area, and even a couple of easy short reds with success, and realised some of the good and bad things about off-piste, and the perils of *real* reds.

My knees seem to have recovered from the shock of the powder-crashes, and I'm feeling pretty fit. I *must* keep cycling to try and stay that way. It looks like we picked a good week to go - it wasn't terribly busy, and the snow stayed pretty much OK despite the constant blue sky and hot sun. I expect in a couple of weeks things could be *much* thinner unless there's another decent dump of snow.

Welcome back, glad you are in one piece and had a good time.

&

Hath
x

Welcome home. Glad to know you had a good time and have come home safe.

(Had to change my name by the way!)

Jane

xx

Welcome back, glad you're safe and sound!



AGB

Thanks for all your messages - they helped to make my [deleted]th birthday.

HAPPY belated th BIRTHDAY.




Jane

I don't believe you, Potholer.

You aren't listed here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/classic/A489413

So it can't be your birthday.

My birthday is ex-directory and knowledge of it is restricted to a select few.

Glad you had a nice time Nothing like close contact with ice to give one perspective.

Apart from close contact with rock...

I would imagine