Cornhead
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- Dec 4, 2010
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I didn't know what it is either, I had to Google the definition.
nonagenarian
One who is between the age of 90 and 99, inclusive. One who is in his or her tenth decade.
It happened on the Visions Express Quad at Greek Peak. I was winding up a wonderful three day weekend of skiing the season's first natural snow in our region. I approached the lift gates with my buddy Rambo. Between us was an elderly gentleman. I assumed we would all ride the next chair up together. When the gates opened, the elderly gentleman and I slid through the gates. Rambo must have ESP, he stayed put. As I passed through the gate my pole basket got stuck on something on the side of the gate. I yanked on the pole trying to free it. Once would've been OK but when I made the foolish decision to yank a second time instead of the wise choice of just loading the chair and letting Rambo, or anyone else, bring my pole up with them, I got turned sideways on the carpet. Now I could've just straightened myself and loaded the chair, but for some reason I decided to exit the carpet stage left. I lost my balance, fell to the carpet releasing my left ski in the process. Meanwhile my right ski had become entangled in the chair ahead of me containing one elderly man. I was dragged along the carpet until the liftie finally hit the EPO. After untangling my right ski, and getting my left ski back on, and getting the pole I just had to have, I walked around and sat next to the old guy and waited for the lift to start back up.
As we headed uphill, the guy proceeded to tell me he was 90 yrs old and had been skiing most of those 90 yrs. He also told me he was a ski jumper earlier in his life, and personally knew the Trapp family. That was it for the history lesson. From then on he let me know that he was in fear of his life when we were to exit the chair expecting a repeat performance of my loading act. I assured him this was not my first clambake, and my floundering on the conveyor was an anomaly, he was not convinced. I was sitting towards the middle of the chair since I weigh three times as much as the old man, he was to my right. I pointed to the vacant seat to the far left of the chair. I asked if he would feel safer if I slid over there. I reminded him that if I did his seat would now be considerably higher than mine. I stayed where I was. When we exited the chair, we both skied away smoothly without incident.
I thought about the passion for skiing this man must possess knowing a fall could not only end his day, but his life. I'm sure he was thrilled to add fat, flopping, fifty plus year olds to his list of hazards. At 90 yrs old getting out of bed is an accomplishment, sliding down a ski hill is phenomenal. I'm just glad he didn't arrive at the top DOA from a heart attack courtesy of me. Or fall himself out of sheer terror of what I might do.
Sent from my Moto G (4) using AlpineZone mobile app
nonagenarian
One who is between the age of 90 and 99, inclusive. One who is in his or her tenth decade.
It happened on the Visions Express Quad at Greek Peak. I was winding up a wonderful three day weekend of skiing the season's first natural snow in our region. I approached the lift gates with my buddy Rambo. Between us was an elderly gentleman. I assumed we would all ride the next chair up together. When the gates opened, the elderly gentleman and I slid through the gates. Rambo must have ESP, he stayed put. As I passed through the gate my pole basket got stuck on something on the side of the gate. I yanked on the pole trying to free it. Once would've been OK but when I made the foolish decision to yank a second time instead of the wise choice of just loading the chair and letting Rambo, or anyone else, bring my pole up with them, I got turned sideways on the carpet. Now I could've just straightened myself and loaded the chair, but for some reason I decided to exit the carpet stage left. I lost my balance, fell to the carpet releasing my left ski in the process. Meanwhile my right ski had become entangled in the chair ahead of me containing one elderly man. I was dragged along the carpet until the liftie finally hit the EPO. After untangling my right ski, and getting my left ski back on, and getting the pole I just had to have, I walked around and sat next to the old guy and waited for the lift to start back up.
As we headed uphill, the guy proceeded to tell me he was 90 yrs old and had been skiing most of those 90 yrs. He also told me he was a ski jumper earlier in his life, and personally knew the Trapp family. That was it for the history lesson. From then on he let me know that he was in fear of his life when we were to exit the chair expecting a repeat performance of my loading act. I assured him this was not my first clambake, and my floundering on the conveyor was an anomaly, he was not convinced. I was sitting towards the middle of the chair since I weigh three times as much as the old man, he was to my right. I pointed to the vacant seat to the far left of the chair. I asked if he would feel safer if I slid over there. I reminded him that if I did his seat would now be considerably higher than mine. I stayed where I was. When we exited the chair, we both skied away smoothly without incident.
I thought about the passion for skiing this man must possess knowing a fall could not only end his day, but his life. I'm sure he was thrilled to add fat, flopping, fifty plus year olds to his list of hazards. At 90 yrs old getting out of bed is an accomplishment, sliding down a ski hill is phenomenal. I'm just glad he didn't arrive at the top DOA from a heart attack courtesy of me. Or fall himself out of sheer terror of what I might do.
Sent from my Moto G (4) using AlpineZone mobile app
