Grace – 2 today but skiing before 3
With my wife around mid term pregnancy then this is my last winter where there is likely to be the prevailing weather conditions governing my decision to ski. Spending the majority of the winter in the Austrian Alps, I often chose to ski the least at the most popular times. The upcoming changes that we face are starting to put holiday choices into perspective. Education is the greatest thing that you can give your child, a skiing (or snowboarding) background the next. So how to balance them? My brother and sister in law are outstanding parents but bend the rules of my (fairly rigid) test of parenting test on the basis that their daughter is today 2 and has still not slid across snow. Their issue has been that to get time off from their teaching roles coincides with peak demand for flights and hotels and with that prices. I know well that they dream each hour of the time that Grace can ski, hopefully it comes soon. School holidays are when most kids ski. The February half term usually sees really great conditions with longer days and almost always good snow depths. Christmas in Austria is an option but New Year is a time when I personally rarely ski as there are far better times in the winter to ski. For parents then the October half term is one time that I think is really underused, October the 5th this year we had sensational skiing on the Stubai Glacier, that followed really great powder skiing on the Pitztal Glacier last May. The point is that when demand is high and prices reflect that then there are better options for parents of school aged kids who seek the ‘education / ski balance’ than New Year. Today I took the 3 year, 3 month old son of friend skiing to Kuhtai. Before our lunch break he was totally enthusiastic, after lunch all he wanted to do was hand me lumps of ice to skid down the moving carpet. At least he was in the mountains though with skis on the end of his legs and he loved the skiing and watching me make work for the lifties. I write it here officially that Grace will ski before 3, next May she can ski the Pitztal Glacier with us, maybe her first day will be a powder day, I am sure if I am with her on a moving carpet it will be a powder day for her devoted parents.
Hats off to you for sending the wife on a self reflective snowless downer . I have assured her that any parental failings we are currently experiening are to be easily alleviated by the spring . The way ? – possibly a complimentary spa hotel stay in St Anton or preferably St Christoph. Though more probably a baby filled house in Goetzens and a plethora of ski outs down the abfhart and hopefully an attempt to eat my body weight in cheap sushi. My weight is now slightly higher than Riddick Bowe after he hit the fridge ( hard ) on completion of his 3 figh epic with Holyfield …or to the layman approx Ricky Hattons Current weight !!
Inspirational parents = ben and cherie brown, that is beyond doubt. The fact that Grace has yet to slide on snow is for most a sign of good parenting given that she is 2. So long as she experiences snow before 3, she will have had an first rate start in life. The one question mark over her Graces’ mothers commitment to her long term development would surely be her provision of a single implement to slide across this magnificent surface. Maybe you as a husband can get her absurdly drunk in order that she gets double vision (eg. bad taste party), then she might see that 2 are better than one. RE gotzens then plan it now, I had the very best skiing last season in May –> huge powder days. Let’s hope grace has the right equipment
….and the point of the blog was to let skiing and snowboarding parents know that they don’t have to go at peak times and pay peak prices – the ski seasons over here in the Tirol run from October through to June and prices can be great before or after the main season.
Grace Alberta Brown is now the Brown family champion of the sub 3 year old ski 1st attend nursery later winter sport discipline. She has skiied and enjoyed it (nearly as much as her parents did participating with her )at the age of 2 years 2 weeks . The kinder arena at Mutters was the FIS rated cauldren of fun and on this day sun! So all family members either out of the womb or still currently residing in there…be aware the bar has been set at this tender age. All fan mail and media correspondence should be directed at I NEED SNOW staff…thanks.
Seeing the guys around a large orange air bed on Tuesday night was great-good friends one and all. At the risk of harping on my son Hayden was out at the event at Goetzens and seemed to enjoy the event as much as any securely wrapped up 12 wwek old would. Is this another family record ?
Austria is full of friedly and in my recent experience enthusiastic, genuine and very funny folks. Hats off to Flo the weather man…great to see he is still in top form. Did he manage a New Years day run or two ?