The sun was shining this afternoon in Vancouver. The local ski hills were shimmering white against an azure-blue sky thanks to a heavy blanket of new snow that fell overnight. When the sun and snow align in such rapture, there’s no contemplating; drop tools and go! And that’s exactly what I did.
I bolted from the office early, grabbed my trusty Auto123.com jacket and headed for paradise aboard this week’s tester, a 2012 Infiniti FX35. The skiing was outstanding and more picturesque than any camera could capture, especially as the sun set over Georgia Strait and the Gulf Islands on the distant horizon.
So, what does my questionable work ethic have to do with cars you ask? Plenty, I retort. Every time I ski, I can't help but draw comparisons with driving. For example, there are fast skiers, slow skiers, lousy skiers and reckless skiers – all of whom you need to be conscious of as you carve turns and pick a line through the bumps.
I recently came upon a snowboarder and skier sprawled out on the hill like a couple of discarded ragdolls. Their respective gear was strewn about in the classic “yard sale” arrangement. As I stopped to check on their well-being, it became obvious that they had collided like two cars at an intersection. With sore limbs and broken egos, they pulled themselves together, apologized to each other and frailly departed.
I couldn’t help but chuckle. This was nothing less than a car crash without the cars. Despite the clearly posted warning signs, one of them, or perhaps both, failed to exercise due caution at the point where two runs merged, and as a result a potentially serious collision occurred. Again, synonymous with driving!
Whether on the road or the ski run, many of the same rules apply, such as shoulder-checking before erratically altering course. Probably the most important rule of “common sense,” which applies equally to driving, is to know and ski (or drive) within the limits of one’s ability.
Now… I hear it’s going to be sunny again tomorrow. A’hem, is that a cough I feel coming on?
I bolted from the office early, grabbed my trusty Auto123.com jacket and headed for paradise aboard this week’s tester, a 2012 Infiniti FX35. The skiing was outstanding and more picturesque than any camera could capture, especially as the sun set over Georgia Strait and the Gulf Islands on the distant horizon.
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| Photo: Rob Rothwell/Auto123.com |
So, what does my questionable work ethic have to do with cars you ask? Plenty, I retort. Every time I ski, I can't help but draw comparisons with driving. For example, there are fast skiers, slow skiers, lousy skiers and reckless skiers – all of whom you need to be conscious of as you carve turns and pick a line through the bumps.
I recently came upon a snowboarder and skier sprawled out on the hill like a couple of discarded ragdolls. Their respective gear was strewn about in the classic “yard sale” arrangement. As I stopped to check on their well-being, it became obvious that they had collided like two cars at an intersection. With sore limbs and broken egos, they pulled themselves together, apologized to each other and frailly departed.
I couldn’t help but chuckle. This was nothing less than a car crash without the cars. Despite the clearly posted warning signs, one of them, or perhaps both, failed to exercise due caution at the point where two runs merged, and as a result a potentially serious collision occurred. Again, synonymous with driving!
Whether on the road or the ski run, many of the same rules apply, such as shoulder-checking before erratically altering course. Probably the most important rule of “common sense,” which applies equally to driving, is to know and ski (or drive) within the limits of one’s ability.
Now… I hear it’s going to be sunny again tomorrow. A’hem, is that a cough I feel coming on?
 |
| Photo: Rob Rothwell/Auto123.com |