Simon’s Great Trick
After drowning our sorrows in a large barrel (!) of red wine on Friday night in Julie and Steele’s van we didn’t set out too early on Saturday! We needed to get a new strap for one of Simon’s snowboard bindings which had snapped the day before (when we tried to get back on the piste after inspecting the poor van!) Bad idea. Saturday is changeover day when excited fresh new holiday-makers arrive at the resort wanting to hire their skis, boards and boots. But eventually we got to the front of a queue and the new part only cost €4 which was good news.
On Sunday the sun was shining and the slopes were busy. We had a good day though and sat in the park for a while watching the Big Boys pull off massive airs and somersaults to impress some magazine or manufacturer that was giving out prizes. They must have missed Simon because he was pulling off some amazing tricks of course!..
He did one on the way down the home run at the end of the day. After a big jump off a flat section onto a slope he caught an edge and went flying - goggles off and sliding down on his back. He didn’t look too thrilled. At some point on his way crashing to the ground he’d put his hands down and thought he’d broken a finger. It wouldn’t bend at all but, after a good wiggle around without taking off his gloves as he didn’t want to see it, the joint seemed to go back into place and he could bend it. Taking some advice from Jenny, a friend in the uk who used to work for nhsdirect, we stuck it in some ice, then strapped it straight. It’s a bit painful, but will (hopefully) be ok if he takes it a bit easy so that might be the end of his halfpipe action and 720° spins for the rest of the season.
April 6th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
What on earth have you used as a fingerstall? It was prolly dislocated and if Simon hadn’t put it back into place before it really started swelling would have been a real problem! Ouch! (that’s sympathy - kinda…)
April 7th, 2009 at 10:20 am
It’s a proper finger-splint thing from our first aid box! Couldn’t find any snow(!) last night so we popped it in some cold water while the tiny freezer makes some. Swelling’s down a little bit now.
April 9th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
sorry to hear about the fall do take extra care now. I will be thinking about you. Have a happy Easter
December 21st, 2009 at 10:04 pm
heya just stumbled on your blog whilst trying to resurch for suitcase generators. as i am also travelling europe in a van. so was quite interested in your blog. i was also in morzine this year and am sure we bumped into each other one nite very drunk i definately rember steele and julie as my nickname is nickel there …was a few laughs. if you are the same people i am sorry i never found the time to come and have a drink with you guys. any way this is well random i know. i am currantly in the ardeche region hoping to head to morzine or some other station after xmas after sorting a few problems with the van that are growing daily. any how if you are about this season it would be good to hook up with some like minded people. hope to hear from you soon.
dan …aka…..nickel
December 22nd, 2009 at 8:22 pm
Hey Dan! Yeah we did bump into you because I had ‘Dan in a Van’ in my mobile phone book for ages. Maybe we’ll manage that drink this season. We’re heading down on the 29th of December if the Eurotunnel problems are sorted but then probably to Chamonix for a few days in Jan to see friends. Hope you get your van issues resolved - we got pretty much ripped off by the garage in Montriond last year when we had to have a new alternator. Good Luck!