An offer from Jackson Ski Touring to cross-country ski teams:
"Dear Coach,
Here’s a cost-effective way for your team to train this winter: ski
in Jackson for free!
For $50/person per night, [emphasis mine]your team stays overnight at the AMC’s Joe Dodge Lodge at Pinkham Notch, N.H. Dinner & breakfast are included in
this special rate.
Jackson Ski Touring provides you with the largest Nordic trail system
in the East, including our FIS Homologated Courses.
Book this combination packages for $50/person during weekdays in January.
Our brochure describes all the details..."
That's right! Receive this FREE offer for just $50! That's ABSOLUTELY FREE!
Sure, I know what they mean. Throw some dough to the AMC and you can play on Jackson's trails during off-peak periods and admire their 100% homologated trail while you're there. I'd forgotten about all the homologation they had done. Once you've gone homologated you never go back to ordinary ski trails. I lie awake nights remembering how that homologation felt.
Brother, have you ever been homologated? I mean more than just once in college as an experiment?
So...scrape up $50 for your free skiing! While you're at it, if you send me $1,000.00 I can begin processing that huge lottery jackpot you didn't know you won.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Withdrawal
Recovering from nine winters at Jackson Ski Touring has taken a surprisingly long time. As I expected, I did not miss wondering who hated me and why. That only mattered to me because whoever it was managed to get me tried, convicted and sentenced in a secret court with no chance to face my accusers or answer the charges against me and it almost cost me my position. I was then reinstated by an equally secret tribunal where I again did not appear and had no input or closure. I was told I would get to hear substantive details from people in authority, but what I got was an impatient brushoff from someone who was obviously pissed off that I had been reinserted into the situation. What I missed was the skiing.
For those who felt that the retail grunts spent far too much time indulging themselves on the trails and far too little time insta-waxing the scabrous planks of legions of road-crossers, you will be pleased to know that the only person who skis in Wolfe City is the boss. I don't begrudge him. He works his ass off. Unlike a number of fat people and smokers at the upper levels of management in cross-country ski manufacturing, coaching and touring center operation, he still loves to get out there.He would let us get out there if he could. But not at the expense of his own ya-yas. Every morning he grooms. Then he skis. Then he comes to the shop. Four days a week he's gone again in the afternoon to coach the high school cross-country ski team. Because of the skeleton crew we run here we can't spare anyone during the work day, despite our leader's best intentions. We can never be sure it will stay quiet enough for long enough not to overwhelm the capacity of the staff left behind.
One day at JSTF Big T asked me if I was going to ski that day. I said I hoped so.
"Wouldn't it be great if you were too busy?" he said with the kind of dopy grin people use when they're trying to get a child excited about doing homework or getting a painful injection.
Are you crazy, Big T? If I was into this for the money, I wouldn't be into THIS. I wold be into something that actually makes money.
Before work the trails are not groomed. They're BEING groomed, but the pattern doesn't generally favor a good surface for a meaningful workout until the groomer has finished the job, at which point he takes first tracks. It's most efficient. He's there, the trails are ready. Just do it!
After work the trails are either a slush pit or a refrozen invitation to a broken femur. The average winter temperature does not keep snow powdery fresh the way it did just a decade ago.
Where does this leave the shop grunts? Riding the wind trainer at home, using the Nordic Track if you can stomach it.
It took two winters to get accustomed to the fact that we would be hard-pressed to get any exercise between the end of bike commuting in the fall and its onset again in March or April. The body and the mind need to find things to replace those healthful endorphins once provided by the excellent action of cross-country skiing. Because we probably won't get it, we can't want it, because denial of it only makes the lack of it worse. Write it off. It is gone. It is over. This greasy room full of smelly ice skates and rental ski gear is the only reality.
Exercise is a luxury for most people. That's why Jackson depends on wealthy elitists for its very existence. Many of them might not think of themselves as elitists, but you can't achieve the financial position they have without disconnecting from the concerns of the working class. Many club members are hard workers who are athletically but not financially elite. Others are complete snobs.
We are blessed in Wolfe City that the wealthy elite do not make skiing a central part of their lives. The big money is here for the lake. Whatever problems they may have mingling with the commoners, they don't take them out on us. Not so in Jackson. Those people chose their town for the mountains and the activities they can pursue there. In the touring center we were at center stage. Many more customers have a much higher ego involvement in Jackson. This makes it much trickier for the retailer unaccustomed to dealing with such a sensitive clientele. None of that will bring back skiing, of course. But at least as my information gets stale and my enthusiasm grows more artificial no one is likely to notice.
For those who felt that the retail grunts spent far too much time indulging themselves on the trails and far too little time insta-waxing the scabrous planks of legions of road-crossers, you will be pleased to know that the only person who skis in Wolfe City is the boss. I don't begrudge him. He works his ass off. Unlike a number of fat people and smokers at the upper levels of management in cross-country ski manufacturing, coaching and touring center operation, he still loves to get out there.He would let us get out there if he could. But not at the expense of his own ya-yas. Every morning he grooms. Then he skis. Then he comes to the shop. Four days a week he's gone again in the afternoon to coach the high school cross-country ski team. Because of the skeleton crew we run here we can't spare anyone during the work day, despite our leader's best intentions. We can never be sure it will stay quiet enough for long enough not to overwhelm the capacity of the staff left behind.
One day at JSTF Big T asked me if I was going to ski that day. I said I hoped so.
"Wouldn't it be great if you were too busy?" he said with the kind of dopy grin people use when they're trying to get a child excited about doing homework or getting a painful injection.
Are you crazy, Big T? If I was into this for the money, I wouldn't be into THIS. I wold be into something that actually makes money.
Before work the trails are not groomed. They're BEING groomed, but the pattern doesn't generally favor a good surface for a meaningful workout until the groomer has finished the job, at which point he takes first tracks. It's most efficient. He's there, the trails are ready. Just do it!
After work the trails are either a slush pit or a refrozen invitation to a broken femur. The average winter temperature does not keep snow powdery fresh the way it did just a decade ago.
Where does this leave the shop grunts? Riding the wind trainer at home, using the Nordic Track if you can stomach it.
It took two winters to get accustomed to the fact that we would be hard-pressed to get any exercise between the end of bike commuting in the fall and its onset again in March or April. The body and the mind need to find things to replace those healthful endorphins once provided by the excellent action of cross-country skiing. Because we probably won't get it, we can't want it, because denial of it only makes the lack of it worse. Write it off. It is gone. It is over. This greasy room full of smelly ice skates and rental ski gear is the only reality.
Exercise is a luxury for most people. That's why Jackson depends on wealthy elitists for its very existence. Many of them might not think of themselves as elitists, but you can't achieve the financial position they have without disconnecting from the concerns of the working class. Many club members are hard workers who are athletically but not financially elite. Others are complete snobs.
We are blessed in Wolfe City that the wealthy elite do not make skiing a central part of their lives. The big money is here for the lake. Whatever problems they may have mingling with the commoners, they don't take them out on us. Not so in Jackson. Those people chose their town for the mountains and the activities they can pursue there. In the touring center we were at center stage. Many more customers have a much higher ego involvement in Jackson. This makes it much trickier for the retailer unaccustomed to dealing with such a sensitive clientele. None of that will bring back skiing, of course. But at least as my information gets stale and my enthusiasm grows more artificial no one is likely to notice.
Friday, November 12, 2010
What a Concept!
Have you heard about the new Swix and Fischer "concept shop" at Jackson Ski Touring?
Hey, here's a concept: How about a truly independent, knowledgeable retailer who has the best interests of each individual customer at heart, rather than some manufacturer's pimp, especially one that has to represent the Fischer tongue depressor touring skis?
Just a thought.
When you're up there keep your bullshit detector on high and your hand on your wallet. And enjoy the delicate balance they walk between po' penniless non-profit and full-on retail shark.
Hey, here's a concept: How about a truly independent, knowledgeable retailer who has the best interests of each individual customer at heart, rather than some manufacturer's pimp, especially one that has to represent the Fischer tongue depressor touring skis?
Just a thought.
When you're up there keep your bullshit detector on high and your hand on your wallet. And enjoy the delicate balance they walk between po' penniless non-profit and full-on retail shark.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Smell is the strongest trigger of memory
The smell of wood smoke hangs thickly in the air from the wildfires in Quebec. It reminded me of the smell inside the Jackson Ski Touring base lodge when the fireplace was acting up, as it frequently did.
No sooner had I recorded that thought than I had a spasm of pain between my shoulder blades as if someone had stabbed me in the back.
Although the stabbing at JSTF was figurative, the stress induced by the clandestine activity generated various symptoms including many variations on back pain. The sensation of a knife in the back was so appropriate I could hardly complain.
No sooner had I recorded that thought than I had a spasm of pain between my shoulder blades as if someone had stabbed me in the back.
Although the stabbing at JSTF was figurative, the stress induced by the clandestine activity generated various symptoms including many variations on back pain. The sensation of a knife in the back was so appropriate I could hardly complain.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Retail at Jackson Ski Touring and Financial Risk
In this, the tenth year since Jackson Ski Touring ceased to be the tenant of a retailer and became the landlord instead, they may finally have realized that providing retail services for their operation is not a privilege.
At the start of nine long years beginning in 2000, they compared the contract position they offered to retail concessions at downhill areas. Citing the high percentages downhill areas demand in fees from retail concessionaires, they rated their own rake-off from retail operations as quite reasonable. It certainly was lower than the gouge suffered by retail providers at downhill areas. And ultimately the Jackson tithe is a tiny component of the full financial exposure a retailer will face there.
A season like the one we're enduring now highlights the uncertainty of any investment related to cross-country skiing. A bad winter in 2005-'06 caused long-term damage to the retailer at Jackson Ski Touring because they couldn't cut back hours or personnel even when there was no business. The shop had also purchased inventory for multiple locations. Because the crisis struck the whole industry, creditors were lenient as much as they could be, but most suppliers are part of larger corporations. The Nordic part of their cash flow is small enough to make it look like a mere nuisance to the bean counters in upper management.
The current retailer at Jackson Ski Touring related similar frustrations at another contract position they had held, where they were expected to stock and staff an under-performing location.
It must have taken thousands of dollars in fancy lawyering to allow Jackson Ski Touring, a 501(c)3 non-profit, to operate their retail store under the banner of an outside provider. One can only hope that they are also shouldering the bulk of the financial risk for this provider. Once the season ends, Jackson Ski Touring shrinks back like a little slimy creature burying itself in the drying mud at the bottom of a watering hole, awaiting the next monsoon, but the retail concessionaire has to stay above ground, foraging and fending for itself. Bicycling and cross-country skiing are tough businesses. They require a bewildering diversity of product to suit as many potential customers as possible. If operating at Jackson Ski Touring increases the risk without sufficiently enhancing income to cover more than just the expense of being there, it's a loser.
It's especially harsh for the new provider to face this kind of slap in the face in their first year there. One can only hope, as I said, that Jackson Ski Touring realizes that they owe their retail provider a lot more than their retail provider owes them. And I hope the retail provider realizes it, too.
At the start of nine long years beginning in 2000, they compared the contract position they offered to retail concessions at downhill areas. Citing the high percentages downhill areas demand in fees from retail concessionaires, they rated their own rake-off from retail operations as quite reasonable. It certainly was lower than the gouge suffered by retail providers at downhill areas. And ultimately the Jackson tithe is a tiny component of the full financial exposure a retailer will face there.
A season like the one we're enduring now highlights the uncertainty of any investment related to cross-country skiing. A bad winter in 2005-'06 caused long-term damage to the retailer at Jackson Ski Touring because they couldn't cut back hours or personnel even when there was no business. The shop had also purchased inventory for multiple locations. Because the crisis struck the whole industry, creditors were lenient as much as they could be, but most suppliers are part of larger corporations. The Nordic part of their cash flow is small enough to make it look like a mere nuisance to the bean counters in upper management.
The current retailer at Jackson Ski Touring related similar frustrations at another contract position they had held, where they were expected to stock and staff an under-performing location.
It must have taken thousands of dollars in fancy lawyering to allow Jackson Ski Touring, a 501(c)3 non-profit, to operate their retail store under the banner of an outside provider. One can only hope that they are also shouldering the bulk of the financial risk for this provider. Once the season ends, Jackson Ski Touring shrinks back like a little slimy creature burying itself in the drying mud at the bottom of a watering hole, awaiting the next monsoon, but the retail concessionaire has to stay above ground, foraging and fending for itself. Bicycling and cross-country skiing are tough businesses. They require a bewildering diversity of product to suit as many potential customers as possible. If operating at Jackson Ski Touring increases the risk without sufficiently enhancing income to cover more than just the expense of being there, it's a loser.
It's especially harsh for the new provider to face this kind of slap in the face in their first year there. One can only hope, as I said, that Jackson Ski Touring realizes that they owe their retail provider a lot more than their retail provider owes them. And I hope the retail provider realizes it, too.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
New! From XIMS!
XIMS introduces the NEW Hotbox with built-in rotisserie! Treat your skis to a great base coat of wax while you cook up a couple of game hens or a chicken.
Automatic baster applies your favorite marinade to keep meat moist. Sensors monitor internal and external meat temperature. All data is displayed on the digital remote readout panel you can locate in any convenient place.
Automatic baster applies your favorite marinade to keep meat moist. Sensors monitor internal and external meat temperature. All data is displayed on the digital remote readout panel you can locate in any convenient place.
Friday, November 20, 2009
The real pulling ponies in Jackson
Jackson Ski Touring's sucess hinges on the serious efforts of some hard workers. Chief among these is the Executive Director, as well as Mrs. Executive Director, followed by the patrol captain I commended earlier. I did not want to dilute my homage to her by commending the other draft horses in the same post. I also don't want to discount the considerable efforts by those making them.
In season, a huge debt goes to Andy the groomer, an artiste of the Pisten Bully. As of last season, JSTF had an extremely promising trainee in grooming as well. It really wouldn't be worth going there without the grooming. But that's true of any large Nordic area.
The present rental manager really just coasts on the superb work done by the first rental manager who set up the shop downstairs in 2000. That first rental manager, an excellent young man named Dudley, really fostered a spirit of cooperation in the building. As soon as the current rental manager took over, that began to erode. Whether he had a hidden agenda or not, he certainly gave that impression. That does not matter to the skiers using the facility, only to people who work there who might find themselves embroiled in someone else's strange intrigues.
The patrollers and instructors definitely pull their weight in season. Sometimes it just comes down to luck. If you pull a shift when there's a lot of shoveling to do, you will shovel. At other times you might get off with a bit of light work and some nice skiing. That's part of the hook that gets people to sign up for the low pay and the threat of unemployment in the event of a big thaw.
In season, a huge debt goes to Andy the groomer, an artiste of the Pisten Bully. As of last season, JSTF had an extremely promising trainee in grooming as well. It really wouldn't be worth going there without the grooming. But that's true of any large Nordic area.
The present rental manager really just coasts on the superb work done by the first rental manager who set up the shop downstairs in 2000. That first rental manager, an excellent young man named Dudley, really fostered a spirit of cooperation in the building. As soon as the current rental manager took over, that began to erode. Whether he had a hidden agenda or not, he certainly gave that impression. That does not matter to the skiers using the facility, only to people who work there who might find themselves embroiled in someone else's strange intrigues.
The patrollers and instructors definitely pull their weight in season. Sometimes it just comes down to luck. If you pull a shift when there's a lot of shoveling to do, you will shovel. At other times you might get off with a bit of light work and some nice skiing. That's part of the hook that gets people to sign up for the low pay and the threat of unemployment in the event of a big thaw.
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