This guy's gotta be like 56 or something... greying beard and hair... and he smells like motor oil. Came into my work one day and I almost busted up the whole time i was talking to him. Had a normal american accent so he was def not french.
Him "Yeah, I'm a skiing instructor. I've worked at Val'd'isere before in France."
Me: "Really? That's cool.."
Him: "yeah... but I teach on snowblades because they're a lot better"
Me: "Better? How?"
Him: "let me put it this way, I was running the downhill course there when they were having an international race, and I was passing up racers. Theyre way easier to control"
Me: "Really.. how did you get into the race on snowblades?"
Him: "I didnt, I snuck in"
Me: "isnt that dangerous? those guys are going upwards 80mph"
Him: "no way! they couldnt be going more than MAYBE 55 or 60"
Me: "in a downhill race? Are you sure dude? I could see guys doing no more than that in the GS or SuperG, but The downhill at VDI is pretty steep in some sections. Easily puts even the girls over 80mph."
Him: "have you ever been to val'd'isere"
Me: "no, but.."
Him: "then you dont know what the hell you're talking about do you?"
Me: "weelllll I guess I dont. However, I'm still skeptical"
Him: "pff.."
Him: "So what do you think about these bindings?" (grabs the marker duke, and starts messing with it)
Me: "well, it's probably the best AT binding for actually doing alpine skiing with - seeing as it was developed as an alpine binding before they developed it for AT"
Him: "Doesnt 16 seem a little ridiculous for a binding? and, man these are heavy. I'd never ski with these"
Me: "well, I ride my bindings at 11 or 12 usually - and really they arent that heavy in comparison to race bindings"
Him:"ELEVEN OR 12? and you havent blown your knee?!"
Me: "actually I have, but that was when I was 17, and my binding was set on 8 or 9 at the time, anyway."
Him: "Why would you do that to yourself?"
Me: "Because I want the skis to stay on when I hit jumps, or huck things?"
Him: "huck? What do you mean by huck.."
By now I couldnt help it anymore and just busted up laughing... i couldnt help it anymore.