Prime Time Ski Club News for Bethel Citizen 2/2/17
By Terri Messer
For further information contact:
Terri Messer at tmesser@aol.com or 207-671-0715
Thanks to good weather and great skiing conditions at Sunday River ski area this past week, Prime Time Ski Club members were out in full force (at least those not on the injured list). Fresh powder, soft corduroy and a day of springlike skiing conditions along with Go50 Week activities kept our club members busy both on and off the slopes. When not enjoying great skiing, the over-50 crowd ate free cinnamon buns at Peak Lodge, free appetizers at the Foggy Goggle, played Bingo for special medals and answered Sunday River trivia questions for prizes as the mountain celebrated “the young at heart” all week long. A number of our members also danced the night away at a sock hop, some even wearing 60s outfits. As you can probably tell, the Prime Time Ski Club is about more than just having someone to ski with. The club is also a great social venue with monthly potluck suppers, game nights and off-mountain activities.
Last week I mentioned a few things to do to be prepared in case you’re injured while skiing. I failed to mention one important item – carrying a cell phone and having the ski patrol phone number listed in your contacts. Label the patrol number as “aaSki Patrol” and it will show up as the first contact in your list or you can list the ski patrol phone number under “favorites.” It is also important to have your cell phone readily accessible so if you fall, you can easily access your phone, even with an injured arm. I use an elastic silicone neck lanyard that has a series of loops that can snuggly hold cell phones of various sizes. The lanyard is also handy if you need to use your phone while riding the lift or if you want to keep your phone close to your body for warmth during those really cold days that zap battery life. The lanyard is available online at www.TheSmartCatch.com for $36. There are also similar cell phone holders for less money but I can’t attest to their functionality.
Last week I mentioned carrying identification while skiing along with a brief medical history and an emergency contact. Some products that provide this information are Medic Alert® bracelets, neck medallions and a new silicone pull-on sports band that includes your name, brief listing of medical conditions, MedicAlert toll-free number with your unique ID number which is used to obtain an indepth medical profile through a live 24/7 service. MedicAlert requires an annual membership fee, around $50, plus the cost of the ID device. The website is www.medicalert.org; phone is 1-800-432-5378.
ECOS® Emergency ID’s offers three types of devices — a small laminated plastic tag that can be attached to a clothing zipper (around $9), an aluminum tag that comes attached to an adjustable hook and loop wrist strap (around $12) and a vinyl tag with a self-adhesive backing that can be placed on a ski helmet or the back of a cell phone (around $8 for 3 stickers). Each item is printed with a unique emergency ID bar code which, when scanned by a smartphone, opens a webpage that shows your emergency ID profile. The website is www.ecoseid.com. There are also Road ID® bracelets, first developed for runners and bikers, but can also be worn for other activities like skiing. The bracelet costs about $20 with engraving (discount coupons often available online). Webpage is www.roadid.com; phone is 800-345-6336.
If you want to meet other “seasoned” skiers, stop by Peak Lodge at 10 a.m. weekdays (lower level, to the left of staircase when headed downstairs). After a brief time for announcements, members usually break into small groups, based on skiing ability as well as speed and terrain preference. We’d love to have you join us!!
