Although there is still plenty of snow at Sunday River ski area and the ski season will continue for several more weeks, this will be the last column for the Prime Time Ski Club for awhile as many members traditionally start to head back to their off-season lives the end of March. This past Thursday night was the club’s year-end dinner, held at The Bethel Inn, with nearly 60 members attending. Besides a “happy hour” with delicious pass-around appetizers and a tasty dinner with several entrees to choose from, there was recognition of those who helped to make this club’s many activities run smoothly this year.
There was also a contest among the seven tables of dinner guests. Questions were asked about the Prime Time Ski Club: how many members (146), how many new members this year (15), how many members 80 years old or over (15). Questions were also asked about Sunday River, such as how many lifts (15), what is the vertical descent (2,340 ft.), percentage of green, blue and black/double black trails (30%, 36%, 34%), average annual snow fall (167 inches). All table members could confer on the answers. At the end of the “quiz” the table with the most correct answers won Prime Time logo glassware. One member was caught checking out a trail map for answers but accusations of cheating were withdrawn when it was discovered that he had a Sugarloaf map! To add to the fun, a number of members won raffle prizes, provided in part by Sunday River and the Bethel Inn.
As we near the end of another fun-filled ski season, it’s probably a good time to provide some tips on how to store your skis during the off-season, gathered from local ski tuners. First of all, make sure that the bases of the skis are clean. Use a cloth or wet paper towels to remove the dirt and grime from spring skiing conditions. After drying, cover the base and edges with wax. If you don’t want the bother of ironing on wax, there is a liquid wax with built-in applicator that works well. A year-end ski tuning is also a good idea so the ski shop can do the summer prep for you. Store your skis in a cool, dry place inside your house away from sunlight, such as a closet. Keep skis away from any surface that can emit moisture, such as concrete and some carpets. Separate your skis and stand them upright on their tips which are less likely to delaminate than the tails. A neutral position with no pressure on either camber or rocker is preferable, so do not hang by tips between two dowels or with the camber compressed by straps or ski brakes.
Make sure that the bindings are clean and don’t adjust the tension as was recommended in the 60’s and 70’s as manufacturers now design bindings to have continuous tension. And don’t forget the ski boots. Pull out the liners to make sure everything is completely dry, then buckle the boots snug enough to keep them in proper shape but not over-tightened as this can stretch the boot material. Store boots standing upright in a cool dry place and fill the boots with paper towels to prevent spiders, mice and dust from getting inside them.
Before you know it, it will be winter again and time to take your well-cared for equipment out of storage and join Prime Time Ski Club members for another fun season. For more information about the club’s activities, check out our web site at www.primetimeskiclub.com.
