Scarpa: Young Skiers Pushing Sport of Skiing

Interesting interview in Skiing Business today with Scarpa North America’s Andrea Parisotto, CFO and Kim Miller, CEO.

"One area that’s neglected, including by us, is the next generation. Nobody’s really going after the 8- to 12-year-old skiers from Park City or Tahoe or any other ski town. They are really pushing the sport. As an industry we need to think about them, and give them good boots, materials and liners. It’s not only about giving those kids what they need and want, but it’s about long-term branding too."

This is interesting.   Its always the younger generation that is innovating the sport.  Great move by Scarpa to see that.  When we were in high school we were modifying our own leather (yes, I just dated myself) telemark boots with those white "pickle buckets" from restaurants.  This was around 1979.  The boot manufacturers had no way of keeping up with what people were doing with tele skis.

What A Difference A Bear Makes

 How can the "Road Not Taken" be so completely different from one I do take? Do I go north following the old cement sidewalks that wander past the 100-year-old houses and groomed lawns, with the smells of dinner cooking and sounds of fussing children?  Or do I go south past the Chautauqua Auditorium and up to the little trail in the woods.

My dogs are happier to go to the trails, so I took our standard route up to the woods.  But this choice took me in a direction I was not expecting.  I crossed the stone bridge and after 10 minutes of hiking, I turned around went back to the bridge and was greeted by a chocolate-colored bear guarding a crab apple tree--staring right at us.  He was huge!  And with both my dogs (on a leash thank goodness!) he/she was not about to let me pass by (no, I did not get a picture of the bear as it was the last thing on my mind).  Back up the trail to the "illegal short-cut"--but when I looked down that trail I could see another bear, this one was dark black.   I ended up bush-waking out over a barbed wire fence to a road.  Made it home in time to finish the pesto and feed the family.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE living in Boulder and I love being one block away from miles of mountain trails. But I feel like I live WITH the wild life more and more.  It can be time consuming and like with camping, you have to be prepared to even step outside the house.  Some time I will mention the 17 encounters my terrier has had with skunks or the baby hummingbird.

Hello Winter...It's me Margaret.

Winter Must Be Out There Somewhere...

Hard to believe that it will be winter any time soon since the summer has been such a scorcher here in Boulder, Colorado.  We were reminded of cooler activities today by going to watch the C.U. Buffs get pummeled at the last minute by Sacramento State.  However there was a great Half-Time celebration of C.U.'s Freestyle Ski Club.  Several skiers are going to Nationals, and have won first place 3 out of the past 5 years.