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Excellent post, +k! It seems that there are more and more people that arent able to see that a person's life view can change, and It seems really important to realize that
Watch the story of Richard Proenneke in "One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey, then add skiing.
I was searching for a thread here on skibuming and what it ment to this demigraphic too bad the searchbar here sucks cause endless attention whores starting the same threads over and over
It kind of boils down to your definition of a ski bum. I roll with a pretty liberal/loose view and define it as a true passion for skiing and a willingness to make life sacrifices to pursue that passion often if not daily.
Thse sacrifices range a great gamet from finacial, time, energy, to present day on through future lifestyles. For some it's eating ketchup soup and ramen or living in an employee dorm. Others it's bustin ass and rakin bank all summer in any host of well paying asskickin work or knowing a good skill like serving or bartending in a high end gig. For me it' keepin my spanser/old lady happy. One of my touring partners sacrifices sleep, dude dawn patrols religiously has a phd works a flexible schedule at the U and is approaching two dozen 150+ day seasons in the wasatch he's a skibum in my book. The fact that his old ladies a doctor and they lead a pretty comfortable life doesn't change that.
I didn't get my shit togather move west and decide to be a skibum till I was twice the age of most here. Having multiple skills and a few trades took and a wife with letters after her name took a bit of the bumming aspect out in my case as We lead a fairly comfortable life. 13 seasons of work at a couple resorts in a host of gigs from bartending ,patroling, conciergeing, and more nights in front of the winterstieger than I care to remember later. I realize being a fishing guide or any of my other small bussiness or skills are ever gonna make me mad bling. a super swank condo at a resort, a highdollar penis extention boat, my heliskiing will be like it's been the past 8 years one flight in a week of turn earnin and a flight out so be it.
Where will I be 10 years from now? don't know, don't really stess much about shit like that. If I'm sittin in my hopefully by then sweet house with my wife and furkid working through the summer doing what needs to get done in order get another 100+ season with a big smile on my face thinking about the stellar epicness that was the last one so be it. If there comes a point when for whatever reason the bliss of the whiteroom, desire to climb peaks, stare down on untrack slopes and know this is what I was ment to do before sending it, no longer brings the passion to justify the sacrifices I'll come up with plan b.
Dude your missing it go to any dictionary site and you'll find one definition of bum being something to the effect of an ethusiast of a particuiar sport or recreaction who gives that priority over family work life etc. Your getting hung up on another definition of bum.
I guide for a shop called troutbum 2 doesn't mean we show up fucked up on maddog smelling like we haven't showered in a week and row you down the river in a card board boat.
there are various degrees of skibummin if you want to split hairs over them call yourself a skiing eunthusist or some stupid term no one can relate to feel free. Back when I was pounding nails every day I liked to call myself a shingle application specialist cause roofing a fucked up scumbag trade and that made it sound better
I'm not sure if you have worked in the industry but down lowly lifty up to the head of snow safety or patrol most of those people are skibums and do more for the "Skiing Community" than you and your wallet ever will and unless you're strappin on the skins every day pretty much essential. There are freeloaders, moochers, whateverz you want to call them in every aspect of life just as there are shitloads of skibums who have their shit togather and manage to lead comfortable lives. I know Iv'e tuned 1000's of peoples skis set up endless families answered endless questions and done my best to enhance other peoples week or two long ski vacations as these are the people who keep the lifts spinning in most major resorts, not to mention bro dealin out every fellow resort employee I could. I don't work at resorts anymore. I've got a sweet e gig a hour or so 4 times a week in exchange for 30 days at every UT resort and run a demo ski delivery business demoing select indies pm gear, dps, praxis moment etc. and tune out of my crib. Were certainly not crushin it gettin rich, but the business grows every year and I sport a pretty fuckin sweet quiver and ski my ass off every day where, as long as and with who I want.
So aside from your 10k worth of posts on a ski forum exactly what is it that you've done for skiing that puts you up on such a high pedestal to look down upon those who are the "true" soul of skiing?
