I’m not exactly sure what the intended translation was, but given this was posted on the golf course my bet would be that the sign is encouraging people to make foursomes and hey – what better way to make new friends?

Yesterday we were on the verge of meeting the foursome in front of us who didn’t let us play through. Although golf is a global game, local customs or interpretations can result in confusion. The custom here appears to be that when you catch up to a slower playing group you simply drive past them to the next hole.

The last time i checked, the game of golf is played in 18 holes

One group drove past us yesterday and skipped two holes before teeing off. I’m all for playing 18 holes in a different order if it keeps the pace of play going (like I experienced in Jamaica a few years ago), but much like the driving culture here, people would rather speed up then slow down.

After three days of golf i’m losing the week long contest 2-1 to my dad. Yesterday it cost me a fancy golf shirt. Today we’re playing for a hat…. well after we go visit the Pandas of course

After a 14 hour direct flight from Toronto to Beijing then a three hour flight from Beijing to Chengdu, I arrived in China a few days ago to visit my dad, play some golf, take in the local culture then take a side trip to Thailand for the full moon party.

It’s steamy hot here – around 38 degrees with no wind and the constant humming of the tree locusts is reminiscent of the Vuvuzela sound the world was introduced to during the South African World Cup – but more organic sounding and not quite as loud.

Here are 9 quick things I’ve noticed or learned so far:

1. Although you feel extremely safe here, driving is an extreme sport. A combination of cars, trucks, and bicycle’s stacked 12 feed high with plywood, farm animals or people and a code that says left turns can be made from three lanes across on the right is normal makes for an interesting ride every day.  Traffic lights seem to be “recommended” and not mandatory as people would rather honk than brake for a stop light or person
2. Most signs are in English – although much of it barely makes sense (like the title of this article – it’s a selling point printed on a billboard for a new condo unit going up). I’m going to start capturing my favorite ones and posting them here.
3. Social Media (at least North American) does not exist here. No Youtube, Twitter, facebook or foursquare.  There are some huge Chinese based sites, but it’s not like i can read them
4. Toilet paper is soft and looks perforated, but in reality it’s a struggle every time to tear off just a few squares without making a mess
5. If you go out for a run, be careful not to step on the sewer grates as many are missing and you don’t want to step into a dark hole unexpectedly.  Sewer covers are also prone to fall in when stepped on
6. Chinese traditional greeting for hello is Ni hao (Knee How) – I use it everywhere. Most men will just look back at me, while most women will smile and return a greeting
7. This place is exploding with growth. There is construction everywhere and many are massive projects. The city of Chengdu has about 14 million people – and growing. Their first subway line opens this October
8. This is a cash society – virtually no credit. People don’t rent apartments or lease cars – they buy them outright. The government also takes back your home after 80 years, so you never really own anything
9. There are only 4 golf courses in Chengdu and fortunately my dad lives on one of them – Luxehills International. It’s also part of the pro Asian tour every year.

It’s been about a year since the hook plate & four screws were removed from my shoulder and after a recent email asking about my experience I decided it was time to provide an update on the experience and where I am today.

The surgery and recovery after my second surgery was far less painful and eventful from the first one – although apparently I tried to get up & go for a walk in my medicated sleep post-surgery and it took a few nurses to hold me down & put me back in my bed.

The scar looks like somebody used a dull knife to cut me open – but keeping in mind that the doctors cut the same spot for both surgeries, it’s not surprising that it looks uglier than you’d expect. Having said that, it’s my first scar and I like it – it adds character and provides for a good story

What i liked the most post-surgery was that my shoulder was perfectly straight, re-aligned and there was no “bump” which is common for people who have had shoulder separations. Although I’ve been told that i could have rehabbed my shoulder without surgery, the reality is that once they went in they found a muscle that was torn and wrapped around my bone and there were bone fragments from my rotators cuff. Being very active, I believe having a great surgeon gave me the best chance for a full recovery & long term mobility with my shoulder.

Within 6 weeks of my recovery i hit a golf course and everything was fine – although I had a burning sensation after the round likely from the scar tissue being torn / moved around.

Unfortunately I also noticed the next day a slight bump on my shoulder where it was straight before. This is not uncommon and it’s hard to predict when it happens… but in retrospect golfing 6 weeks after surgery may have not helped my cause. The bump now goes up & down to the point that sometimes you can barely notice it while at other times it looks like i have a goose egg poking out.

Although disappointing, i have full range of mobility and don’t feel restricted in any way in terms of day to day activities or in any of the sports I participate in.

Having said that, last summer was the worst year of golf i’ve had in 10 years. I lost 25% of my distance off the tee and with my irons and the early season erratic play never really got better. My surgeon wouldn’t clear me to hit the gym & lift weights, so what I had was a body that was out of sync and out of balance.

Finally this winter I was cleared to start lifting weights again and I joined a local gym & hired a personal trainer. Within two months I’ve lost a lot of fatty weight (about 15 pounds) and put on muscle. I’m running again and feel like i’m in the best shape in several years. Although i’ve only been to the driving range once so far this year, i’m looking forward to getting back on course in a week when my father comes in for a week long visit from his stint in China.

Having gone through two surgeries and nearly two years since the original accident would I do it over again the same way?

There is no question that the pain I experienced from the initial surgery and the discomfort I had leading up to the second surgery was like nothing i’ve ever experienced before. It was many times more painful than the actual injury and I can’t believe that what i went through qualified as day surgery.

My advice to anybody about to elect for similar surgery is that you focus a lot on pain management post-surgery and ensure you have the right plan for recovery.

One thing I learned through this process is that once the pain takes over it’s nearly impossible to get ahead of it again. I was popping T3s and Percocets like candy to try to get ahead of the pain as it felt like somebody with a knife on their heel was grinding their foot into my shoulder. I nearly put myself back in the hospital with a drug overdose as I convulsed & had extreme stomach pain one night after having one too many T3s.

Having gone through this experience also re-enforces my outlook on life. Why put off something for “later” when you can experience it now. I can save every penny I make and hope to be healthy enough to enjoy some of it in my sixties, or I can strike a balance and enjoy my life now. I do have savings and two properties – so don’t think I don’t have a long term plan, my point is just that you can’t control many events in your life so you might as well enjoy the ones you can.

With that in mind, I’m planning my next trip. Japan, Singapore, or a return ski trip to Chile this summer are all being considered.

Sustainability. Regeration. ‘Going Green.’ These are all ‘buzz’ words we here so often, but maybe less often in the ski world. But that might be on the brink of changing.

Jiminy Peak in Hancock, Massachusetts are leaders in ‘green’ technology for skiing. In August of 2007 they began powering the massive wind turbine atop their hill.

The 378 foot/115 meter windmill (that’s taller than the statue of Liberty) sits back from the resort so visitors can see it, but far enough away that the resort visitors are safe.

Here are some of the facts (thanks to Elaine Meinel Supkis of EZ Reading Money Matters for all the stats)

• The turbine will generate approximately 4,600,000 kWh and Jiminy Peak consumes approximately 7,500,000 kWh a year.
• A 1.5MW wind turbine will provide approximately 33% of the electrical demands of Jiminy Peak annually. During the winter months when the wind resource is the strongest it may provide as much as half of our electrical demand.
• It is a 1.5MW wind turbine capable of producing up to 2,000 H.P. for our snowmaking plant.
• The wind turbine will sit atop a 253 ft tower.
• The nacelle that sits on top of the structure and houses the shaft for the blades, the gearbox and the generator is approximately 13 ft wide and 13 ft tall and 26 ft long.
• Each of the 3 blades is approximately 123ft, therefore to the tip of the blade the entire structure is 386 feet tall.
• The blades will turn a maximum of 22 RPM even in high wind conditions.

 Can this be the future for Southern Ontario resorts?

Alternative energy is the future as the price of traditional energy (coal-fired plants, nuclear, and gas) become more expensive. Wind can be a future for these resorts, it always seems to be quite windy at the top of the hill! It is time for someone to look at doing an Environmental Assessment for Wind-turbines at the top of our resorts to help offset the carbon footprint.

It’s hard to believe that 2 months have passed since my last post – and so much has changed. For starters, my shoulder is healing nicely and I’m now pain free all the time. I still can’t sleep on my left shoulder, but i’m able to ski without restrictions – although it’s not strong enough to carry gates.

According to my surgeon, I’ll go back under the knife around April – or when I’m sure the ski season is done. Apparently the second surgery is pretty simple. They slice open my scar and uncork the 4 screws then slide out the hook plate.

The healing process should be fast – and apparently i’ll be swinging a golf club within a month.

I’ve already worked two level 1 courses this season and will be starting a third tonight at the North York Ski Centre. It’s a night course – so I’ll be traveling back and forth three nights this week and next. I’ve really enjoyed teaching the courses and had the opportunity to run the whole show (as a master course conductor) over the holidays at Mansfield.

I was given the opportunity to shadow part of a level 2 course over the holidays as well and hope to do more of these this season.

I knew my original season plan would change after my accident, but I’m surprised by the fact that despite everything, I’ve already been on snow about 25 days.

The other change in my season plan is that I’m no longer working at Alpine Ski Club.  I’m unable to coach and I was told they had plenty of instructors already.  I was hoping to fill in occasionally and do bell and run some sessions, but unfortunately it hasn’t worked out and I’ve become a free agent.

For the first time in years, I’m free to ski and go wherever I want.

Sasha & I just came back from a level 4 camp in Ste-Anne and I’m booking a weekend trip to Whiteface in two weeks. I’m loving this new freedom and plan on doing 2 more camps at Ste-Anne and at least one more weekend road trip.

Apparently some traveling ski clubs do upwards of 5 trips a year to Quebec, Vermont, and out West. This will definitely be something to consider for next year.

I’ve also decided not to go on the level 4 exams this year.  I’m realistic with where my abilities are at, and although I’m skiing better than I ever have right now, there are obvious gaps I need to overcome first.

I’m focused on the big prize – but I’m patient enough to wait my turn

I was first surprised by how narrow the path became in several sections and had to slow down & adjust my approach several times to avoid dangerous situations.

Unfortunately, I made one too few adjustments.

Approaching a downhill near pottery road on the DVP bike path, I noticed two mountain bikers coming in the opposite direction and taking up the entire path. They seemed distracted and oblivious to their surroundings.

I shouted ahead and applied my brakes 

Both bikers saw me and moved to the other side of the path allowing me to release my brakes and pass them on the downhill. What happened next was unexplainable – at the last second one of the mountain bikers drifted right into my path – forcing me off the bike path to avoid a head-on collision. 

Unfortunately I couldn’t regain control of my bike as I almost immediately caught a tree-branch with my right arm which sent me over my handle bars. Fortunately both my feet unclipped automatically from my pedals, but unfortunately I landed shoulder first on a boulder. 

Laying sprawled out on the pavement all I could do was curse.

My helmet was scratched, my knuckles were bleeding and I became suddenly aware that my shoulder didn’t feel quite right. 

As it turns out, I had separated my shoulder which l later found out is very different from a shoulder dislocation.

Although it doesn’t usually require surgery, i had a 19.2mm separation and the likelihood of regaining full mobility and strength would be small without surgery.

Here’s what it looked like before surgery: 

I opted for surgery and had a hook plate with 4 screws inserted into my shoulder to bring the bones back into alignment.

It’s been a few weeks since the surgery and although I’m still relatively uncomfortable and can’t yet sleep a full night, I’m seeing steady progress and have been cleared to start rehab so that I can be on Skis by early December.  

It will be a good six months before I mostly recover and at least one year before I go back under the knife to have the plate removed. 

Although the accident was completely avoidable, things could have been a lot worse and I’m thankful that I can return to a regular & active lifestyle soon. 

When I do get back on my bike and ride the roads again, you can bet that I’ll be avoiding the dual-purpose paths around the city. I’ve had too many close calls with people who walk without looking and in my specific incident, people who bike without awareness.

I’m thankful to have Sasha who has been unbelievably supportive.  She even took a week off work right after the accident to help me manage and even now after three weeks of restless nights she’s continues to be there for me. I was half expecting her to ship me out to my mother’s place after the first week of sleeping in 15 minute increments  

On the up side of the situation, I’ve been off the hook to mow the lawn, do the dishes, clean the house and take out the garbage. Maybe this recovery thing isn’t so bad after all…

Between the sun and the reflection of the sun off of the snow we subject our faces to an extreme amount of UV rays everyday we are out on the hill. And it is not just the sunny days, the cloudy days have UV rays flowing through too; between 70% and 80% of the harmful UV-A & UV-B rays pass through the clouds.

To complicate it even more the UV ray intensity actually increases as you increase in elevation, and some of the best skiing is at higher elevations. For every 1000ft (333m) you climb you increase the UV ray intensity by 4%.

What can you do to protect your skin?

Recently I started using Bethesda Sunscreen Soap.  Loaded with vitamins and minerals that your skin needs it also protects your skin with a layer of SPF 10. Using a unique vitamin formula, called ALL ONE Vitamins, the soap has many vitamins including the essentials, Vitamin A, C, and E, as well as minerals such as selenium and zinc. The four basic ingredients are Aloe Vera as an immunity booster, chlorophyll as a natural cleanser and deodorizer, Balm of Gilead to soothe and disinfect and glycerin as a hydroscopic moisturizer.

I have very sensitive skin and was careful in beginning to use the soap. I started with my hands and then tested a patch near my ears. No reactions and my skin looks and feels so much better. Unlike some other soaps that I have used on my face it doesn’t strip it of moisture and it doesn’t leave an oily feeling either.

I’ll try to remember to throw a bottle of sunscreen in my day ski this year. But at least by using the soap daily I have provided my skin healthy nutrients and a layer of defense.

Sasha & I have had an active summer with plenty of golf, cycling, and ultimate Frisbee three nights a week. We are stronger, fitter, and ready to challenge ourselves this winter on the slopes.  

Our plan is to start the season early and get at least 25 days on snow before the holidays. We start in mid-October shortly after thanksgiving when we’ll be travelling to Zermatt, Switzerland for the second time for a two week training camp on the glacier. Once again we’ll be with Sandy Gardner and his myswisstrip program. 

I’ll be taking my Level 2 coach during the first week. Sasha will join me for the second week as we both focus on training for our Level 4 CSIA. 

We’re hoping that by having a more active summer we’ll find the sweet spot on our skis sooner so that we can get the most out of the short winter in Ontario. 

I’m back on Head skis this year. I’ll have three pairs in rotation – my CHIP XRC’s from last season which are great all mountain skis, a world cup race stock Head slalom ski (but with softer bindings to make them more versatile) and a longer set of Super Shape Speed for the days that I’m skiing on bigger vertical. 

Sasha will likely be back on Atomic this year (ST 12) – although she is considering a switch back to her Lange boots. 

I’ve made some minor updates to our blog that we hope you enjoy. Specifically, we’ve added a pluggin that will make grinandbarrett.ca also a  photoblog – so you’ll be seeing weekly images from our adventures posted to our site starting this week.  

We also encourage you to follow us on Twitter. Links to both our accounts can be found on the top left navigation bar. 

The countdown to snow begins… now!

(photo: Esta Evans, Phil Barrett and Sasha Gollish  at Anik & Jeff’s wedding this summer!)

Ok – so not as cool as a storm cloud, but here is our wordle cloud for this blog:

Click on the image to see the larger version has hosted at wordle.

After another 30-50cm of fresh snow pummeled southern Ontario this past weekend, we are now up to a remarkable average base of 150cm! This is actually more than double what Tremblant is reporting in Quebec!

Over the last two weekends I’ve been teaching & course conducting a Level 1 CSIA Ski instructor course at Mount St. Louis Moonstone.  This past Sunday was exam day where students were assessed one last time on both their teaching and skiing abilities to see if they had achieved the Level 1 standard.  After a few warm up runs I decided to take the class over to the Moonstone side where we found untracked runs all around us.

Needless to say we extended our warm up a few more runs.

Feeling the tug of responsibility and being mindful of how much time we had to cover off the lessons, I brought the group over to the top of another run where I was planning to introduce an exercise to promote good fore / aft balance before heading to the beginner area to start the lessons.

What we found instead was a mogul run completely buried in snow.

Since the groomers left the moguls runs alone, we found ourselves in powder that was waist deep in some spots and at least knee deep all the way down!

We took three more runs. 

Having this much snow is mostly unheard of in Southern Ontario. I was nearly overwhelmed with flashbacks of Chile, Whistler, and Kicking Horse. It was not just a great start to our day, but an epic one that none of us will soon forget.

The excitement of the morning spilled into the group lessons where all candidates in my cell successfully passed the teaching component of their Level 1 with enthusiastic and skill based lessons… although nobody was brave enough to bring their lesson back into the powder bumps