The hot toes story

[Gary]

Maybe some have heard this but I wanted to share this with you all.

I had read a story in I believe Mens Health about using cayenne pepper on your toes on those cold ski days. SO....figured I'd give it a try one cold weekday; ski the morning and go into work.

So that morning before leaving the house, I went to the spice rack,found the cayenne pepper and proceeded to douse my toes with the fiery spice. Put on my traveling socks and made the 35 minute drive to the mountain.

Once there, slid on the ski socks, wiggled into the boots and snapped in the skis. 21/2 hours later I returned to the locker, wiped down and paste waxed the skis, switched socks and drove to the office.

About an hour later while sitting at my desk, I noticed my toes where quite warm, getting warmer, very warm....
holy shamoly, they were marinating. I took off my shoes and bee lined it for the mens room where I stuck my sockless foot in the sink and with soap and cool water put out the fire. My toes.....had the nicest sun tan on them since 1977, Atlantic City.

NEVER AGAIN did I try that feat....(chuckles...feat...f eet...crackn' myself up)

Interested to hear if anyone else tried the Cayenne keep your toes marinated warm advice.

Best,
Gary

[midwif]

When  i first read the heaing on this I thought it was spam!
Good story! Okay, taking cayenne pepper off the list of ;things to try while skiing.

[Gary]

NOpe....not a fettish thing...but a warm on fire toe thing. Of course Lynn, I could see how the title could be misleading.

Not to say the pepper won't work for you. They say it opens the capilaries...I would agree with that for sure.
It just the apres ski might be " put your skis in the ski rack, take off your jacket, rinse off the toes, change the socks and then sit down for a hotty toddy.

I'll tell you what, you douse your toes with the pepper, I'll bring the fire extinguiser.

G

[jim-ratliff]

Not cayenne pepper, but I have known people that have sweaty feet that use deodorant on their feet when skiing.  The feeling is that their feet sweat, then the moisture is what makes their feet begin to feel cold.

so I guess the question for Lynn (who seems to be the guinea pig of the day)  --  How sweatie, Lynnie, are your feet?

[Gary]

Yep....Mositure on the feet not good when out in the cold all day.

I mean dripping wet feet I'm sure would be a problem but with the new smart socks that move the moisture away from our baby skiinned feet, moisture on the tootsies is probably not as much as a problem as when skiers wore sweat socks.

The pepper works....but you might want to toss in some oniions and green peppers to go with that burger later.


G

[midwif]

Generally, my feet don't get too sweaty.
Gary, the thought of peppers, onions, cayenne pepper and wet, smelly smartwool ski socks apres-ski is not very appetizing. EEWWW

[Gary]

You're right Lynnn....you'd need to add in some pasta sauce.

Ok...leave out the socks.

G

[Ron]

Well if we get caught OB and we have to resort to canabalism, those cayenne feet will be so tasty! 

[jim-ratliff]

OK Ron.? I will admit that I sometimes have a somewhat bizarre sense of humor? but getting from there to cannibalism is a real stretch.? I think YOU have to schlep Gary's bags at Steamboat for this one.

Actually, any desire to go OB changed a lot last year after reading about SCSA/Heyoka's experience.? Went OB with some locals. He was on Supershapes (part of bad decision) and lost (completely) a ski, almost went in a tree well, wound up sitting in a tree with only one ski as lifts at Vail were closing.? Wasn't sure how to get down the mountain and how not to freeze to death overnight, etc.? Life altering epiphany as he described it at the time (and I think his wife was pregnant at that time as well).?

Food for thought, since we all have people that depend on us.? Made me really appreciate the presence of ski patrol in-bounds as the emergency backup (especially since I ski alone so much).

[Ron]

hmm, how about bringing a radio and not skiing OB in front side carvers??  That's a good start. I have a very bizarre sense of humor but learned the lesson that when typing on the internet, you don't know the reader and they don't know you. So much communication is visual and a perfectly harmless comment can make you Jack the Ripper...  I think you know exactly what I'm talking about!   

[jim-ratliff]

Agreed about preparation, and it ended OK.  They were Vail locals kids, they talked their liftie 'friends' into letting them ride back up after hours, and they managed to find him and get him down.

But, bottom line, skiing is still a potentially hazardous sport (remember the slide at A-Basin last year, inbounds) and I/we need to continually evaluate where I am on the risk/reward scale, and how much of a safety net I have under me.  For example, I would see cat skiing (like you and Gary are planning) as infinitely wiser that going out of bounds unsupported (like these kids were doing).

[Ron]

that's why we're going via cat!  They are very safe. They require beacons and transmitters. All ski together and each day the conditions are checked.

[Gary]

Cayenne toes and OB skiing...you got a point Ron....no bag carrying necessary....if we're lost and they're tenderizing, "guess who's coming to dinner"

Nah.....we ski inbounds unless it's well checked out.

Always try to minimize our exposure to ski another day is what I say.

G