Mental focus

Riding seems to push everything out of my usually busy mind except the one issue that is most troublesome to me. Doesn't matter what it is at the time. Relationships, work, future plans. The one issue goes to the back of my mind and I slowly pick it over. I usually come to a solution in a half a tank of fuel. Worst one ever took me 4 tanks. Nolt saying it's always the right solution looking back, but it was the right one at the time with the info I had at the time. I really don't think the one thing in the back of my mind detracts from my riding, when it gets technical I don't even hear the music I have playing.

Skiing, and riding a motorcycle have a lot in common, in that both are highly technical, involving your whole body and mind + 100% commitment to every turn you make, or a corner you take on your bike. Both skiing and riding will also punish you the minute you slack off. Few times i've cut my ride short or gone home early from the ski slope, as i didn't feel 'right'. I don't know if it's emphasized on riding course's for beginners, how important it is to be in the right 'mind set', when you throw your leg over that seat, although that goes for us old fart's as well!

Can you countersteer on skis?

Along these same lines ................... My Dad was a private pilot (he's still alive at 89, but doesn't fly any longer) and he always said:

"There are OLD pilots and there are BOLD pilots ............ but there aren't many OLD BOLD pilots".
I always think about how well this applies to bikes too. Gotta keep your head in the game.

Aussijussi , I snow ski and bike ride quite a lot. And I agree with you 100%. Riding twisties and riding skis are a lot more alike than most folks would realize.

Like others, I have some crazy, some epic, some epiphany-type thoughts going through my head when I ride. It happens all the time.

But the minute I catch myself in a stupid mistake as a result of being too involved in thought, that's when I stop, clear my head, and then continue.

My worst problem is rushing. I can't count how many times I've caught myself rushing through the prep to ride, then my mind is still in rush-mode when I leave, and I'll usually make a stupid mistake within a block or two. A quick stop, a few breaths, a mental reset, and I'm good to go.

I'm lucky in that once I get on the bike, I can switch everything else off. Riding is a 100% exercise for me, and my mind is busy watching traffic and calculating speed/distance problems. I find it very relaxing. Maybe I'm not normal......

This seems very normal, actually.

Skiing is much different:

1) No speed limits. (Aside from being courteous and not skiing like a dick close to others.)

2) Usually when you have a spectacular high speed wipe out you just clean up your yard sale, brush off the snow and get back to skiing.

3) You don't go skiing among moving multi-ton vehicles that can kill you if you're not careful.

4) Skiing and drinking is legal.

Anyone doing lot of skiing, will know the similarities with motorcycling, high speed giant slalom turn, where the gravity is doing its best to throw you off the course, reminds me of a nice high speed sweeper on one of my regular ride's

Usually yes, you'll get away with just brushing the snow off your gear, still,18 skiers got killed in Colorado alone in 2012, doesn't compare with rider fatalities of course.

Skiing and drinking is just as stupid as riding and drinking.

Plus about 1000 on this statement

I wouldn't want to ski or ride with you. Nothing personal but in both you should be using gravity to your advantage and seeing it as a friend, not enemy.

Actually it's a hell of a lot if fun if you know how to ski. Done it a zillion times and the only time I ever hurt anything skiing was a thumb when I was sober.

I don't think I ever had a ride that my head was not in.
If I do not feel well, riding helps.
I can zone out driving a car, but never had it happen on a bike.

Maybe they way you ski... You have a specatular high speed wipe out around here you hope you dont eat a tree and that your knee will still be in one piece, but I'm driving stiff gs ski's on ice.

A lapse in judgement, focus or skill in a no fall situation might as well be a semi or mis judging the snow conditions and breaking a slab off.

Gravity is always a friend and enemy no? It's a friend when you're working with it and an enemy once you loose control.

You carved GS turns on ice before or only the awesome costal pow you guys get up there?

personally i just ride faster until the thoughts go away.

In theory this should actually work as going faster is generally more engaging and requires (demands) more focus.

60 years skiing, 8 years racing as a junior, racing in masters untill 3 years ago, right knee can't take it anymore. As far as riding goes, i've done it for awhile as well, without any major come off's, minus one in '72, which wasn't my fault, lot of crashe's on dirt but who is counting.
As for drinking, been there done that too, former, or present alcoholic, last drink in '87, rode and skied drunk regularly. Nothing personal but, i am not complaining, if you wouldn't ride or ski with me.