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Ski Trip from hell!



 
 
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  #11  
Old November 10th 03, 05:10 PM
helloblondie
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Default Ski Trip from hell!

Ouch! £200! 4 a bit of chain. thx 4 link ian they're a lot cheater than bmw.

"Ian Spare" wrote in message
...
On 10/11/2003 17:22, in article
, "helloblondie"
wrote:

Thx steve, the family will be fine when they get over the fact we're not
going to whistler this year.
I guess lots of people do drive so thx 4 the advice, i'm definitely

getting
snow chains but which?


Depends how much you think you'll need them or how long you keep the car.

If
you think it's worth the investment then the best I ever had were Rud
centrax like these:


http://www.snowchainwarehouse.co.uk/...d_comfort_cent
rax_snow_chains.htm



Ads
  #12  
Old November 10th 03, 05:14 PM
helloblondie
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Default Ski Trip from hell!

i will have 2 get 'em over here i think as my car has sport = no suspension
= little wheel clearance. looked on link think i've found what i'm looking 4
tho'.

"Steve Haigh" wrote in message
...
I'm sure there are fancy expensive brands and cheaper non-branded types,
I don't know the difference and so I just go for the cheapest in the
shop, BUT always go for the type that can be fitted without moving the
car - they go by various names but it should be clear from the box that
they can go on without moving the car. They have a fairly stiff cable
loop which you un-clip, feed around the back of the wheel end then
rejoin the ends. The chains then hook up around the front of the wheel
where you can see them, and there is a pulley and ratchet to tighten them.

It all sounds very complicated but it really isn't. There is a nice
animation of what I mean at


http://www.snowchainwarehouse.co.uk/...ud_compact_gri
p_snow_chains.htm

I have never bought them in the UK before, I've only ever bought them on
the way down in a Hypermarche, never had any difficulty finding them and
I think they are a fair bit cheaper. There are also a lot on eBay so you
may pick up a bargain there [I just did!]. If you have very low
clearance or very wide / large tyres yo may want to get them before you
go as they could be harder to find.

Steve



helloblondie wrote:
Thx steve, the family will be fine when they get over the fact we're not
going to whistler this year.
I guess lots of people do drive so thx 4 the advice, i'm definitely

getting
snow chains but which?
Bash



"Steve Haigh" wrote in message
...

helloblondie wrote:

Hi all

Taking family skiing this yr. Looking forward except 4 trip - i decided


to

drive! I enjoy driving so it seemed like a good idea at time. Now i am
wondering a) r my young family up 2 it ? b) can i cope with the


inevitable

quarrelling and crying (me!) and c) can my 2 wheel drive car cope? time


will

tell.

Anyone have some good, useful tips on how to survive a 1k Km road trip


from

Kingston, SW London to Meribel, France with 2 children who love each


others

company provide its for no longer than 5 mins, a wife who gets travel


sick

looking at a car and in a car which coped badly with a little London


snow

last year.

Seriously though any seasoned alpine nomads with advice on taking

family
skiing, pass on some of ur (positive) experiences plz.

Bash



Can't help you with the family or the travel sickness, but I can
reassure you that 2 wheel drive is fine. You'll need snow chains, but in
my experience in many different cars and vans you can get up any road
that is open provided you have chains and just take your time. The
biggest problem is the gits without chains who may get in your way.







  #13  
Old November 10th 03, 05:38 PM
Steve Haigh
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Posts: n/a
Default Ski Trip from hell!

helloblondie wrote:
i will have 2 get 'em over here i think as my car has sport = no suspension
= little wheel clearance. looked on link think i've found what i'm looking 4
tho'.


In that case you may well be better off getting a decent set, cheaper
chains will work just as well with regard to gripping the road but you
will want a guarentee that they won't damage you car. If you have
"normal" clearance there is not much risk, but with more sporty models
you want to be sure that the chain won't catch, especially at full lock.
I doubt the supermarket brands offer any guarentee.

  #14  
Old November 10th 03, 05:43 PM
helloblondie
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Ski Trip from hell!

"full lock" does that mean u need them on the front wheels as well?



"Steve Haigh" wrote in message
...
helloblondie wrote:
i will have 2 get 'em over here i think as my car has sport = no

suspension
= little wheel clearance. looked on link think i've found what i'm

looking 4
tho'.


In that case you may well be better off getting a decent set, cheaper
chains will work just as well with regard to gripping the road but you
will want a guarentee that they won't damage you car. If you have
"normal" clearance there is not much risk, but with more sporty models
you want to be sure that the chain won't catch, especially at full lock.
I doubt the supermarket brands offer any guarentee.



  #15  
Old November 10th 03, 06:24 PM
no-one
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Ski Trip from hell!

hehe, well theres no point having grip on only the rear wheels of a front
drive car, as the wheels are simply being dragged around, you need chains on
the power wheels.

"helloblondie" wrote in message
...
"full lock" does that mean u need them on the front wheels as well?



"Steve Haigh" wrote in message
...
helloblondie wrote:
i will have 2 get 'em over here i think as my car has sport = no

suspension
= little wheel clearance. looked on link think i've found what i'm

looking 4
tho'.


In that case you may well be better off getting a decent set, cheaper
chains will work just as well with regard to gripping the road but you
will want a guarentee that they won't damage you car. If you have
"normal" clearance there is not much risk, but with more sporty models
you want to be sure that the chain won't catch, especially at full lock.
I doubt the supermarket brands offer any guarentee.





  #16  
Old November 10th 03, 06:29 PM
Ace
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Ski Trip from hell!

On Mon, 10 Nov 2003 17:43:29 -0000, "helloblondie"
wrote:

chains

"full lock" does that mean u need them on the front wheels as well?


They'll go on the driven wheels, whichever they are.

--
Ace (bruce dot rogers at roche dot com)
Ski Club of Great Britain - http://www.skiclub.co.uk
All opinions expressed are personal and in no way represent those of the Ski Club.
  #17  
Old November 10th 03, 06:49 PM
The Older Gentleman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Ski Trip from hell!

helloblondie wrote:

Hi all

Taking family skiing this yr. Looking forward except 4 trip - i decided to
drive! I enjoy driving so it seemed like a good idea at time. Now i am
wondering a) r my young family up 2 it ? b) can i cope with the inevitable
quarrelling and crying (me!) and c) can my 2 wheel drive car cope? time will
tell.

Anyone have some good, useful tips on how to survive a 1k Km road trip from
Kingston, SW London to Meribel, France with 2 children who love each others
company provide its for no longer than 5 mins, a wife who gets travel sick
looking at a car and in a car which coped badly with a little London snow
last year.

Seriously though any seasoned alpine nomads with advice on taking family
skiing, pass on some of ur (positive) experiences plz.

I wouldn't worry about the 2wd car, but take snow chains.

For the kids - stop in a hotel overnight. This is a must. If you're
travelling on a Sunday, make it a Campanile - many French hotels close
their restaurants on Sunday nights, but the Campanile chain doesn't. And
they do excellent buffet breakfasts, which the kids will love.

When my two were smaller, I used to take a big bag of sweeties and dole
out one each every time they saw (for example) a red lorry. That kept
them attentive, and not arguing, for hours.


--
Trophy 1200 750SS CB400F GN250 CD200 ST70 YTC#3
GAGARPHOF#30 GHPOTHUF#1 IHABWTJ#1 BOTAFOT#60 ANORAK#06
BOF#30 WUSS#5 "Worse than Timo" - Official
  #18  
Old November 10th 03, 07:12 PM
helloblondie
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Ski Trip from hell!

thx, that's what i thought, i have a rear wheel drive car. Also do u drive
with all the driving aids on or off? When i was driving up 'untreated' hills
in London during freak snow in january i seemed to do better with aids off.
Or will this just not be an issue with snow chains? by driving aids i mean
traction control, dynamic stability control etc.


"Ace" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 10 Nov 2003 17:43:29 -0000, "helloblondie"
wrote:

chains

"full lock" does that mean u need them on the front wheels as well?


They'll go on the driven wheels, whichever they are.

--
Ace (bruce dot rogers at roche dot com)
Ski Club of Great Britain - http://www.skiclub.co.uk
All opinions expressed are personal and in no way represent those of the

Ski Club.


  #19  
Old November 10th 03, 07:21 PM
Ian Spare
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Ski Trip from hell!

On Mon, 10 Nov 2003 19:12:28 -0000, "helloblondie"
wrote:

thx, that's what i thought, i have a rear wheel drive car. Also do u drive
with all the driving aids on or off? When i was driving up 'untreated' hills
in London during freak snow in january i seemed to do better with aids off.
Or will this just not be an issue with snow chains? by driving aids i mean
traction control, dynamic stability control etc.


depends on the car, as a rule they need to be off for snow/ice, the
manual of the car will provide some advice maybe. Failing that the
manufacturer tends to have a tech advice hotline who might be helpful.


--
Yeah, because you never know when the value of 2^15 will change and
you have to go through all your code fixing it.
-- Paul Tomblin
  #20  
Old November 10th 03, 09:27 PM
Schneck
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Ski Trip from hell!

"helloblondie" wrote in message
...
Hi all


Hi!

Right, here's someone who's done it... with a travel scared girlfriend and a
hyper active 5 year old!! LOL!! And I'm doing it all again in january??? I
need my head reading!!

1. Leave the day before you're due to arrive in resort.
2. Get a morning ferry from Dover to Calais... about 10am is fine.
3. Drive PAST Paris!! That place is not for the faint hearted on the roads!!
Stop around 7 or 8 pm at a hotel. Campanile's, as someone has suggested are
pretty good.
4. Leisurely breakfast in the morning and leave around 11. You'll get to
Meribel around mid to late afternoon. After Paris the roads are wonderfully
quiet!
5. Check in the hotel around 5 (usually), eat, chill and get drunk!

As for two wheel drive... don't worry about it. It's motorway all the way
from Calais to Moutiers, the main town you come off at to get to Meribel and
the 3 Vallees. The hills from Moutiers up to Meribel are steep, but not
overly so. Meribel/Mottaret tends to keep it's roads clear of snow and ice
so except for the odd patch, you should be OK. Take snow chains and stuff
anyway, though! You never know when you might need them.

The kids are a little more difficult but I wouldn't worry. A trip that long
tends to put them to sleep more than anything. When they wake up, there are
still things you can do... aside from drugs or heavy objects about the head,
of course! LOL! A freind I have has a laptop with a DVD player... plays
DVD's for them all the way down. With this hyperactive 5 year old I had with
me, between decent music on the radio (he liked The Hives, Beastie Boys,
Limp Bizkit and Steppenwolf!!! Cool!!!), travel games, sweets, toilet stops,
and the ubiquitous "Are we there yet?" (replaced in this case with "Are we
at the big boat, yet?" in reference to P&O's finest!) he was less than
bored.

Make sure you have plenty of drinks. Car air can be a bit dry on kids. And
take frequent breaks. Every 2 hours or so is ample.

The last trip I did was Calais to Biarritz. It's a little further than
Meribel, but again, all motorway. On my own, I'd have done it in 9 hours.
With a kid, we did it in about 12 or so. Changed driver every now and then,
coffee and the odd bite of food. Sorted.

One last tip... get an in-car fridge! We got one and it was fantastic! Cold
drinks and sarnies all the way down. Saved a bit of dosh on food, too. But
the food at the motorway cafes is pretty good. The French like good food and
belive me, they throw a strop if they get crap! As a result, the cafes are
not like the rubbish we have here... Road Chef my arse!!

After all that, enjoy it! You'll drive on some really nice roads through
some lovely countryside. I can't wait to do it again!

Have a good'un,

Schneck



 




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