Hi and thank you all for your welcome, kind and warm. I am gradually exploring this site and indeed there is a lot that I can learn. So much has evolved in these last ten years, and so many knowledgeable people here! I think that my ski season is finished for now: high temperatures, rain most days, most places closing. However, I managed to ski 30 days, not bad, eh? As Dakine said, I also experienced “incredibile joy”, and this is no little thing at our age. I think that my new gear, softer boots, lighter and less “pretentious” skis, were contributing a lot to making everything easier and more enjoyable.
Blossom Skis: they changed the name, but they come from the same small laboratory that many (v many) years ago produced the Persenico/ Spalding skis for the Italian team of the 70’s (Thöni, Gros, Stricker, etc.). Until few years ago, it was the same man, a Mr. Panatti, (actually the coach of the speed disciplines at that time) who designed the skis, always with the traditional wood sandwich, all artisanal. Always based on his experience rather than computers.
Cheers!