The Power of DCSki
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johnfmh - DCSki Columnist
February 5, 2005
Member since 07/18/2001 🔗
1,992 posts
Folks:

I was given an opportunity last week to write for one of the world's most respected newspapers, The Financial Times of London, thanks to an article I wrote a while back on DCSki.

The article is about buying a condo in Slovakia--Europe's West Virginia.

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/552c6918-7692-11d9-b897-00000e2511c8.html

Interestingly enough, Slovakia is confronting a lot of the same development pressures as WV. Both place have a lot of protected land and the key issue for the future is how to better develop ski centers there without destroying the natural environment.
MangyMarmot
February 5, 2005
Member since 12/25/2002 🔗
183 posts
SWEET!!!!

Financial Times -- I love their salmon colored paper. That's a great clip!
Has your piece already run? What date?

I'll pick up a copy.

Congrats.

mm
johnfmh - DCSki Columnist
February 5, 2005
Member since 07/18/2001 🔗
1,992 posts
Quote:

SWEET!!!!

Financial Times -- I love their salmon colored paper. That's a great clip!
Has your piece already run? What date?

I'll pick up a copy.

Congrats.

mm




It's in today's issue, 5 February, Weekend Section, page 16.

Getting into FT was like a "moon shot" for me: the odds were stacked against me, but luck and some unique subject knowledge on Slovakia got me over the hump. It may never happen again, but it certainly has been fun having friends from around the world e-mailing me and saying that they saw the article.
The Colonel - DCSki Supporter 
February 5, 2005
Member since 03/5/2004 🔗
3,110 posts
Congratulations! I really enjoyed the article. In many ways it does sound like the situation currently in WV, but probably with more personal emotion and less government red tape.
I had no idea that there were major type ski areas in this part of the world.
The Colonel
langleyskier
February 5, 2005
Member since 12/7/2004 🔗
824 posts
Awesome article! How did you get to know a lot about Slovakia? Im sure its got to be really interesting to ski somewhere like there!
ski_guy_59
February 5, 2005
Member since 11/9/2001 🔗
221 posts
That's awesome John! Maybe you can get a piece in the NYT sometime?
PhysicsMan
February 6, 2005
Member since 11/20/2001 🔗
218 posts
John -

A big :thumbsup: ... congrats, bud!

Tom / PM
johnfmh - DCSki Columnist
February 6, 2005
Member since 07/18/2001 🔗
1,992 posts
Quote:

Awesome article! How did you get to know a lot about Slovakia? Im sure its got to be really interesting to ski somewhere like there!




My wife is from Slovakia, and we visit her family at least once a year. I started writing some articles about Slovakia for the English language newspaper there, The Slovak Spectator (TSS). These articles lead to a partnership with a Slovak part-time journalist and full-time engineer named Roman Millan. The two of us have co-authored some travel articles for TSS and it's travel guide, Spectacular Slovakia. We also co-author TSS's weekly snow report, so English speakers can get an idea of conditions in SK on a weekly basis:

http://www.slovakspectator.sk/clanok.asp?cl=18569

Roman is a great photographer and has a web site featuring photos of Slovak ski areas:

www.goski.sk

Go to the "Zima" images, which means cold in Slovak. The "akcie" shots are of an 18 year old Slovak extreme skier named Andrej Matyá, who is sponsored by HEAD.

With hope, I'll be skiing Jasna with Roman and maybe Andrej as well in a few weeks and will write something about the experience for DCSki. Jasna's back bowls currently have over 300 cms of snow.


Last summer, Roman spent a week with us in DC and we took him hiking and mountain biking in WV. The highlight of his trip was seeing Blackwater Canyon in Fall Colors on a mountain bike. It reminded him of home, except there were no castles.
skiTLINE
February 7, 2005
Member since 12/15/2004 🔗
230 posts
John
I just wanted to congratulate you on this accomplishment. This is a quite impressive feat for a yank from abroad Nice job man. Drinks on you at Timbers Pub Presidents Day weekend.
queenoftheslopes
February 7, 2005
Member since 11/15/2004 🔗
143 posts
Hey, congratulations! I spent a summer in Slovakia about 8 years ago, and spent some time hiking in the Tatras. I kept thinking how I would love to go back there in the winter and go skiing!
JohnL
February 7, 2005
Member since 01/6/2000 🔗
3,563 posts
Way to go John!

Getting an article in The Financial Times is quite an achievement for a writer. Your article was a great read.
tromano
February 7, 2005
Member since 12/19/2002 🔗
998 posts
John,

Good for you. Your artilce was very well written and I think appropriate for a finaincial type of paper. Unfortuantly i don't know much about the FT or other foriegn papers. Anyway thanks for the link. It was a great read, Excellent work! But I have to ask... Where was the shameless plug for DCSki?
johnfmh - DCSki Columnist
February 7, 2005
Member since 07/18/2001 🔗
1,992 posts
Tromano:

Do you drive a 4-runner with a Mad River Glen sticker? If so, I think I've seen your vehicle in my "hood."

Cheers,

JDS
tromano
February 7, 2005
Member since 12/19/2002 🔗
998 posts
Quote:

Tromano:

Do you drive a 4-runner with a Mad River Glen sticker? If so, I think I've seen your vehicle in my "hood."

Cheers,

JDS




John,

Nope, guess again.

I remeber that we live the same zip code. Actually I drive a white compact car, a Suzuki Aerio. I don't think it has any identifying marks except its the only one in the area of that make and color. I usually park on Euclid or up on Crescent. If it winds up vandalized tomorrow I will know who to blame. I live on 16th and Kalorama. Email me at timr at gwu.edu if you would like to meet up.

Ski and Tell

Snowcat got your tongue?

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