Hello Maggots,
my name is Rob Story, and I'm a writer for SKIING Magazine. I was an editor/writer at POWDER for years, and still write for them sometimes, as well as Backcountry and Outside. Anyway, I want to describe the Maggot phenomenon in SKIING.
Could you answer a few questions?
1. How many maggots are there? Do you have a geographical concentration (like the West, etc.)
Oodles - mostly on the Coasts and in the Rockies, but we have active participants from around the globe, including South America, OZ/NZ, Japan, and both Eastern and Western Europe. None in Africa as far as I know, but that may change.
2. How'd the name maggots originate? Did it have anything to do with Powder
Magazine?
Yes.
3. Is it true you were insulted/bothered by Powdermag.com and moved to TGR afterward? What did Powdermag.com do wrong?
Not by Powmag.com in general, just some douchebag webguy they hired who chucked out most of the history (including Trip Reports w/pix) to "save space." His name was Daniel and he's a marked man.
4. What percentage or number of other maggots have you actually met face to face?
Dunno the percentage, but I have met probably 50 maggots in person over the years, some of whom are now amongst my closest friends.
5. Do you ever ski with someone you've only met online? What's that like?
Fun, but all skiing is fun. I have yet to meet a maggot I dislike.
6. How would you describe the ski ability of the average maggot?
Better than average but I get the sense that many talk a good game too.
7. Do you get a sense that online forums like this one keep skiing alive 12 mos of the year? Is that good or bad?
Works for me... gotta feed the monkey somehow.
8. What's the coolest advice/link/etc. ever shared by maggots?
Forgot who wrote it, but probably "Don't use a hammer - just slit its throat." Unfortunately for all involved it came too late.
9. How have your fellow maggots improved skiing for you?
Sure - they push me to do things I'd normally cheese out of.
10. How much more do you trust fellow maggots' opinions on gear than stuff you read in a magazine, etc?
Completely. Magazine reviewers are people I don't know, but if someone here whose ability I do know gives me feedback on gear then I trust their opinion - and their motivation, since none get paid for their opinion here.
All answers comments and even complaints are welcome.
Cheers,
Rob Story
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