Cross Country Skiing

[Zen]

Tonight we went skijoring. We only crashed horribly once. It's a lot of fun, but can result in pileups.

Whoa! That's like skitching! What was pulling you?

I went out tonight and tried to blaze a trail but it's snowed about 6 inches since then. The skis kept me on top of the snow so the effect was more like snowshoeing but my poles sank way down so they weren't ski poles, they were ski canes

[Crankin]

Yay, the snow is coming here! About ten inches, I would say. We have planned a ski weekend for Valentine's Day; it will be local, but after being in VT. last weekend, I am motivated. Probably will go out to Northfield Mountain in western MA on Sunday and do our local touring center on Saturday. DH went to REI and bought new skis and boots yesterday. He is so frustrated that this sport is so hard for him. Anyway, he decided on skis that are called back country, but they are skinny enough for the tracks, have metal edges that are a bit thicker than on the skis we have, and most importantly, are shorter. They had stopped making the type of bindings he had, hence, the new boots.
I am going to get new skis, too, because mine are so long, they seem like trees. I will probably go to one of the local LBS, which also sells x country stuff in the winter. They have skis I want and I don't need new boots. Plus, I get a discount there, since my son worked there at one point.

[DebW]

I just got myself a new pair of skis - my first waxless ones. I've been skiing at a commercial area this year and the snow was so crusty and variable that wax wasn't the best. Now I've got 3 pair of skis: old waxable 195s, newer waxable 180s with metal edges and lots of sidecut (good for tele turns on easy terrain), and waxless 185s with metal edges (narrow enough for groomed areas, wide enough for backcountry). So bring on the snow!

[Mr. SR500]

Anyone have set they would like to sell. Looking for something to play around with. I'm about 6', 190 lbs, size 9 shoe. I don't really have a clue what to look for?

[roadie gal]

I took lesson 2 out of 4 in my women's skate ski clinic today. We worked a LOT on balance, my particular Achilles Heel, and learned V2. I'd been trying to figure V2 out on my own, but failed miserably. Well, it's all about the timing. Amazing! I actually was able to do it by the end of the lesson. Way cool!

[Skierchickie]

Whoa! That's like skitching! What was pulling you?

My dog! That's what skijoring is - skiing with a dog attached to you. There is bikejoring too, but that looks way too scary to me (for me AND for my dog).

Here's a website with some video from a recent local race. There is other stuff there, too, but you can see which has the dogs in it. I didn't go - thought about it, but decided to do a long ski that day, instead (yes, I chickened out)

http://www.doe.mtu.edu/photos/ski/index.html

What is skitching?

[Crankin]

The snow never arrived.....

[Zen]

Wow, those people are good! I can see me being pulled along on my ask, skis akimbo.

Crankin, you really don't want all this anyway.

[Skierchickie]

I can see me being pulled along on my ask, skis akimbo.

Yeah - yesterday we were flying along, I had just hopped in the tracks on a long, slight downhill grade, and Zoe decided to stop suddenly to check out a scent. I kept going, trying frantically to stop. I fell, and she yelped pretty good when the line went taut again, but she was fine, and picked right up where she left off.

Oh - the other option: our first time out this season, she suddenly headed across in front of me, left to right, into the deep snow. She stopped, but crossed back behind me, then in front of me,.... By the time I reeled her in, my arms and poles were pinned to my sides, and I could just wiggle my hands.

Oh - and there was the time I foolishly made her wait so some friends could ski on ahead. When I finally told her to go, she yanked me right off my feet. I mean, from standing to faceplant in 0.01 seconds.

Poor Crankin.... Clearly, you DO want all that!

[Crankin]

Yes, and I will drive to find some. I bought new skis tonight! Fischer S Bound Silent Spiders. I decided to keep the same boots, since they are in good shape and my feet are so sensitive, I don't want to mess with what works. The skis are shorter, which is my main concern.
Hopefully, I will find snow somewhere.

[Crankin]

I guess everyone else is riding???

We went to Windblown, in NH today. The place is amazing. There is absolutely no snow on the ground here and not much up by them, either, but almost all of there trails are open. We got there at 10:30 and the parking lot was already filling up. My new skis are awesome! So light. I can climb in the tracks much easier and also climb without having to herringbone as much. They feel different on the downhill and for a bit I had to get used to the shorter skis=less edges, but by the afternoon, I was set.
The temperature got up to about 35 degrees. That's just about at the edge of being too warm. We skied about 11k. DH is very happy with his new stuff, too, and he definitely could go faster. It's supposed to snow a little on Tuesday, so I am hoping to go to the local touring center Wednesday. We'll see...