Cross Country Skiing

[Zen]

Here's a picture from yesterday.

What is around your waist and where are your poles?

[Crankin]

Those are waist packs/bottle holders. I hate skiing with a Camelbak and despite the fact I have the "winter" cover on the hose, it still freezes. The waist pack allows me to have plenty of liquid and room for different gloves, hats, etc., especially at this time of year when I often start layering down after 10 minutes!
Poles were stuck in the snow off to the side. It was a rare moment when someone else up there spontaneously offered to take our picture.

[Zen]

Poles were stuck in the snow off to the side.

I thought maybe you were so good you didn't need them

[Cataboo]

R wouldn't give me my poles a couple weeks ago when we got a couple inches of snow and I was going around a high school track trying to figure out how to use my cross country skis.... His rational was without ski poles to push off with, I'd actually learn the correct leg motions and glide...

I spent a lot of time demanding my ski poles and cussing at him. But it was possible to go around without them.

[Bron]

That´s exactly what we were made to do when we took some coaching. It really helps so we try to do a bit without poles in each training session.

[Crankin]

Yea, that wouldn't be me, Zen...
I could probably go on the flats without the poles, at least for awhile. But I use those suckers climbing a lot and once in awhile to slow me down on a descent. I seem to be able to not freak out when descending on skis as opposed to a bike!
Deb, I am amazed there was powder at Notchview. Perhaps I will get there this weekend. I plan to be at Great Brook tomorrow at 9 AM! (Just had a very slow drive home from Lowell in the storm and I am definitely not going to class tonight). I seem to be obsessed with skiing the way I was with cycling at one point. I think it's because I hardly get to do it. It's definitely not that I am so good at it.

[DebW]

Crankin, how was Great Brook yesterday morning? I skied this morning near my house, on the bike path and the Reformatory Branch. Snow kind of thin and crusty. After today's heat it will probably not be skiable at all. I hope to go to Windblown Saturday.