Cross Country Skiing

[lph]

Enjoy yourself Crankin! Skiing is awesome here now, we have snow and proper cold weather, clear and beautiful. I've been out skiing five times in the last seven days :-D

[Crankin]

Catrin, I don't want you to think that you can't enjoy yourself on trails in the woods. I did a lot of that when I first got back to the sport, in 2005. But, I would suggest that if you do get into next year, go somewhere where you can take a lesson. You can get out there and move without this, but from experience, you start developing bad habits. I took 2 lessons, in the early 90s, when the rest of my family was downhill skiing. The most important thing I learned was how to get up from a fall, with those long, skinny skis attached! Also, learning the basic technique for climbing and descending, too is something that is good to have someone show you.
Last winter, when we went out to the Methow Valley, WA, we both took a skate ski lesson. We both failed! Our trip leader, who arranged the lesson with a friend of hers, was surprised, based on what she saw us do the day before, on the classic skis. It's what a lot of the serious cyclists do here, for winter training, but believe me, you get enough training doing classic x country skiing. There seemed to be too much to think about, technique, almost like mountain biking, but worse. I did better than DH, but I just couldn't see doing things like climbing or descending on skate skis, and I am pretty good at those things on the classics. What I am trying to say, is that there is something for everyone in this sport.