Cross Country Skiing

[Crankin]

OK, here's my report. As I drove to the nordic center, I realized I maybe should have applied Glide on my skis, as it was 32 out already. But, I didn't go back and hoped for the best. Got there about 40 minutes after opening and they were still plowing the large lot. Got my pass and off I went. I do the same 10k loop every time I go to this place.
Scenery was outstanding, but the conditions were weird. There didn't seem to be as much snow on the trails/woods as I thought, maybe because the storm started out as wet snow, then turned to powder. Gliding in the tracks was fine, so it wasn't sticky like do an endo sticky, but when I went to ski downhill (hills are smaller here), it was like I couldn't turn my skis, they were sticking, which made for some awkward descents. Skiing on the corduroy on flats was OK, too, but there were a lot of dumps of blown snow in the middle of the trails, as the wind was gusting about every 5-10 minutes. So, that was interfering with descending, too. The downhills at this place often have moguls from the rocks or just natural variations in the land, but when there is a lot of snow, it doesn't make a difference. For all of the powder we had, these bumps were quite noticeable. Anyway, the hardest trail was open, so I climbed up it with no issue, hardly had to herringbone. Right before the final short, curvy, and steep descent, there's another very short curvy descent and I kind of fell there, as my ski got caught in a snow pile and I just couldn't turn. I wasn't splayed out on the trail, though, kind of on my bum, so I got up quickly, there was a couple behind me, but they had slowed, so they didn't see it! I skied a little bit extra on a loop right near the end, so I did about 10.5K
When I got back, it was *mobbed.* Lots of fit moms with very young kids and lots of teens, as a lot of districts are closed today. I saw a friend who was just starting out when I left, but I declined to go out with her and her group again, as the conditions were deteriorating.
The parking lot was a pile of slushy mud. Ugh. I leaned my skis against the car and they fell in it. Oh well, they dried by the time I got home.