Cross Country Skiing

[lph]

Sounds good, Crankin. The first skis of the season often feel a bit awkward to me, it takes a few trips for especially my hips (hip flexor?) to remember what that odd motion is and how to avoid overstraining it.
I've been in a groove for the last two weeks because we've had proper cold and decent snow, with white trees and all, but we knew it wouldn't last. Tonight the temps will rise above freezing and tomorrow it's going to rain :@ so I'm squeezing in one more session tonight. Cloudy, so no moonlight skiing this time. But it could be weeks until good conditions in my backyard woods again.

[zoom-zoom]

Sounds good, Crankin. The first skis of the season often feel a bit awkward to me, it takes a few trips for especially my hips (hip flexor?) to remember what that odd motion is and how to avoid overstraining it.

Between Fri. and Sun. my kid and I skied 8 miles. What hurt worst on me was my groin/inner thigh muscles. DH skied with us on Fri and that's where he felt it, too. Granted, everything has become pretty icy (and now it's raining and no real wintery weather in the extended forecast, so it could be a while before we are able to XC, unfortunately. What a weird Winter here in the snowbelt), so it made keeping the skis going forward a bit tough in a lot of areas.

The rugrat has taken to XC skiing like nothing else. He was bombing down hills...total shocker, since he tends to be very cautious and risk-averse. We couldn't keep up with him...and this kid is a total couch potato who shuns exertion (even though he's built like an elite endurance athlete...all lanky arms and legs and massive ribcage). He was hollering "this is the best sport ever" and trying to bunny hop (unsuccessfully). My MIL has been wanting to take him downhill skiing, but we never encouraged it, thinking he'd be too out of his element to have any fun. But now we're rethinking that entirely. Given how he behaved on XC skis, I suspect he may take to downhill like a duck does to water.

[Crankin]

Oh yeah, my groin is toast. Better today, though, after lots of stretching, Power class yesterday, and the foam roller.
Rest day today. We will be having snow showers/rain on Friday and it's going to be in the 30s-40s next few days. Perhaps it will be cooler and all snow at the touring center that's about an hour away. It is at elevation, so it is possible. But, this winter is turning out crappy for skiing. I may actually go on the group ride if the roads aren't too bad tomorrow.

[lph]

Yup. Trying hard to hang on to that feeling now that we have wind, rain and high temps and all the snow has fallen off the trees and turned to slush...:-(
Zoomzoom, that's so cool that your kid likes skiing! Skinny little kids can be amazingly good at it with a little basic technique, I have clumps of preteens blasting by me on a regular basis on my evening outings.

[Crankin]

Bumping this thread up, since it's becoming more of a topic in the cycling thread.
And.... we are getting snow! Not so much here, but lots of it in the White Mountains, where I am headed on Friday morning. Like at least a foot, maybe more. So excited, and now don't feel guilty about not riding outside for the last 3 weeks.
For once, I planned a trip and the conditions will be stellar.

[north woods gal]

Ha! Didn't even know we had a ski thread, here, or I wouldn't have cluttered up the bicycling thread, though in my defense, I sometimes ski and bike on the same days.

Yup, heard about the blizzard headed your way, Crankin. I'd also take snowshoes if you hit a foot of snow. Have fun.

[Crankin]

It is snowing like hell up north and we did not have a flake. Saw some snow showers at noon, and now torrential rain. However, about 10 miles northwest of my house, it's snowing. Just looked at the camera feed from Bretton Woods and it is all white.
Our plan is to drive up in the AM and try out a new nordic center that opened last year. Our friends have been there and report stellar trails, wide, one way, with good climbing. We'll get our ski legs back and then head to the inn.
We always bring snow shoes, though I am a bit nervous about heading out in the National Forest trails with DH.... despite our tracking devices, it is not a place one would want to be lost. We can either snow shoe at nordic center trails with separate snow shoe trails, or climb up Mt Willard, which is a small mountain, with a great view, and a start by the AMC Highland Center, where we can eat and buy gear.

[north woods gal]

Me, I might try the Nordic center trails, just because I so rarely get to ski with anyone around or have company. Just something different for a change, but would probably head out into the boonies before too long.

My trails are still to ice covered to be safe. When you slide sideways on your skis as much as forward, it's time for the snowshoes with teeth. My Crescent Moon Back Country shoes are perfect.