Cross Country Skiing

[Catrin]

Bump.
Just booked a weekend up in Franconia next weekend. I've seen enough pictures from various nordic centers to make me crazy! Not a ton of snow, but enough. Will ski at Bretton Woods and either Bear Notch or Waterville Valley.
So excited!!!

Sounds very interesting! Will this be on tracks or on open ground? Unsure how to define the difference, I've become interested in the different types of XC skiing.

[Crankin]

I think you mean are the places groomed nordic centers or just conservation land trails in the woods. The answer is #1. Bretton Woods Nordic Center is at the base of Mt. Washington, across the street from their huge alpine ski area. It is diverse, lots of trails, a variety of terrain, and well groomed. There are tracks and wide areas for skate skiing and climbing/descending on almost all of the trails. You can also connect to some state owned trails from here, too. Sometimes we ski from Bretton Woods over to the Highland center, which is an AMC lodge, eat lunch there, and ski back. Some of this is over less groomed trails. But, that won't be happening next weekend, as it's an 11 mile ski. Not for a first ski of the season. Bear Notch is a tiny ski area near there, that is at an elevation that always has snow on the more advanced trails. It is very bare bones, in terms of the nordic center (though awesome homemade bread and soup), but also excellent grooming. Waterville Valley is on the way home from Franconia, so it is also a choice. It has a huge nordic trail system. I have only been there once; not so many b and bs there, as it's mostly set up for the alpine skiers, with condos, etc. We also just were reminded of a new area, near our inn, that just opened last year. So, we could also go there on Sunday.
I have skied enough on conservation land trails to know it's not my favorite thing. I don't hate it, though. I am just spoiled. I would like slightly different (wider) skis for skiing on ungroomed territory; back country skis. But, I can't let myself get into the n+1 thing with skis! And, I would like new snow shoes first.

[Catrin]

Sounds wonderful Crankin! From what I can tell if I want to XC around here, it will simply be on trails in the woods in several local parts. Obviously I'm not about to try it until this little neck "glitch" is settled, but it really does sound like fun! Do let us know how it goes, and if you have any pictures share those as well. So thankful I can at least live vicariously though all of you right now

[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.

[Irulan]

We are learning to skate ski- the learning curve is BRUTAL! I totally sucked for the first lesson, too. I hear everything from "10 times" to 20-30 hours to get the hang of it. I'm progressing slowly. DH is picking it up really quick. We go up a couple of times a week and practice. That's the only way I'll get it.

[Catrin]

Good advice Crankin. Hopefully my neck will be in condition to try something next season, time will tell. I am quite good at learning things on my own...along with the bad habits that come along with that. Hopefully I will be able to find a location in Indiana where I can take a lesson or two without having to purchase equipment first. Anyway, I'm enjoying reading the discussion.

[Irulan]

Many places offer lesson rental packages. XC skiing is a sport where you do want lessons. Our nordic club has 2 hour lessons for $30...what's not to love about that?

[lph]

OMG, skiing under a full moon through snowladen trees is possibly one of the most magical experiences possible these days. Still on a buzz after last nights outing :-) <3

[Crankin]

That sounds awesome, lph.
The only time I've been skiing at night was many, many years ago, when I went alone to the local nordic area, where they have lantern lit skiing on one of the loops 2 nights a week. The lighting was such that I could barely see, and I discovered that the night skiing was like a singles bar!! All the singles from Boston came out to the country for this. I was only in my 30s at the time, but felt so out of place, that I escaped to the health club where I taught, showered, and ate dinner at a restaurant! I had paid for a babysitter, and I needed to get my money's worth.
But I would love to ski under the moonlight.

[Crankin]

Skied at Bretton Woods yesterday. A balmy 10 degrees at the start! There was a race going on, so we had to avoid 2 trails that we often take. So, we started off climbing Coronary Hills. About 4K of that. Got to the yurt, had a snack, then planned a nice descent. Well, they are doing logging, so there were some cross trails that we had to gingerly step over. Then, boom! The trail became ungroomed. It wasn't roped off, and others had made tracks, but it was really hard. There were steep drop offs, ice, debris/trees, and random holes in the snow. DH fell a lot, as he was going a bit fast. But, we made it to the next section and had a decent long downhill. After that, I was descending a small hill and I avoided some ice, but fell after that. It is rare that this happens, but I was exhausted from the "backcountry" experience earlier.
At least I didn't fall in front of the race officials who were near this point.
Not sure how far we skied, but I think around 12k.

[Crankin]

The skiing yesterday was 13K.
Today we left for Bear Notch, which is north of where we were, a little bit. It was 14 when we left Franconia and 33 when we got to Bear Notch. The sun was shining, and I knew I was overdressed. But, I unzipped and dealt with the too heavy base layer and jacket.
Bear Notch is a small, family run place that seems like it is back in the 70s. The grooming is great and they often have more snow than other places. Today was no exception. The only negative is the trails are not marked as well as they could be; we've been there before, but after climbing a long time, we headed down, and when we knew we were near the center, we couldn't get there from where we were, because there was a river, with no crossing. So, we skied out to the road, and walked just a teeny bit back. We had a trail map, too, but the trails didn't have names, just numbers, and the signs weren't plentiful!
There was hardly anyone on the trails where we were. A few more across the street, on the easier trails. We suspected the football game kept most people home. I think we skied about 8K-10K today. I was really hurting when I woke up, but felt pretty good today. But, we were tired. DH hit something on a descent and crashed, so we decided to stop while we were ahead! A good first ski of the year.

[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.