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  1. #571
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    The glorious Michigan U.P.
    Posts
    25

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    I haven't weighed in here in a long time - currently spending too much time skiing (when not at work, of course). Our snow was late this year - my first ski day was December 2nd, and that was on rocks and dirt, but after a week we started getting hit hard with snow, and the real grooming started. There was about a week of 30+ temps, when we lost a bunch of snow, but it never ruined the skiing. I've missed a total of 6 days: 2 for a December blizzard, 2 in January (one of those because I needed a rest day, and needed to rake snow off the garage roof), and 2 last week because I was sick. So I added it up last night (I've been tracking it as I go, and keeping weekly & monthly totals), and I have 1107 km in so far for the season. That may be my best ever at this point of the season, in about 42 years of skiing! Fortunately, DH is very supportive, and has only grumbled a little a couple of times - generally after he spent a bunch of time moving snow while I was out playing.

    I also had my best race in about 20 years 2 weeks ago! So I am really happy with this winter! Well over 200" of snow so far in the Keweenaw.

  2. #572
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    We have snow! The first real snow since 2015. I have the next 3 weekends planned for skiing, local and in NH and VT. Plus, I may get at least 2 weekday skis in.
    Very happy and will report back tomorrow, after our ski at Windblown.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
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    2011 Guru Praemio
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  3. #573
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    Awesome ski at Windblown today. We got up to mid point of the "Open Slope," and skied down, which was great, because it was all powder. This is a trail/mountain that could easily be a downhill ski run. I don't think I will ever get further than I have, as the downhill is black diamond further up, and while I can ski black trails in most places, not here! We got there at 9:40 and it was quiet, but by the time we came in for lunch, it was busy. A cloudy day, and colder that I thought it would be, but I had brought an extra vest, which I wore for the morning. The only bad thing was, I lost one of my fleece gloves. Thankfully, I had brought another pair, which is unusual.
    Tomorrow, we will get up and go to Great Brook Farm, our local x country center. We can ski the 10K outer loop and get a good workout, and then hunker down, as we have another 12-18 inches coming. Maybe no work Monday?
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
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    2011 Guru Praemio
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    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

  4. #574
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    north woods of Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,110
    Have been seeing the new reports on those storms you've been getting. Wow! Looks like you're set for skiing for a good long while.

  5. #575
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    Yes! It was lightly snowing/flurries when we left to ski this morning. But, when we got to the trails, it stopped. On and off flurries as we skied. Sunday is truly a busier day for touring centers, but we got there at 9:15 and skied super fast for the first half, where we tend to see more people. DH was behind me, and I like to say I am paying him back for the summer on the bike! Got to the "climbing" section and was definitely feeling it in my back/SI joint, thus I had one fall skiing down the end of the bigger climb. It's a little difficult to negotiate, with a turn and almost mogul like terrain, but although I was on my butt, I stood right up and continued skiing down. DH saw it and told me my recovery looked very professional. Normally, I stop to set up the descent, but I was feeling confident.
    As soon as we left skiing, it was snowing heavier. We stopped and had brunch at our favorite café, did an errand, and now hunkered down. My boss just texted me that we are closed tomorrow, so I have to call all of my clients and cancel. Yay.... I may try to get out in the storm tomorrow. We could get up to 18 inches. And the best thing is, the blizzard watch has been extended to Vermont, where we will be next weekend.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
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    2011 Guru Praemio
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  6. #576
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    West MI
    Posts
    4,259
    What a frustrating year for the West MI snowbelt. We typically get ~100" of snow. This year I don't think we're even close to half that. And when we did have snow it was too cold to go out. Long-term forecast has NO snow. Now, I really loathe Winter, BUT...if it's going to be cold, it sure would be nice to be able to make use of it. Haven't been out even once on the skis that we got new last year and only got 4 uses out of. This Winter has been even less conducive to skiing than last year. By next year DS (just turned 16) will be way over the weight range for his skis. Fat bikers are miserable, since trails are too muddy to ride.
    Kirsten
    run/bike log
    zoomylicious


    '11 Cannondale SuperSix 4 Rival
    '12 Salsa Mukluk 3
    '14 Seven Mudhoney S Ti/disc/Di2

  7. #577
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    north woods of Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,110
    We're up here in NE Wisconsin, so getting much the same weather, though still enough snow for skiing, but only if on groomed trails. Way too icy, otherwise. Been riding the fat bike on my ski trails, though, because they're still frozen. Unfortunately, that's soon to change with a week of 40 and even 50 degree weather headed our way. That's still okay, because I'll just head out on the roads with the fat bike. One thing about a fat bike, you can always find a place to ride one.

  8. #578
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    First day of ski trip.
    Got here late yesterday afternoon. Had pleasant drinks and conversation with other guests at the inn, went to dinner, and the our friends arrived a bit after we got back. The breakfast here was unbelievable. Today we skied at Craftsbury. It's a nordic center with rooms and cabins, a big training center, and site of races in the Northeast Kingdom of VT. So, it was warm, between 32 and 50, but it was awesome. The snow got progressively sticky before lunch and after lunch, it just felt slick. We only skied for an hour after lunch.
    There was a juniors race going on; very much like a bike race! Kids were skiing sleeveless or with no shirts. It was warm, but not that warm!
    Nothing hurts and I am drinking wine, in preparation for dinner at a Cuban restaurant. However, tomorrow looks like rain. It may be a shopping day.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
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    2011 Guru Praemio
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    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

  9. #579
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    West MI
    Posts
    4,259
    Quote Originally Posted by north woods gal View Post
    We're up here in NE Wisconsin...
    Where abouts? I grew up in Door Co. and my sister and mom still live in Sturgeon Bay.
    Kirsten
    run/bike log
    zoomylicious


    '11 Cannondale SuperSix 4 Rival
    '12 Salsa Mukluk 3
    '14 Seven Mudhoney S Ti/disc/Di2

  10. #580
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    So, we did not ski Sunday. It was predicted to be warm, with rain. We thought we might get out in the AM, but the sketchy rain forecast nixed that. So, we shopped in Stowe, drank beer and ate lunch, did a little walking and got back to the b and b at 3:30. It never rained, but was about 58 F . Went out to another brew pub at about 7:30, when it did actually start raining. We managed to eat, but no one could have more than a 3 oz. pour! Went to sleep praying it didn't totally mess up the trails. When we got up, it was not raining, but flurrying, with the sun out and 30 degrees. Everything by the inn was mud. We ate, packed up and drove to Von Trapp ski touring. It's a huge resort, with a brewery now, restaurant, etc, and the most expensive nordic skiing around. But, they have awesome grooming and we knew it would be a sketchy day. The trail we went out on was slicker than hell, loose granular, although it had just been groomed. After a long descent, it got better. But, looks like I saw my last powder last weekend. We skied for 2 hours, ending with a very steep and somewhat icy climb; just as I was nearing the top, my edge on my left ski skid out and I went down on my knees. I had to really use a lot of upper body strength to get up, but it was just a knee down thing and not a fall on my azz, splayed out on the trail thing.
    Got back to the lodge and it was 35 degrees. We were all tired, so we ate our sandwiches and decided to head out back home. Got home at around 4:15.
    So, next weekend, we booked an inn near our favorite local-ish ski place for Saturday night. We had hoped to go up Saturday, ski, get to the inn around 3, have our dinner there in the restaurant, and then ski Sunday and be home by 2-3. Now, it's going to be 50-60 on Saturday and rain in the PM, after 2 days of being in the 60s. Sunday is supposed to be in the high 30s, so we will probably just ride or go to the gym Saturday, drive up and enjoy some wine at the bar, eat dinner, sleep and head to the touring center Sunday. We've already planned to snow shoe to the top of the mountain (I could never ski it, it used to be a dowhill run) if it's too crappy for skiing.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
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    2011 Guru Praemio
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  11. #581
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    I went skiing with my bike club at the local nordic center this morning. There were 7 of us and also a group of snow shoe-ers who went off on trails on the other side of the road.
    I have learned that it's important to get out there early at this place, and it is really only good when there's powder. The grooming at this place is not like the other places I go to; it's great to have it in the next town, but there's a few woodland trails with twisty, not steep downhills, where it's narrow, there's piles of snow on the side, moguls and basically not a lot of room to maneuver. The snow was not icy, but crunchy, as it went above freezing at the end of the storm. The leader is a slow cyclist, a good hiker, and apparently a faster than me skier! Two other guys were also pretty speedy, two women who were a bit faster than me on the flats, but coud not climb or descend as well, and a guy who was really struggling. He went back before the rest of us. It was beautiful out, but I fell more today than all of the other times I've skied this year. Almost every time i ski here, I feel like a terrible skier, which is weird, since it is where I learned to ski.
    So, in the end, about 8K, I worked hard and I got outside. I did go to lunch with the group, where the 2 women who are similar to me were annoying me, making fun of others who are scared of steep hiking ascents and calling someone who had trouble getting up from ski falls a beached whale . I am not sure what is going on with this... one I have never liked. Her bike skills have become horrible and she always tries to drop me, until of course, I drop her on climbs. The other one I like more, mostly because I feel badly for her, since her DH got killed in a bike accident, when he left a group ride early for an appointment. Generally, I hang out with the guys in this group, who even if they are fast, are more forgiving in nature.
    I wish I could go to NH tomorrow, but work is calling. Will be doing that on Saturday.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
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    2011 Guru Praemio
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  12. #582
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    north woods of Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,110
    Quote Originally Posted by zoom-zoom View Post
    Where abouts? I grew up in Door Co. and my sister and mom still live in Sturgeon Bay.
    We're a bit north yet. Up the road from Rhinelander.

  13. #583
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    Skied for 3 hours at Windblown today. Very weird conditions. First, it was so sticky, we had to stop and put Glide on our skis a second time. Then, it improved, albeit a bit mushy in spots and slick in others. The weirdest thing was there seemed to be huge post holes in the middle of the trails at times. This place has fabulous grooming and separate snow shoe trails. Where snow shoers do have to use a ski trail, they stay way out of the way. It's like some renegades got out and walked on the trails. But, a gorgeous, bluebird day, close to 40 degrees. Skied with no head cover and unzipped. Wish I had brought my vest.
    At our inn and resting. DH does not want to ski tomorrow, but I do, despite developing a disturbing back issue last night. Skiing did not make it worse, so lots of stretching and heat.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
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  14. #584
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    We did ski this morning. Got out about 9:30 and the conditions were much better today. It was about the same temperature (between 28 and 35), but cloudy, so the no effects of the sun on the snow. Did all of the trails we missed yesterday, including one loop I haven't done in years. It's the one where I taught my kids to nordic ski, and I have bad memories of my younger son complaining like crazy. Of course, he turned out to be really athletic, but he was a lazy younger kid! We decided to ski until noon. DH wanted to go back and ski the Open Slope (difficult downhill), but something was telling me no. You know how you hear those stories how people get hurt at the end of their day? So, we went to ski the next biggest downhill, which we did yesterday, too. DH went a little ahead of me, while I stopped at the top to set up my descent, he went whizzing down. Next thing I see, is him crashing out at the bottom. It was slick, but not all chopped up like yesterday. So, I skied down and he says, "My nose is bleeding." We thought it was a nosebleed, but it was actaully just a tiny cut on his nose, which occured when he did a face plant. First, I get out the tissue, but it wasn't stopping. So them, I take my pack off, get out the first aid kit I usually use when I lead rides and had him clean the thing with a wipe, then put a band aid on it. We ski back to the car, hoping no one sees him... we put the skis up, he takes off the band aid, cleans it again, and we ran to the lodge to get our shoes. By the time we left, it had stopped bleeding. Oy.
    I felt sad, saying goodbye to my skis for the season, but it was a better season than I thought it would be. I am very concerned about my back. I was fine skiing, but as soon as I sit, it hurts. Sure it is disc related, but I will treat it with heat and stretching until Thursday, when I have a PT appt. The PT was for my SI joint on the other side, which is doing much better. This does not bode well for sitting on a bike, but next Saturday is going to be 57...
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
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    2011 Guru Praemio
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  15. #585
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    northern Virginia
    Posts
    5,897
    It's too bad your skiing season ended with blood, but at least it was a minor injury. Good luck with your back!

    - Gray 2010 carbon WSD road bike, Rivet Independence saddle
    - Red hardtail 26" aluminum mountain bike, Bontrager Evoke WSD saddle
    - Royal blue 2018 aluminum gravel bike, Rivet Pearl saddle

    Gone but not forgotten:
    - Silver 2003 aluminum road bike
    - Two awesome worn out Juliana saddles

 

 

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