Cross-Country Skiing, Anyone?
Dec. 14th, 2003 11:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dreamsharkSince it's showing signs of actually SNOWING this winter, I dragged out my cross-country ski equipment yesterday and managed to revive my nearly 30-year-old ski boots with liberal applications of saddle soap and neatsfoot oil. One of these years they are going to actually crumble in my hands and then I'll have to buy new bindings, since I'm pretty sure nobody makes those old 3-peg boots and bindings anymore. But the magical potions did their trick yet again, turning the stiff-as-a-board artifacts into viable footwear for one more season.
I can't remember how long it's been since I've skiied. I think I've gone out once in the past 5 years, but I don't remember which year that was. Since I moved to this part of town I have gotten in the habit of driving east on 46th St. to the Hiawatha golf course and skiing there. It's nice because it's lighted at night (anyway, it was last time I went there) and there are always lots of ski tracks. It sucks because you start out from the clubhouse skiing down a slippery hill criss-crossed with sled tracks. I'm not a very good skier. Once I get warmed up I am capable of skiing down a moderate hill if I don't have to zig-zag around trees. However, when I'm just starting out on any given day my style is as stiff and awkward as the ski boots before I greased them up, and I tend to fall down. A few years ago I tore up my rotator cuff on that hill, so I wasn't about to start out there after years of not skiing. I had a brain flash - I live less than a mile from Lake Harriet. Surely someone would have laid down some tracks around the lake. So I spent about 15 minutes figuring out how to carry skis in my new car, and drove over there. I saw some tracks in the Rose Garden, so I started out there. Unfortunately, the trail wasn't broken very well, and I was having trouble even remembering how to glide, so I more or less trudged my way across the Rose Garden to the lake. There I found some reasonably good tracks running along the unplowed walking path, and discovered that I was able to glide after all. Skiied for 40 minutes (counting the Rose-Garden trudge) and completely, totally wore myself out. It was fun, except for being too tired to move for the rest of the day. I was sure I wouldn't be able to walk today, but I find that I can. I might even go out again.
Anyway, now that I've got the boots lubricated, I'm hoping to do more skiing this winter. Any local people interested in joining me? You can pretty much deduce my skill and fitness level from the above. If you're interested in a leisurely ski around a local golf course, let me know. It would be especially nice to have company for evening skiing.
I can't remember how long it's been since I've skiied. I think I've gone out once in the past 5 years, but I don't remember which year that was. Since I moved to this part of town I have gotten in the habit of driving east on 46th St. to the Hiawatha golf course and skiing there. It's nice because it's lighted at night (anyway, it was last time I went there) and there are always lots of ski tracks. It sucks because you start out from the clubhouse skiing down a slippery hill criss-crossed with sled tracks. I'm not a very good skier. Once I get warmed up I am capable of skiing down a moderate hill if I don't have to zig-zag around trees. However, when I'm just starting out on any given day my style is as stiff and awkward as the ski boots before I greased them up, and I tend to fall down. A few years ago I tore up my rotator cuff on that hill, so I wasn't about to start out there after years of not skiing. I had a brain flash - I live less than a mile from Lake Harriet. Surely someone would have laid down some tracks around the lake. So I spent about 15 minutes figuring out how to carry skis in my new car, and drove over there. I saw some tracks in the Rose Garden, so I started out there. Unfortunately, the trail wasn't broken very well, and I was having trouble even remembering how to glide, so I more or less trudged my way across the Rose Garden to the lake. There I found some reasonably good tracks running along the unplowed walking path, and discovered that I was able to glide after all. Skiied for 40 minutes (counting the Rose-Garden trudge) and completely, totally wore myself out. It was fun, except for being too tired to move for the rest of the day. I was sure I wouldn't be able to walk today, but I find that I can. I might even go out again.
Anyway, now that I've got the boots lubricated, I'm hoping to do more skiing this winter. Any local people interested in joining me? You can pretty much deduce my skill and fitness level from the above. If you're interested in a leisurely ski around a local golf course, let me know. It would be especially nice to have company for evening skiing.
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no subject
Date: 2003-12-14 06:19 pm (UTC)K. [or out on the lakes?]
Snowshoes and skis
Date: 2003-12-14 06:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-12-14 06:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-12-14 06:29 pm (UTC)K.
no subject
Date: 2003-12-14 06:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-12-14 06:36 pm (UTC)K. [they're in good shape]
no subject
Date: 2003-12-14 06:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-12-14 06:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-12-14 06:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-12-15 01:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-12-15 04:28 pm (UTC)I'll happily wait at the chalet, consuming everyone's hot chocolate for them...
no subject
Date: 2003-12-15 07:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-12-15 11:34 pm (UTC)I'm still using the pair of skis I bought in Minneapolis 20+ years ago; I have a nicer looking (wooden top on modern base) that I bought halfway since then, but am reluctant to get them banged up - it's the rock skis for me.
In the shadow of Lake Placid
Date: 2003-12-16 07:44 pm (UTC)