Happy New Year!

In commemoration of the New Year we started something “new”: cross country skiing!

We signed up for a package of equipment and lessons at the Von Trapp Lodge in Stowe, VT. Great place to learn an outdoor activity, and enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery. The weather started out cloudy and breezy with unusually warm air temperatures, then cleared up to be the perfect spring skiing type of day. Erik always says “if you are going to learn how to ski, do it in the spring” (when temperatures are warmer and you won’t spend all your time shivering with frozen fingers and toes while listening to the instructor).

As with anything new, the discovery and learning process can be a little bit of a challenge, and involve more than a few pratfalls. But we think we’re going to like this new thing. It feels good, it’s healthy, outdoorsy, and we can do it together while looking sporty in the requisite attire.
Best of all, after slogging through the techniques of the “glide”, the “herringbone climb”, and downhill you-have-no-edges-and-can’t-stop mode, a student of the craft is in the proper frame of mind to justify a flagon of ale after class. Or two. Maybe three, if a yard sale of equipment and clothing was involved at least once.

We joined a class of newbies like us and spent over an hour learning the basics under the tutelage of a very patient instructor. The early bet here was that, with all the Germanic and Nordic types walking around the X-country center, we were going to wind up with someone with high cheeks bones called “Horst”. We had every expectation to hear admonishments on our progress with high volume pointers like “No! You vill not do it DAT vey, but DIS VEY!” “Dum cop!”

As it turned out, our instructor was a grandfatherly guy named Larry. He was pretty good with both of us, as we progressed to the straight forward glide and herringbone climb. If those terms don’t sound familiar let’s just say the glide involves pushing the feet alternately forward, while propelling the body forward with the poles, and using momentum to slide on the forward board. The herringbone is best described as putting your skis in a “V” and tilting the boards to the inside edges with a totally spastic-looking knocked-kneed leg position, to “set” the boards into the snow so as to be able to propel the body up a slope against the forces of gravity and age. This is precisely why Erik took up DOWNHILL skiing…. because a contraption called a “ski lift” does the all the uphill work. It is quite bourgeois, but worth it. Until the lift ticket reaches $100. Then he ditches the sport for X-country entirely.

Anyway, we have a short video here of the pre-class warm up with the lovely Eve in the starring role. We didn’t take pictures or video of our class antics, but we’ll save those for next time once we have a little more proficiency.

OK, roll 'em!