New Poll

Just put up a new poll- this time snow type. It looks like so far we have a classic skiing, mitten wearing readership. Now we need to know if it's a Powder or Perfect Corduroy crew.

Ok time to shut off the computer and go skiing!

I love skiing

Had a chance to sneak out of the office today for a meeting over at the mountain. Met up with Dan Egan (who is a Bridgton Academy alum and produced a great video for us) to talk shop. Along the way Melissa asked if we could do a quick photo shoot for Ski Maine, so Dan and I along with Greg Sweetser skied pretty for the camera- well at least those two did- I just hung on for dear life.

While I was hanging on I was reminded of just how great skiing is. Ripping around at speeds we can't otherwise produce without wheels of some sort, on a surface that many around the world look at with disdane. It's just a great feeling. Chasing around a world class skier is also eye opening as you watch how they use the terrain- finding lines that you've just never seen- pretty cool.

Anyway I had a couple good wrecks while trying to smile pretty- so maybe we'll see if we can get a couple posted after the photographer sends them out.

Another good day!

What a way to start the day

Alarm: 4:30am
Snooze: three times.
Dressed by 4:45am
Coffee in hand by: 4:46am
Boots on pack ready, skis ready: 4:50am
In car rolling to the mountain: 4:52am
Starting up the mountain: 5:02am
Looking at the stars as I skin up, perfect windless air, good tunes, and at the summit by 5:48am in time to kick back and enjoy the sun rise.

Called dad at 6:00am just to let him know he wasn't getting first tracks today!

Home by 6:45am- get the kids breakfast, then off to work.

Beautiful morning, great way to start the day!

Big Storm

They are calling for up to two feet of snow. Even if we only get half of that it is going to be epic skiing tomorrow and later today! Will I make it out? Not sure, but I might just have to try and Sneak to the Peak!

This also means all of our hard work in breaking the trail from WVT to Dana Place will be covered up!

If you've been waiting for the WVT report it will be in print tomorrow in the Mountain Ear- they get first dibs, then I'll post up the story here. I hope you've had a chance to enjoy the video and photos- it was a great trip. We are planning another adventure soon.

Ok, back to work and looking at the flakes piling up!

Pics from our great day skiing the WVT

Full report to come, but here is a link to a photo gallery.


What a great day!

Cleaning up the "Ski Room"

The time has come to clean up the "Ski Room". The ski room is really our garage, and it's the Bike Room as well as Ski Room. The problem with having a lot of gear is that it can become a major mess very quickly.

Here is the issue- in the "Ski Room" we have well over 30 pairs of skis, which is fine in the off season as they are all up in the rafters, out of harms way. But once the season is under we each have AT LEAST two pairs of skis down on the main floor area. A lift serve pair and a XC pair- so with four people that is eight pair of skis. However the eight number is not accurate as K had both her alpine and tele gear down, as well as track and BC Nordic gear. I also have two pair of tele skis down and a total of four pair of BC/track skis down on the floor- so we are now up to 12 pair down out of the rafters. Mix in multiple pairs of poles and- what a mess.

Now add in bikes. I have two bikes that I still ride during the winter, along with the others that are hanging. Which means I also have my bike stand out for cleaning and tuning- which competes with the wax bench.

Throw a few sleds and K's summer wheels/tires for her car and the garage is getting a bit tight. As you can image the car is never parked in there.

So it is time to do a bit of cleaning and organizing- but I'm not sure when that will happen. K and I are skiing WVT tomorrow and then we'll be at Shawnee Peak on Sunday- with a possible trip up to Rog's Trails tonight. Lots of skiing to be done- maybe the garage will be a "spring cleaning" project.

Have fun and hope for snow.

Looking at Kicker Skins

K and I are planning on skiing the Wildcat Valley Trail this weekend and that means skiing up Wildcat first (I don't like riding the lift, feels like I've cheated for this particular trail). In the past I've used a number of different skis and have always run a waxless with some kickwax on infront and behind the waxless pattern to just make things a bit easier. It has always worked ok, but the last time I skied this trail my skiing partner for the day (Ward Solar- gonna miss you on this trip buddy)ran full skins on his tele set up. He just walked up all the pitches without any concern of slipping, while I was traversing side to side on the steeper spots and slipping out from time to time.

This got me to thinking that maybe a kicker skin like these would be a good idea.

I have no idea how well they will work, as I'm a little concerned that they may not be long enough, but I don't feel like shelling out for a full length skin- so we'll see. The play is to run them on a pair of old Karhu Catamounts and then K will run a set on her Salomon Blades (wish I had bought a pair of these when Nate was blowing them out up at GGTOC)

Hoping to get the kids out skiing again tonight at Rog's Trails. And I'm hoping K will be as happy as she is in this photo when she's climbed 1000 vertical and still has 1000 to go!

Skiing with the girls

Took the girls up to Rog's trails last night to ski with my childhood friend and long time ski team teammate- Erica Chute and her kids. We had a great time, although my youngest was defiantly taking time to smell the snowflakes. Good thing we had brought headlamps!

It was a good night of skiing, and I'm anxious to get back out there and see if I can put in a few fast laps at some point.

Thinking of skiing the Wildcat Valley Trail up at JSTF this weekend. Starts at the top of Wildcat and heads down to the village- might be fun. Looks like my wife is up for the trip, and we'll see if there are any other takers. I might hit up LL Bean in Conway to see if they have any closeout skins they are selling cheap as the climb up is one where skins are nice to have.

Other than that, beautiful day out there- wishing I was over at the mountain, I know my Dad will be rubbing it in when I see him this evening!Sunset looking over toward Shawnee

As a side note, if you are a basketball fan, Bridgton Academy will be playing New Hampton School here in the Wolverdome at 6pm tonight- should be good.

Monday Madness

Snuck out to Shawnee Peak last night (or late afternoon) for a few runs. It had been awhile since I had night skied, it it was a good deal of fun. I was surprised by how many people were at the mountain, especially considering the roads were still a bit sketchy(of course $10 Monday Madness tickets don't hurt).

The snow was fantastic and they had just groomed the East Headwall, it was butter. Kinda strange getting first tracks on a groomer at 5pm! The skiing should remain fantastic as the temps are staying cold and the snow really isn't changing up all that much.

I'm thinking tonight I'll take the girls up to some XC trails that a friend maintains, should be some good skiing by headlamp!

Enjoy the day.

Big Storm

Not sure what the snow total is out of this- but it's got to be close to a foot. Got in some great skiing in the storm yesterday. Skied with K and Emma, and I have to say Emma is going to turn out to be quite the powder skier!

Now I'm sitting at work knowing the skiing is unreal. That being said I think I'll head up to Shawnee Peak this afternoon and catch a few runs in the afternoon light and maybe a few more under the lights.

I'm also thinking about trying to head up to ski the Wildcat Valley Trail this weekend- any interest?

Ski safe!

sven

-30 this morning

So if it's cold to be inside, and it's cold to be outside- where should you be? Good question.

If you do ski today, take care and stay safe. The snow will likely be a bit "sticky"- not suction like in wet snow, but almost a static cling since the snow will be so cold and dry. When I was racing Nordic a lot this was Start Green weather. The world worst wax to work with as it was so hard that the iron had to be screaming hot and the wax would harden as soon as it hit the base- very hard to apply. Then when it came time to scrape the ski it would just shatter. Fun times.

Looking like there is potential snow coming in for the weekend- so get ready for some more great skiing. This may be enough to really start opening up the woods (I know a lot of you are already skiing in the woods, but for those of us trying to keep our skis in good shape we wait until there is good snowpack!)

See you on the hill or on the trails!

Cold Out

I'm going to point out the obvious- it's cold out. But that shouldn't stop you from getting outside, providing you dress correctly.

Here are my super obvious tips:
- cover all exposed skin
- that includes your eyes
- that includes your face
- wear a warm and windproof hat
- maybe wear a light weight hat UNDER your warm windproof hat
- a wicking base layer (wool is my choice)
- a warm mid layer (fleece, wool sweater)
- a down jacket
- MITTENS- again down
- wool socks
- boots THAT FIT

Now go have fun, take breaks- but when you do strip down quickly once inside so you don't sweat and then have wet gear.

Now go have fun.

Ready To Go?

“Boots, skis, poles- everyone got their pass?” that is the conversation as we load up the truck for our first day of skiing as a family. It is always a mad scramble, do we have everything? Do the kids boots fit? Ooops, forgot to put on a summer coat of storage wax, that’s ok we’ll ski off the rust. Where are the poles? Helmets, check- what the heck happened to that pair of goggles? There is one ski sock- that doesn’t really help. Looking at my wife- remember when we just had to keep track of our own gear?

That first trip is hectic, and that is just trying to get the truck loaded so that we can get to the mountain. Once we get to the mountain the first real test begins. Can the kids remember how to walk in ski boots? Can the youngest now carry their own gear? Do we all walk from the parking spot, or do I do the nice Dad thing and drop them off over near the lift. We chance it and get a fairly close parking spot and let the kids walk. Of course I can figure out how to get all the gear carried, but then I forget my gloves in the truck- two steps forward, three back.

It’s all worth it when we finally get to the lift and start heading up the hill. As we get off all the challenges of getting to the hill are soon forgotten as we let gravity take over and we begin sliding down the hill. All of us try to find our balance and remember how to stand on our skis. Slowly we get the rhythm and we being to pick up the pace. For the girls another year of growth gives them greater strength and improved balance, for my wife and I another year means we feel even more uncoordinated and wishing we had done from pre-season conditioning. But we are all together and enjoying a great morning out in the cold December air. It is amazing to make a series of turns, being in your own world then pulling up to the side of the trail and watching your kids come down following your tracks or setting their own, and you realize that it doesn’t get much better than this.

The day comes to an end as there are Christmas cookies to be made and pre-holiday cleaning to be done, so we head down from one last run. At the bottom we all look at each other with knowing grins as we realize another ski season has arrived. Now where did I put the car keys?

(published in the Mountain Ear on 12/18/2008)

Night Skiing

Last night was Monday Madness up at Shawnee Peak($12 from 4 to close- and people say skiing is expensive!)- and a co-worker headed up and has been rubbing it in this morning. The sad part is that I can see the lights over at Shawnee from my living room and I didn't head over- what is wrong with me!

Ok here is my list of excuses:
1) I can't seem to find my clear goggles
2) ok that is as far as I can get with my list, even my youngest wanted to go last night!

So here is a New Years Resolution- if you say you want to ski more but get jammed up on the weekends, then take a look at night skiing. It's a great way to get in a couple of hours of skiing and it's an even better way to not let the winter get you down by tricking your mind into thinking it's still day time by getting OUTSIDE for some fresh air and exercise.

Gotta go, need to find those clear goggles.