French Rapids Ski Area near Brainerd December 27, 2017

Today was a bit warmer, just under 0. We decided to check out the French Rapids Trails near Brainerd. They are rated "expert," and we soon found out why--the trail is narrow and has some very steep ups and downs. The part in the photo below has a steep drop on the left to the Mississippi River and a steep drop on the other side to a small lake.

There hadn't been enough snow for grooming, and a snowmachine had gotten onto the trail and ground up some dirt and leaves in places. Between the poor conditions and the fact that I was starting to get a blister on my heel, we decided to make it a short outing. Nevertheless, it was great to get outside and see some new views of the frozen Mississippi River from some interesting trails.

Check out my telemark track at the bottom of this hill!

In the evening, we read from Heid E. Erdrich's new volume of poetry, Curator of Ephemera at the New Museum for Archaic Media. There are many thought-provoking, innovative, and surprising pieces--a real pleasure to enjoy and puzzle over together.

We are grateful to our friend and neighbor, Chuck Huff, for inviting us to his cabin for a few days. It gave us an opportunity to see a new part of Minnesota and try some new trails. It was also great to unplug from internet and TV for a little while.