Skiing around the Hjemkomst Center with Job Candidates

     NDSU English lost 7 professors last year, and due to budget cuts, we can replace only two of those positions. I'm on the search committee, and our finalists for the positions have been visiting campus, but two wanted to try out cross-country skiing. I jumped at this opportunity because I believe the cross-country ski trails in Fargo-Moorhead add significantly to our quality of life here, and I love introducing people to this wonderful life-long sport.
     After picking up the candidates from their downtown hotel, I took them over to Scheels in Moorhead to rent skis. Scheels just got new cross-country equipment in their rental department. After getting the equipment, we drove to the Hjemkomst Center, where there are about 5 kilometers of trails groomed for both classic and skate skiing. Prairie's Edge Nordic Ski Club's groomer, Arnie, had just done a fantastic job of re-texturizing the snow and laying new tracks, so conditions were the best they could be with the minimal amount of snow we have. To make the outing even more pleasant, the sun was shining, and the wind was light. With temperatures in the low 20s, this was an optimal ski day. We ran into a couple of other ski club members, Jay Richardson and John Pfund, and they made our candidates feel welcome on the trails. We also met a man and his son who had driven all the way from Minot to try out our trails. There was a deer sighting as well.
     The candidates said they had a great time skiing! Afterwards, I took them to visit the Hjemkomst Center to see the Viking Ship built by Robert Asp. When I dropped them off at the hotel, I hoped they would think of Fargo as a place where one can enjoy winter and local culture.
     When I got home, I had some lunch, took one of my 20-minute power naps, then changed over to skate equipment for a skate ski on the trails by my home. I had a fast ski in the great conditions, and when I got home, my dog Noko looked like he also wanted an outing, so I changed equipment again, and took him out for a skijor. With the crust, we could go off trail easily so as not to disturb the grooming. Occasionally he would break through, but he was so happy to be out that he just powered through it. We had a fun time together. Anyone else want to enjoy skiing today?