Twenty Below Ski on December 30, 2017

Today was significantly colder than yesterday, with a bit of a wind. I skied for just over an hour and stayed fairly warm except for my feet. I paused on the bridge between Lindenwood and Gooseberry parks to just swing my legs twenty times each to get the blood going to my toes, and then I was fine. It was a slow ski because of the temperatures and also because the wind had nearly filled in the trail that Enrico and I made earlier. Here is what it looked like when I first got over to Gooseberry.

At times, I had to feel for the trail because it was hard to see it.

Because of the cold--about twenty below--I didn't expect to see anyone out today, and I didn't for awhile, but then I saw a lone fat tire cyclist in Lindenwood Park, a family of four skiing in Gooseberry Park, and a snowshoer by the river. I also saw a large gray bird that flew in front of me and then perched on a tree by the river. Could this be the owl I often hear there?

I kept thinking I heard another skier behind me, so I stopped several times to look around, but there was nobody there. I imagined it was my father's spirit, so I talked to him for awhile. I have been editing his poetry this month, so he has been on my mind.

I ended the ski a bit frostier than usual, and enjoyed a cup of Chaga tea (made from a fungus that grows on birch trees) as soon as I got back--thanks to my sister-in-law, Egle, finding some in Russia and sending it to me.

Is that a triple? December 29, 2017

Here I am after 90 minutes of cross-country skiing with three different sets of skis. 

It was a bit warmer today, perhaps above zero, so I decided to try skate skiing today. I also hoped to give the blister on my left heel a break by using skate boots. Once I got out, however, I found that we had got more snow than I thought while we were away. That meant that skate skiing--with no rolled trail--was quite a slog. I worked up a sweat just getting to the water treatment plant and gave up soon after.

When I got back to the house, I thought that maybe my blister wouldn't hurt so much if I used my race (rather than recreational) classic boots. While I was switching boots, Noko looked at me with his eyes pleading, "Won't you take me with you?" I relented and put his harness on and got my belt while I was getting my classic skis.

We headed out, but as soon as he dipped a paw in the cold snow, Noko balked. He pulled back on his harness, threatening to turn it inside out. I backtracked and tried to go in the opposite direction. He went along with that plan for a few yards, then balked again. Frustrating! I probably need to sew him some booties for these colder days. We compromised by him running on the bike path, and me skiing in the snow adjacent to the path. In that fashion, we had a reasonable run to the dog park and back, and then Noko was done. He pulled to go up the dike and home.

However, I wasn't done skiing for the day. I was feeling toasty warm by now, so I took Noko home, then switched skis again, putting on my faster Fischer RCS cold classic skis instead of my old rock skis--some Kneissels.

The third time out was the most satisfying--I skied in the trail I created earlier that loops around the oxbow. I felt plenty warm and felt much better by the time I got back than when I left. I still had time to take a shower before heading to NDSU to work in the office for a few hours. 

Dusted White

We drove back to Fargo today and went directly to work, so I didn't get to ski today. Too bad, as we got a dusting of new snow. Instead, I'm going to share one of my dad's poems:

Dusted White

Skies churning,
     blue to gray.
Leaves turning,
     blown away.

Fall season,
     stormy night.
Mountain peaks,
    dusted white. 

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. 

Northland Arboretum Ski on December 26, 2017

We spent Christmas at my aunt and uncle's house in rural Minnesota, eating scalloped potatoes, creamed corn, green bean casserole, and ham. We also ate the traditional Norwegian lefsa. What a delicious meal!It was very windy and cold, so we didn't venture out for a ski. Instead, we drove a couple hours north to a friend's lake cabin to spend the night.

The next day was just as cold, but not windy. After checking out the after-Christmas sales in Baxter, Minnesota (and waiting for the -14F temperature to rise), we headed over to Northland Arboretum for a ski. A crystal clear day, we did feel a bit of warmth from the sun, but the snow--what little there was--remained cold and slow. There had not been enough snow to set tracks yet, so it was pretty messy skiing. Here's a view of the trails:

After we warmed up a bit, it was fun to check out some new trails and also go up and down some gentle hills. There are lots of little loops through the woods, and some of the trees are labeled, so it was also fun to see the variety of trees and know their names. Here's a view from one of the higher spots:

These are some nice trails, and there are lights for night skiing. I wish Fargo had a place like this!

December 21, 2017 Family Ski

After writing our holiday letter together this morning, we headed out for a family ski. It was 1F above, and a few snowflakes were falling gently--still no wind! I headed out first to break a trail for Enrico and Noko, and the boys followed behind. Noko was *very* excited to be out with the whole family and pulled hard the whole time. Enrico had to keep holding Noko back because he loves to chase me. We tried having Max go first, but Noko didn't pull as hard. We tried having Alex go first, and he pulled a little harder, but not nearly as hard as with me in front. We just did the little loop around Ponte Park and back. Enrico went out for a longer ski on his own afterward, since he was pulled by Noko for most of this ski. We predict we will have a very tired dog for New Year's Eve.

Couple's Ski on December 23, 2017

Today Enrico and I went for a ski together. My groin muscles were sore from breaking trail yesterday, and Enrico was just tired everywhere. Nevertheless, we persisted. We decided to just ski on our neighborhood trails again. It was easier going today with the temperature at 18 degrees above and trails already skied in. We decided to go a bit further than yesterday, skiing across the river to Gooseberry Park, where we had a blank slate of snow. This makes me excited because there's a chance to lay down very straight, good tracks that then can be used over and over later. 

I went first, creating a loop with some zigzags around some trees. After breaking in that trail, it was fun to go around again and enjoy the fruits of our labor. I was going to head back after that, but Enrico said, "One more time," so we went around a third time. On the way back, we skied on the section by the river (see photo above) that Fargo Parks usually sets with classic tracks. We saw a few other skiers on our way back. The sun came out for a little while, and it wasn't windy, making for a very pleasant time. We were both toasty warm. Total ski time: 90 minutes. Maybe I'm not in as bad shape as I thought yesterday. 

After skiing, I went over to the Y to shower, soak in the jacuzzi tub, and spend some time in the sauna. When I got back I took a deep nap. This is what vacation is supposed to be!