December 17, 2019 Grooming Report
Gookookoo from Sunday
Check you the pictures of skiers after the Beanie Baby Biathlon held at Forestville. Details below.
Forestville: Andy took the Bombi on all trails between the ponds and 17k. Expect race ready skate and classic skiing today.
TRAIL – First Priority
Noque to 17k
Lower Animoosh Bombi groomed and tracked 12/17/19
Bombi groomed and tracked 12/17/19
Upper Animoosh Bombi groomed and tracked 12/17/19
Boozoo Bombi groomed and tracked 12/17/19
Zhing Bombi groomed and tracked 12/17/19
Papasay Bombi groomed and tracked 12/17/19
Gookookoo Bombi groomed and tracked 12/17/19
Bagwagi Deep snow on trail
Chiwagi by pass Bombi groomed and tracked 12/17/19
Chiwagi Hills Deep snow on trail
Migizi Bombi groomed and tracked 12/17/19
Waaban Bombi groomed and tracked 12/17/19
Mukwa Bombi groomed and tracked 12/17/19
Connectors Bombi groomed and tracked 12/17/19
TRAIL 2nd Priority
Noque from 17 to 510 Bombi groomed and tracked 12/15/19
Way too Long Grooming Report: Sorry, no extra wisdom today.
Saux Head: Trails were roll packed yesterday after several inches hit the Saux Head snow belt so no classic tracks. Saux Head’s track setter is in the shop so it will be skate lane only for a few days.
Big Bay Pathway: Meditation and Hidden Grin are both open and freshly groomed yesterday. Trail is in excellent condition.
Short section where logging road being used was groomed and is in tolerable condition. We kept tight to the right side and will hope the loggers keep to the left. Should work out ok.
Fit Strip: Fit strip was groomed and tracked Friday morning and in excellent shape. Neil reports it is the best he has ever seen.
Snow Bike South Trails:
Sunday morning Jerimiah reported they were plowing east side and main late yesterday (Sunday) morning. Greywalls was scheduled to be open dark.
Snow Bike North Trails: trails are generally in good riding condition with a few softer spots. Recommended tire pressure: The Pine/Penstock/BLP Rocks 5 psi; Rest of the trails 4psi. Wild Cat not groomed.
THE TRAIL HEAD CHALET IS OPEN! Chalet hours are 7 AM to 10 PM and rental equipment is available between 10 and 4. Space is still limited during construction but come in and enjoy the fire and company.
Beanie Baby Biathlon
Ishpeming Ski Club Nordic Ski Team competed in their Beanie Baby Biathlon (xc skiing and “shooting”) event at the Forestville Trailhead. The annual event was relocated to Forestville due to too much snow & too many blow downs on trails everywhere else, recognizing that the best place to hold the event on that day was Forestville, due to the super good tracking and trail maintenance recently done by Noquemanon volunteers and staff.
For this event, a biathlon range was constructed by setting out colorful plastic tubs for targets. As each skier completed a lap of the course on Lower Animoosh, Zhing and Boozhoo Trails, they entered the range and attempted to “shoot clean” by tossing 5 beanie babies into their assigned tub. For each miss, racers skiied one penalty lap. The penalty loop included a series of slalom turns, an innovative and unusual penalty loop layout that builds agility and loads of laughter!
Rules of the US Biathlon Association were observed as much as possible. Skiers raced fast and then had to attempt to overcome the floppy-ness and different weights of the beanie babies, many of them in the shapes like bears, ducks, and even an octopus!
Range: 5 lanes; 5-shots per loop; total of 15 shots per skier.
Ammo: Beanie Babies – Varying sizes and floppiness of ammo (beanie babies and other assorted plush stuffed animals)
Biathletes (pictured L to R): Gwen P., Jared S, Jordann, Greta R., Maija C., Talon P., Alec P, Josh, Isaac, Ryan, Isabel P.
Podium Results:
Girls Overall 1st: Talon P.
2nd: Greta R.
3rd: Maija C.
Boys 1st: Jared S.
2nd: Josh
3rd: Alec P.
“Top Gun” Jared S.
2-Lap “Next Best Gun” – Ryan
The Beanie Baby Biathlon was begun several years ago by ISC Head Coach Dick Ziegler and then taken to its current “extreme fun” format by Mary Kay and Tom Aufrance, volunteer coaches and former biathletes.
To learn more about the NTN, to join, volunteer, become a sponsor or make a comment, please visit www.noquetrails.org .
Sondo