January 21, 2019 Grooming Report
Today’s report is brought to you by Neil and Laurie Winkler: The Winklers are trail builder sponsors on the Noque’. Without the support of folks like Neil and Laurie we would not have the excellent trails we have come to expect. If you see them, say thanks.
Trail Builder sections are available. Please visit www.noquetrails.org and follow the links. You too can be feted in an up coming grooming report.
Forestville: Grooming is being focused on Noquemanon Ski Marathon (NSM) race preparation. This year’s very deep snow pack needs a good deal of grooming to work the snow into a hard pack for the NSM. There are a great many “game time decisions” regarding where and when to groom. Every machine in the fleet was out yesterday. Most grooming is focused upon trails used in next weekend’s events. All Forestville trails from the Tourist Park to Co Rd 510 including the spur to NMU’s campus on Wright Street were in great shape and expect more of the same today. You can also expect to see grooming equipment on trails during the day. Please give them room to pass. I tend to avoid the freshly groomed trails in order to let them set up and skiing the soft freshly groomed trails is far less fun than the harder set up trails. I suggest Bagwagi, Chiwagi, Gookookoo, Migize, Mukwa and the section between the Tourist Park and Forestville but all trails are open and have been groomed in the last 24 hours. Watch out for icy sections on the two ponds 1k east of Forestville. Last weekend’s snow had weighted down the ice causing water to spill over the ice. The ponds are well frozen and the ice is quite thick so no need to worry. Enjoy another great day of skiing.
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Way too Long Grooming Report:
Try as we might, one can not squeeze two month’s training into a week. Still, I can never help myself but to put in a long ski a week before the Noquemanon Ski Marathon. Intellectually I know I will ski with the legs I had last week and in fact a long ski on Monday most likely hurts one’s performance on Saturday but I am just in it for the hat anyway. In any case, emotionally I can pretend it helps. In addition, it reminds me how truly miserable I will be Saturday afternoon at the 7k mark. The brain has the wonderful ability to forget misery so I really don’t remember how miserable I was last year. Dragging one’s ample carcass up the off fall line hill between the ponds is less fun than normal after 43k on the trail and it is fresh in my mind now. The traditional last over distance pre NSM ski begins at the Tourist park and is an out/back with a turn around at Co RD 510; a 49k ski. Yesterday I began at the trail head and covered the 510 section first and only skied the Tourist Park leg at the end of the day. Having to climb back to Forestville was fun now that I can look back on the ski. Take a look at the picture Wally sent. I did take a picture but it didn’t do the conditions justice. This one looks like one of those fantasy pictures you see in calendars. See you out there.
The race site has real information on the trail and events; https://www.noquemanon.com/ It is a wonderful event and we are so blessed to live in such an area. I am still a few months short of where I want to be but next year…
I would be remis if I failed to highlight this date in history. At 37 N. latitude – 20 E longitude in 1251 BC a solar eclipse marked the birth of the legendary Heracles of Thebes. In other news, football is a stupid game.
Saux Head: All trails groomed and track set Monday the 20th. Skiing should be fabulous today.
Big Bay Pathway: The big bay pathway, was yesterday (1/20). The groomers didn’t provide any detailed information. Sooo, Hidden Gin Loop is indeed still hidden, but in stellar condition…
cheers- sven
Fit Strip: Fit Strip is groomed weekly or as conditions warrant. Yesterday Patricia emailed: I was lucky to follow the groomer from TP TH to the 7K marker on Friday, and luckier still to be on the Fit Strip on Saturday and Sunday, both times while the groomer was out. … Every single trail on the Fit Strip was groomed beautifully on Saturday and groomed again and tracked on Sunday.
Snow Bike South Trails: Trails were plowed Saturday and again Sunday. Trails will be firm with some loose snow in small areas.
Snow Bike North Trails: The main loop connecting BLP trail head and Forestville trial head, The Pine and BLP Rocks were groomed Sunday. Softer further north, ride with low pressures.
THE FORESTVILLE 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.
To learn more about the NTN, to join, volunteer, become a sponsor or make a comment, please visit www.noquetrails.org .
Sondo