Pine plantation last week; This is not from my wonderful ski at Saux Head yesterday. I was enjoying myself so much I forgot to do my job. Sorry.
Forestville: All trails from Forestville to the second gate west of Co Rd 510 were ‘Bully groomed. Wow. You had better change plans and ski early today if you plan to cover everything even once.
Fit Strip: Patricia skied the Fit Strip on February 16. She reported: “Much of the lighted loop had been groomed with fresh tracks. The north end is still without enough snow to track, but at least has a little more coverage. Full trees, clear skies, quarter moon, and the (very large-sounding) hooting owl (who owns the place) make a peaceful setting for an evening ski.”
Big Bay Pathway: The Big Bay Pathway was groomed on the 16th.
Meditation and Hidden Grin are groomed and in excellent condition 👍
Saux Head: Tim groomed and track set the 17th. I skied Saux Head yesterday and it was excellent.
Snow Bike Trails:
NORTH TRAILS
Last Groomed: 2/17/21: Base is solid and well packed with overall very good coverage; occasional rocks and roots showing through.
Current conditions are about as good as they get for winter biking and trail running.
Be prepared for ice where trails go under the penstock
South Trails Grooming: Groomed February 16. Trails in excellent shape.
WTLGR: I skied with Craig yesterday. The other day I went for a snow bike ride with Joe. In my experience, aerobic sports are not actually done with someone else; regardless the fact they may be done at the same time and at the same place. I would describe it as shared misery.
Each new season brings with it a new pecking order. You want to find enough secret miles to get bumped into another class. Cycling is most interesting to sort out each season because of the peloton effect. If you sell your soul to get up the early hills in touch it may be possible to hide your level of pain. Or, conversely, on a long climb it could be your time to put a hurt on the breakaway. Everyone knows who wone the prime even though it is never mentioned out loud. It is rare to have a training partner with exactly the same ability.
Just as wars are rarely fought between armies of equal strength, one is typically going to be the top dog and the other in ascendancy. Evenly matched affairs can be bloody. I remember a two hour racket ball match with my brother. He nipped me in the rubber game with blood leaking out of his shoes from broken blisters on the bottom of both feet. If I could have held on just a few more points maybe his pain would have given me an opening. Half a lifetime later I still wonder how I could have avoided my fate.
So, skiing, riding or playing with a competitor clearly your better or junior is new to me. I am reminded of Groucho Marx famous quip upon resigning from the Friars Club, “I don’t want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member.”. Joe could have dropped me on any of the hills just as I could have dropped Craig; but we didn’t. A wise man once told me there are three stages of a skier’s career; when you think you are fast, when you think you were fast and, when you ski with your spouse. Skiing/biking with someone is a new and enjoyable experience. You should try it.
See you out there,
Sondo