Tuesday, December 11, 2007
On Skiing and Other Activities
Cross-country skiing, when it is more than just plodding on boards, can be exhilarating as you swiftly glide through the woods. Experienced skiers can move along faster than most runners and go even quicker downhill. However, this is only possible with a smooth trail.
Waxed skis use a combination of "Kick Wax" and "Glide Wax" so that the ski sticks to the snow when your full weight is put on it. This allows you to push off with your other leg. A smooth combination of pushing-off, gliding, shifting your weight and using your poles is a graceful sight.
This picture shows how it works:
In order to enjoy cross-country skiing to its fullest, tracks have to be kept smooth. A groomed track is best because the snow has been compressed by the track-setter and there is a track for your poles as well. Groomed trails are also best for beginners because it's easier to follow the deep grooves.
As you can see from the picture, you need to have snow for your kick wax (or scales on non-wax skis) to stick. If the track is pitted with holes, you will not be able to kick and will slip and slide; which is a real pain. This is why snowshoes, walkers and dogs should keep off ski trails.
Holes on the track can quickly multiply with each dog or walker and then the trail is useless. The Reservoir Trail off Walker Road was built on Town Land as part of our Green Plan. Hundreds of hours of volunteer labour went into the construction of this trail. The trail is reserved for skiers when it is snow covered. At others times, walkers and dogs are welcome.
Cross-country skiing, when it is more than just plodding on boards, can be exhilarating as you swiftly glide through the woods. Experienced skiers can move along faster than most runners and go even quicker downhill. However, this is only possible with a smooth trail.
Waxed skis use a combination of "Kick Wax" and "Glide Wax" so that the ski sticks to the snow when your full weight is put on it. This allows you to push off with your other leg. A smooth combination of pushing-off, gliding, shifting your weight and using your poles is a graceful sight.
This picture shows how it works:
In order to enjoy cross-country skiing to its fullest, tracks have to be kept smooth. A groomed track is best because the snow has been compressed by the track-setter and there is a track for your poles as well. Groomed trails are also best for beginners because it's easier to follow the deep grooves.
As you can see from the picture, you need to have snow for your kick wax (or scales on non-wax skis) to stick. If the track is pitted with holes, you will not be able to kick and will slip and slide; which is a real pain. This is why snowshoes, walkers and dogs should keep off ski trails.
Holes on the track can quickly multiply with each dog or walker and then the trail is useless. The Reservoir Trail off Walker Road was built on Town Land as part of our Green Plan. Hundreds of hours of volunteer labour went into the construction of this trail. The trail is reserved for skiers when it is snow covered. At others times, walkers and dogs are welcome.
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Hello;
A Counter Blast to Trail Snobbery:
Disclaimer: I have never taken any dogs on the BeechHill ski trails. I have not used the Blue North system with dogs for the past 2 years, since I was first told not to use it.
I always thought 'cross country skiing' meant skiing across the country, not something that can only be done in carefully pre-set pristine tracks
1) Very few people in Sackville can manage a true Nordic kick and glide for more than a few paces on the twisty/turny/hilly/narrow trails available.
2) If a track is compacted at all, my skijoring dogs leave 'tracks' the size of a loonie and perhaps 2-3 mm deep. I follow them (75 kg + 5 kg pack) and obliterate their traces. I strongly doubt they would have any measurable impact on the technique of the vast majority of local skiiers.
In fact, the local coyotes and rabbits leave far more measurable tracks on the trails I follow. Before jumping to a dog conclusion, reflect that the coyotes (and bobcats) are thick in the BeechHill area.
3) If the track is not set, nobody is doing Nordic kick and glide anyway.
4) A trained dog is a great equalizer of ability - between a child and an adult or among skiers of different skill.
5) Skijoring is far less dependent on conditions - groomed, ungroomed, rutted, powder, icy, slush, whatever.
In any case, I am not interested in following tracks around a preset course. My dogs and I are having a ball doing 50-100 km per week on logging roads, ATV trails, lakes, the RailstoTrails etc.
I would be slightly interested in a groomed skate track, but right now I follow the ATV groomer before the wheels rut up the track.
Final comment: Before I knew what I was doing, 4 years ago, one of my friendly (but then untrained) dogs slipped out of harness and gave a fright to Liz Massarelli and some others. I apologise. It has not happened since, and will not happen again, since I no longer use Blue North.
A Counter Blast to Trail Snobbery:
Disclaimer: I have never taken any dogs on the BeechHill ski trails. I have not used the Blue North system with dogs for the past 2 years, since I was first told not to use it.
I always thought 'cross country skiing' meant skiing across the country, not something that can only be done in carefully pre-set pristine tracks
1) Very few people in Sackville can manage a true Nordic kick and glide for more than a few paces on the twisty/turny/hilly/narrow trails available.
2) If a track is compacted at all, my skijoring dogs leave 'tracks' the size of a loonie and perhaps 2-3 mm deep. I follow them (75 kg + 5 kg pack) and obliterate their traces. I strongly doubt they would have any measurable impact on the technique of the vast majority of local skiiers.
In fact, the local coyotes and rabbits leave far more measurable tracks on the trails I follow. Before jumping to a dog conclusion, reflect that the coyotes (and bobcats) are thick in the BeechHill area.
3) If the track is not set, nobody is doing Nordic kick and glide anyway.
4) A trained dog is a great equalizer of ability - between a child and an adult or among skiers of different skill.
5) Skijoring is far less dependent on conditions - groomed, ungroomed, rutted, powder, icy, slush, whatever.
In any case, I am not interested in following tracks around a preset course. My dogs and I are having a ball doing 50-100 km per week on logging roads, ATV trails, lakes, the RailstoTrails etc.
I would be slightly interested in a groomed skate track, but right now I follow the ATV groomer before the wheels rut up the track.
Final comment: Before I knew what I was doing, 4 years ago, one of my friendly (but then untrained) dogs slipped out of harness and gave a fright to Liz Massarelli and some others. I apologise. It has not happened since, and will not happen again, since I no longer use Blue North.
# posted by 
: 27/1/08 10:00 PM
: 27/1/08 10:00 PM
ps. Sorry, forgot to sign my comment on Skijoring, as
Doug Campbell, Maeve & Malcolm, Twix & Nanuq,
Doug Campbell, Maeve & Malcolm, Twix & Nanuq,
# posted by : 27/1/08 10:01 PM
: 27/1/08 10:01 PM
Thanks for your comments, Doug. Skijoring isn't the problem. It's dogs and people who go along the track and create holes that are too deep to be filled in by a passing skier.
The groomed trails, especially at Beech Hill, are quite good and many of us can maintain a good kick/glide pace. The non-groomed trails are even softer, as they haven't been packed by the snowmobile, and these can be trashed fairly quickly by a dog or person.
The event of 24 Jan was done by a single dog that ran the entire trail system at Beech Hill and ruined it for a lot of skiers. We all have to work together in educating people on the best ways to maximize the trails for as many uses as possible.
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The groomed trails, especially at Beech Hill, are quite good and many of us can maintain a good kick/glide pace. The non-groomed trails are even softer, as they haven't been packed by the snowmobile, and these can be trashed fairly quickly by a dog or person.
The event of 24 Jan was done by a single dog that ran the entire trail system at Beech Hill and ruined it for a lot of skiers. We all have to work together in educating people on the best ways to maximize the trails for as many uses as possible.
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