Monday, December 31, 2007
Purchasing a Track Setter
A note from Graham Watt:
Yo Sackville x-c ski club dudes. We’re going to have to wax the tops of our skis if this keeps up.
I had a long chat with George Lefevre of Jemseg who has to be the world’s leading Nordic track setter, having set the past two Olympic Games tracks for all Nordic skiing events. George is a real resource for those of us who like to ski tracks in NB. I was getting some information about groomers when he mentioned that he had a used professionally-made track setter which he’d let go for $400. I thought it might be a good deal if it sets better tracks than the present home-made job the Town uses.
Actually, what we really need is a 4-foot groomer to condition the snow and ice, as well as a track setter, because our maritime climate means lots of temperature variation and icing, crust etc., and highly varying day-to-day conditions. A little groomer and track setter can assure good skiing through many different conditions. As well, without set tracks, because we have so few skiers, it takes awhile to get a decent track put down, especially a pole track.
With properly set tracks we can extend skiing time tremendously. Of course this means we need tracks to be set at least weekly. With properly set tracks many more people will ski in Sackville, beginner skiers who are perhaps a little fearful of rough tracks, and who lack some skiing technique, older citizens, and school groups such as Salem School runs for its students.
Beach Hill Park has its roads unplowed on the right side and can be track set, a good route when the wind is blowing across the meadows. In fact, the Park could be a wonderful cross country area with many potential loop trails other than the Red and Blue. All it needs is track setting.
Koug Park, because it’s track set, has many people (women especially) in their sixties and seventies who daily ski 20 or 25 Kms. The tremendous effort of so many of you who developed the CTT shows the concern we all have to attract more people to this wonderful and healthful activity.
In my view, Sackville would benefit greatly from many more skiers, as part of the magic of cross country skiing is how each skier’s trip down a trail makes it better for the next person. If the next person is an 8-year old child skiing with his or her mum, this child will learn to ski properly and will be on the way to acquiring a life long healthy habit.
So much for my proselytizing for track setters. I’m willing to put out $100 for the track setter (taking for granted it’s an improvement over the current one). Allison Dysart says he’ll be in for another hun, and he’s basically an alpine dude! I can’t afford the $2000 or so for a TiddTrek groomer but maybe some of you know what levers may be pulled to help us acquire one. Is this a worthy cause or not?
Let me know. And thanks for the CTT, it’s wonderful and reminds me of skiing in les Laurentides!
A note from Graham Watt:
Yo Sackville x-c ski club dudes. We’re going to have to wax the tops of our skis if this keeps up.
I had a long chat with George Lefevre of Jemseg who has to be the world’s leading Nordic track setter, having set the past two Olympic Games tracks for all Nordic skiing events. George is a real resource for those of us who like to ski tracks in NB. I was getting some information about groomers when he mentioned that he had a used professionally-made track setter which he’d let go for $400. I thought it might be a good deal if it sets better tracks than the present home-made job the Town uses.
Actually, what we really need is a 4-foot groomer to condition the snow and ice, as well as a track setter, because our maritime climate means lots of temperature variation and icing, crust etc., and highly varying day-to-day conditions. A little groomer and track setter can assure good skiing through many different conditions. As well, without set tracks, because we have so few skiers, it takes awhile to get a decent track put down, especially a pole track.
With properly set tracks we can extend skiing time tremendously. Of course this means we need tracks to be set at least weekly. With properly set tracks many more people will ski in Sackville, beginner skiers who are perhaps a little fearful of rough tracks, and who lack some skiing technique, older citizens, and school groups such as Salem School runs for its students.
Beach Hill Park has its roads unplowed on the right side and can be track set, a good route when the wind is blowing across the meadows. In fact, the Park could be a wonderful cross country area with many potential loop trails other than the Red and Blue. All it needs is track setting.
Koug Park, because it’s track set, has many people (women especially) in their sixties and seventies who daily ski 20 or 25 Kms. The tremendous effort of so many of you who developed the CTT shows the concern we all have to attract more people to this wonderful and healthful activity.
In my view, Sackville would benefit greatly from many more skiers, as part of the magic of cross country skiing is how each skier’s trip down a trail makes it better for the next person. If the next person is an 8-year old child skiing with his or her mum, this child will learn to ski properly and will be on the way to acquiring a life long healthy habit.
So much for my proselytizing for track setters. I’m willing to put out $100 for the track setter (taking for granted it’s an improvement over the current one). Allison Dysart says he’ll be in for another hun, and he’s basically an alpine dude! I can’t afford the $2000 or so for a TiddTrek groomer but maybe some of you know what levers may be pulled to help us acquire one. Is this a worthy cause or not?
Let me know. And thanks for the CTT, it’s wonderful and reminds me of skiing in les Laurentides!
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