tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5044318737317983833.post7370053849097465326..comments2023-06-08T04:15:43.908-05:00Comments on The Lost Albatross: Winter WonderlandEmilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11393762115493350763noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5044318737317983833.post-48869054484691344112008-02-08T11:27:00.000-06:002008-02-08T11:27:00.000-06:00It's good thinking time, cross-country skiing, too...It's good thinking time, cross-country skiing, too. When parts of my world come crashing down, or when the burden of my own ignorance seems too great to carry, it is a relief to just slide, alone and quietly, through the woods. This happens more these days, as life's inevitable transitions take a toll that can only be paid in tolerance and patience. In the summer the salve is a long sweaty hike at Governor Dodge State Park. In the winter, an undemanding but still invigorating ski through Kegonsa or Blue Mounds is equally healing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5044318737317983833.post-1543373302108135432008-02-07T18:13:00.000-06:002008-02-07T18:13:00.000-06:00GEORGE - Don't apologize! It's good advice, all, ...GEORGE - Don't apologize! It's good advice, all, and I'm always to hear from people who're so passionate about things like this. I've got a good bead on a pair of skis, boots and poles that might be just my size, so I'm hopeful that'll I'll be able to give it a try before the snow melts.Emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11393762115493350763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5044318737317983833.post-62652741440413671692008-02-07T17:26:00.000-06:002008-02-07T17:26:00.000-06:00Please ski! If you don't have skis now, wait unti...Please ski! If you don't have skis now, wait until March, when the ski sales begin. You don't need to go to the sales, but you can benefit by checking St. Vincent's and Goodwill (don't forget the St. Vincent's in Stoughton, call ahead) for used skis and poles. Most difficult is finding good boots that fit the bindings on the skis you find. You can get a nice pair of waxless in your size (hold your arm up, hand out, the tip of the ski should cuddle beneath your hand.), and poles (armpit length). Try to avoid three-pin bindings, as the boots are nearly impossible to find. Good boots will last you a lifetime, and can be switched from ski to ski. That's all you need - along with a Thermos of cocoa and an orange - to have a fun morning at Kegonsa State Park, where the cc trails are easy and the scenery pleasant. Back in the day, I covered the 50 K competition at the 1994 Olympics, joining a hundred thousand (!) Norwegians in the woods outside of Lillehammer to watch in record cold. That's where I first watched a mom pull steaming hot dogs out of her Thermos for her children! What a great idea, eh? It's where I learned cc skiing is meant to be fun. You get tired, you just slow down. Anyway, your mention of thinking about skiing hit me at just the right time. Sorry to carry on so.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5044318737317983833.post-84069845522807885222008-02-07T11:44:00.000-06:002008-02-07T11:44:00.000-06:00Thanks for the link. Where's this guy been.Thanks for the link. Where's this guy been.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com