Training Log Archive: Swampfox

Great trail conditions, with the tiniest bit of snow drifting down occasionally. Not at all cold, with temps not much under freezing, and only a light breeze.

Didn't get out until late afternoon despite my intent to get out earlier, but even so the skiing was quite nice. It helped that the air was absolutely dead calm--unusual anytime here, but really unusual for it to be so in the late afternoon in winter!

Ran snow trails.

Clear, chill, and sunny through and through, all day long.

Mostly on crusty snow. Saw almost no antelope.

Snow rumored for the day.

Only a dusting of snow in the valley, but up top was a snowy surprise--about 4-5" of velveteen new snow was waiting for exciting cowboy-on-skis action. Yeehaw! It didn't look like the groomers had made it out pre-snow, but who knows, maybe they were up in the early morning and the snow came in the late morning. No matter, it was perfect as it was. All the old pine needles were buried, and now the new crop can commence falling.

I looked for the moon, but there must have been clouds in the way. Getting somewhat colder by dusk and more Decemberish at last.

The first 17 minute run was too much fun, so I did it again!!!

Pretty mild day, so some glazing on the most exposed and heavily used areas. Most of the trails have a liberal application of pine needles on them, and will remain that way, I should imagine, until the next storm.

While I was skiing, I returned to a subject I've been thinking about off and on for a while now, which is next year's Laramie Daze. I'm going to shake up the format, and I'm fairly sure that it will start with training map pickup and a practice interval started course on Wednesday afternoon, 31 Aug, and then each of the next 5 days will have a morning race which will be mass started. One day will be set aside for the One Cowboy Relay, and Daze will end with the traditional Rocky Mountain Goat on Labor Day. As for the other days, I expect they will probably be something middle distance-ish. It'll be much easier to organize like this, and I think it will be more fun, too, and definitely better racing, for those who come to race.

Skied past nightfall; really looking forward to tomorrow, when sunset will be a whole minute later!