Training Log Archive: Swampfox

Skied late in the day; pretty decent wind in the parking lot, but better once out on the trail net in the forest, seasonally chilly somewhere in the teens, and pretty fast snow. Went around at a pretty good effort.

Then changed over and ran a loop still later in the day, finishing up after dark. Colder by then, of course, but not bad.

Hard to tell how many folks had been out earlier in the day, but I think today was the last day of Wee Ski, so given the sun and good snow, and would guess there was a decent crowd out. But the skiers will thin dramatically from here no matter how good the conditions are--you see it every year.

Full winter today, with some favorable wind action in the parking lot to make things properly invigorating. The sun was mostly out for the last half of the afternoon, and even with the gusty winds swirling snow around, and temps around the 11-12F mark on the trails, the sun felt palpably stronger than it has in a while. Or maybe it was just the power of positive thinking--ha!

It looked like some more snow fell overnight.

More snow arrived nearly all day Friday up top. Conditions were excellent, with temps in the teens, loads of snow, and only a very light breeze at most. Trails had been rolled well and I think corduroyed also, but with the new snow still arriving, it was hard to be sure about that. Some people were up at the end of the day, but not many; I know the high school team was off at the State Championships and the season has ended for the junior high.

After nearly 2 weeks of mild weather, someone who didn't know better could be forgiven for thinking that winter was over. But at 7300', winter is never truly over--and certainly not in February.

Yesterday it snowed occasional snowflakes most of the day in town, which resulted in nothing. Up top, however, there was 6" of new snow on the trails by the end of the day. Unpacked, but still quite skateable (you did need skis, poles, and boots, however.)

Today the groomers reported another 10" of snow. Maybe there was that much, though it didn't look like 10" to me. At any rate, there was "enough", and after yesterday and today the trails have been fully refurbished. Winter is back in full control again, and all the eager folks wanting to get their tomato plants out in their gardens will have to wait another few days at least.

While I was out, one of the things that passed through my mind was to wonder about the mysterious death of Kim Jong Nam. What killed him? By the time I got home, it was in the news: VX nerve agent. When I read that, I then wondered how did it not also kill the assassin that applied it to Nam's face? I vaguely remember (correctly? incorrectly?) from my Army days that even the tiniest drop of this nerve agent on your skin would be enough to kill a person. It also reminds me on the monthly MOPP drills we used to have to do while I was in Germany. Until you've spent a day in a MOPP suit, you haven't lived.

C • how 5

Bit by bit I begin to piggna till, but I'm still not quite back to 100%. I went up the hill later in the day than usual, and decided to skip skiing altogether as it had been pretty icy yesterday and just not all that great. So, an easy run instead. It was dark well before I was halfway round my intended route, which was fine because by then I was off single track and on ski trails for the rest of the way, and therefore I had solid footing with no fears of any unseen postholes or the like. I stopped several times on the way back in to look up at the stars, which were especially brilliant tonight.

Biked earlier today in sun and mildness. Didn't feel the least bit like winter!