Training Log Archive: Swampfox

Sunny and all the way up to 57F, only 2 degrees short of the record high. Felt more like June than February, and me and the bike hit a loop south of town and soaked it in. A corner of one pond had melted free of ice, and it was easy to smell the salt in the water. Happy Jack was jammed in the afternoon with Wee Ski and everything else, but was clearing out by the time I got up there. I skied and ran.

In the evening, as Super Bowl was winding down, the winds outside were winding up, presaging a "change in climate". A storm is supposed to be headed this way, with snow amounts TBD.

Today was mostly overcast, but no snow, just a very light breeze, and temps above freezing, so it was a real surprise when I was driving to go skiing and got on the interstate only to see...flashing lights ahead, and the gate drawn down across the interstate. It either meant there was some bad wind blowing snow around higher up (which sometimes happens even when it's relatively calm in town), or something else, like a wreck.

So I turned around and came back home, and immediately checked road conditions. It was a wreck, and it must have been bad, since it sounded like it had happened in the morning and yet the interstate still wasn't open.

Later I found it it had been a 24 vehicle wreck, mostly semi trucks.

Since skiing wasn't happening, or anything else up top, I ran from home. I think it's the first day I've missed skiing since Nov 27.

Earlier in the week the forecast had called for some chance of snow yesterday, and partly sunny conditions today. However, when I looked up from work in the afternoon, it was snowing! There was enough snow in the air that I checked road conditions before I headed out to go skiing. Roads were open, but slick with falling snow, according to the report.

In fact the highway was open, but there was a good bit of snow across two of the uphill lanes and no signs that snow plows had been out. By the time I got onto the Happy Jack Rd., it was near white out conditions and there was a lot of snow on the road, enough so that I spent part of the time driving in the oncoming traffic lane. But I made it to the parking lot, and into the parking lot, only to find 6" of new snow waiting on the trails.

With skate skis, it was tough going, but still manageable. I was glad to be out skiing, even if the workout I got was different from what I had planned. I skied for about 2 hours, until light was failing, and decided to pass on running. I got chilled in the time it took to get my skis and walk to my truck, and by then the snow was so deep running in it would have been a struggle, so it was an easy call.

If it's white and it falls on the ground and stays there and then you can ski on it, it must be snow--even if the calendar says January. I reckon there was something between 1/2" and 1" of new snow up at Happy Jack by mid-afternoon, which was enough to freshen up the trails nicely. Skied and didn't feel zapped from yesterday, which was good. Ran afterwards, and that was good, too. To glance around at what other skiers were doing, it looked like everyone was taking an easy day today.

Ski intervals today.

Despite being overcast all day long, temps were just above freezing, and it was enough to raise the moisture content of the snow a good bit. So the trails were on the slow side when I started skiing in mid-afternoon, and gradually got faster as temps started to drop a little and the winds picked up some. Eventually a few snowflakes in the air showed up, but it wasn't close to being a measurable amount. It's been a full month now since the last measurable snow in town. It looks like there's a chance for some snow in 2 days, but if it doesn't come, then January will go down as a dry month.

C • Dry January 10