Today I went Cross-country skiing for the first time. I dressed in my new Under Armor thermals, some fleece pants, a pullover and hat, and headed out. (It was about 24 degrees and overcast here, so a pretty nice day temperature wise to be out and enjoying the snow.)
My first stop was the ski rental shop, Osprey, just up Icicle Road from my house. I explained that I've never skied before and they not only hooked me up with equipment, but gave me a few pointers on what to do and the best places for a beginner to start. If you are ever in the area in the winter, and want to try snowshoeing, cross country skiing, skate skiing, down-hill tubing, snowboarding, etc or if you are in the area in the summer and in the mood for some white-water rafting, I would recommend checking these guys out. Their website is http://www.ospreyrafting.com/
With the equipment loaded in my car, I headed to the Fish Hatchery/Sleeping Lady Resort. This is the best of four different Cross Country ski trails in the area for beginners as most of the track is flat, smooth, and groomed daily. There are a few hills and trails for the more advanced, so perhaps I'll try those next month! There are several other cross-country trails around the area, and, if you are thinking of visiting, you can check them out at http://www.skileavenworth.com/ The link takes you to the Leavenworth ski club with updates on trail grooming, prices, conditions, etc.
After paying the fee to use the trails, I set out. It was a bit awkward at first because your skis are positioned into a narrow divot in the snow to keep you on track, but once I got into a rhythm, it really worked great. There were other people on the trails, so I never felt like I was in the middle of the woods by myself, but not so many that there was "traffic" or anyone in the way, so that was nice. I completed the first 4 KM in about a half and hour and my legs were still feeling fine, so I crossed over the river to enjoy the back 4 KM of trail. By the end, I had gone approx. 8 KM and it took me about an hour and a half. I figured that wasn't too bad for my first time out. This was a handy tid-bit of information to know because both Osprey and the Leavenworth Ski Club offer half-day rates after 1 p.m. This means, next time, I can save money and still get the whole cross-country ski course finished.
Since I was by myself, I didn't have anyone who could take a picture of me in my cute little outfit on my skis, so you'll have to make due with the few photos posted below.
You can see the tracks the Cross-country skiers use.
My feet! LOL!
Thanks for reading - Sharon
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