#Snow is here, What a difference a day makes for #Nordic #Skiing!

The snow fell and continued to fall here in #yeg. Now the wind is picking up.

Class last night was able to ski. Due to the dangerous winter driving, a lot of the class did not make it. Double poling on a few centimetres of snow was still skiing, though cores of grass turf kept flipping up and tried to stop you. Some of the common denominators that the class worked on, were falling forward onto their poles with hips ahead of ankles, and reaching with 90' bent elbows. Hands at shoulder width apart or a bit more, no tri-podding, and planting the baskets close to your skis were other areas looked at. Once tracks are set we will go over double poling again.

This morning there are at least 12cm of snow, which is great. Now we wait for the groomers to do their awesome deed of trail grooming.

On another note I slept outside in my makeshift tarp, backyard winter camping, still trying to do my part for SNOW DANCING. Since a lot more snow came down after I went to sleep, I awoke and found the weight of the snow was pressing in all around the tarp. The inside of the tarp was covered in frost from my breathing. There was snow sealing all around the bottom, with almost a foot of snow. The rope was being stretched and was sagging. There was next to no room to get in and out.
However I was warm and and comfy. I used my 3 inch Exped air mattress, with a closed one inch cell inside my old Eddie Bauer sleeping bag cover. My 4 decade old bag has been used down to -40C, so I had no problems in that area.
Several decades ago I used to drive, sleep in a snow bank, and then race Nordic skiing as I did not have much money. My hips do not like hard ground anymore, hence the Exped mattress, which I use summer camping all the time.
The inside of the tarp tent is still on grass. My cell phone was almost dead and had to be plugged in, as it was on the cold ground. My Power Monkey would not be charging as there is no sun, if I was in the woods. I have heard that if you put the cell phone on airplane mode, it charges a lot of faster, we will see.
 Fifty feet away is a nice warm house at 17C. Outside it is -7C, and -13C, with the wind chill.
Time for breakfast, when the rest of the household arises. In the old days before a race, I used to eat a can of 40% syrup peaches, a container of cottage cheese, some bread and of course Chocolate Milk.
 I love winter, and I love #Nordic #skiing.

Get out there, Be Safe and Have FUN.