Just back, and still sweating, from my first roller ski attempt. It was a rare blue sky day as I rolled along the newly repaved roads of Snoqualmie Valley. It’s been awhile since I’ve tried something new and despite two falls I very much enjoyed being on the steep end of the learning curve. Being a neophyte at a sport as coordination intensive as skate skiing can certainly be exasperating, but it can also be exhilarating. The rapid improvement experienced by the beginner can be addictive; you know that next time you can go longer, faster better.
My first exposure to skate skiing was back in the early nineties when a four friends joined my wife and I on a weekend trip to the Methow Valley. We were out loaded down for a full day tour, slogging along in heavy leather books and what were basically narrow downhill skis when a small-framed lady came skating past, she was going quadruple our speed with what appeared to be less than half the effort. She was going to do the full 20K loop and be home in time for breakfast; I was amazed.
Traveling quietly, quickly and competently through the natural world is what I enjoy most, skate skiing and roller skiing are two new arrows in the quiver.
My first exposure to skate skiing was back in the early nineties when a four friends joined my wife and I on a weekend trip to the Methow Valley. We were out loaded down for a full day tour, slogging along in heavy leather books and what were basically narrow downhill skis when a small-framed lady came skating past, she was going quadruple our speed with what appeared to be less than half the effort. She was going to do the full 20K loop and be home in time for breakfast; I was amazed.
Traveling quietly, quickly and competently through the natural world is what I enjoy most, skate skiing and roller skiing are two new arrows in the quiver.
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