One minute I am sitting in my car, watching fresh-faced cross-country skiers greet one another as they gear up for a day on the trails at West Bragg.
The next, I’m on my hands and knees, trying to bring my skis together so I can follow the instructor’s steps to get up from a yet another fall.
Something clicked for me that day in the parking lot. I was so inspired by the sheer joy on their faces that four days later, I found myself at Norseman in Calgary buying my first cross-country skiing kit.
But I haven’t quite found the bliss yet. I’m just getting started, and the learning curve is steep.
I didn’t grow up skiing in rural Nova Scotia. Our winters were for snowmobiling, skating or playing hockey on the pond not gliding on skis.
I’ve had a couple of lessons now, and I’m starting to feel more comfortable on the skis. There’s something surreal about skiing, especially that moment when you start gliding downhill. My stomach dropped, the first few times.
As I mentioned in a previous post, I really want to make the most of this winter. I downloaded an app, Nordic Pulse, which shows grooming conditions inside and outside the city. I’m lucky because I live close to two cross-country skiing areas that are track set often, so getting out regularly feels doable.
I’ve also connected with a few others who are also learning the basics of cross-country skiing too. It is nice to have someone to share the adventures with.
Do you cross-country ski? What is your favourite tip? I would love to hear from you in the comments below.