Roscommon Ski

January 22nd, 2022

Saturday I made the drive up to Roscommon for some cross country skiing with Sai, Alekhya and Uday. We started a little late as we wanted to let the temperature warm up from near 0 to 23 degrees Fahrenheit before skiing. We also stopped in West Branch for breakfast.

After my friends rented skis, we headed out on the trail for a quick refresher lesson. The skills for this activity are cumulative from trip to trip. Each time you ski, you learn a little more and ski more efficiently. However, in this case, Sai and Alekhya were only out one time last winter, so it takes a little time to remember the “stride and glide”. We also did the Trapper’s Cabin loop which has 3 or 4 climbs, 1 long downhill and a couple of shorter slopes. This would be something new for the ladies. This was Uday’s first time out, but he caught on quickly.

The first difficulty was an uphill that became more steep as you approached the crest. This required the “herringbone” step, an awkward movement when first learned. It also takes a good amount of energy. After a couple of tumbles, everybody made it to the top and around the bend, where we came to that first long downhill run. Fortunately it was straight, so one really needed to just lean forward, keep balance, and relax as gravity did all the work. You never go very fast, but when you are a beginner, and you feel the cold breeze in you face, it can seem very fast. Your first inclination is to tense up, and once that happens you will probably fall. It is snow. And when you fall, you slide, so while you might feel a little embarrassment, there is little to fear. Falling is part of learning.

Falls and fear were quickly forgotten as we found ourselves in a “winter wonderland”. It began to snow heavily. This deadens sound, and you find yourself in a quiet forest with large fluffy snowflakes falling all around, magical.

We skied the loop and headed back to the lodge, where the Bavarian Winter Fest was in progress with bratwurst, sauerkraut and beer being served. We warmed up and started the drive back to Oxford, with a dinner stop, again in the town of West Branch.

“To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold.”

— Aristotle