When the cycling season comes to an end in Merritt, the outdoor adventurer’s obvious alternative is skiing.
Although, with the advent of studded bicycle tires and the addition of “fat” bikes (you’ve likely seen one or two of these eye-catching rides around town, and wondered how something like that is powered. That will be the subject of a future article!) there really is no true “end” to cycling season — only a change of gear.
Having paid homage to the year-round cyclist, let’s talk skiing!
Although skate skiing is gaining popularity in the Nordic world, I personally prefer the classic style.
(Herald file photo)
While it may appear plodding and slow at first glance, practicing the classic technique to “get your glide on” is a challenging and rewarding pursuit.
Classic cross country is divided into two categories: those that require kick wax, and those that do not.
Both are made to glide while striding, and grip when kicking. Traditionally, this is accomplished with the application of kick and glide wax, which is still the method of choice for competitors and many seasoned cross country skiers.
Waxless skis take the guesswork and time out of preparation. The waxing requirements of these skis (yes, there are some, even though the name would suggest otherwise!) are a hot glide wax application at least once per season, or more for prolific skiers and rough conditions.
Once the skis are prepared and the trailhead found, the skier need only click in and take off, for hours of effortless gliding under a snowy canopy of fir and pine!
With a little instruction and some practice under your fanny pack, you can achieve such results.
Do not be discouraged if the first attempt does not fit this easy description. It will almost invariably be characterized by shuffling along at a speed notably slower than walking on stilts across a sinkhole-filled desert (while cursing the foul Norseman who invented this illogical and exhausting form of propulsion), punctuated by falls that occur without warning.
This is further hindered by the constricting, shifting, riding up (and simultaneously down), sweaty, itchy, multiple-layered clothing required to resist the bone-chilling temperatures of the January depths of a Canadian winter.
Then a hill is encountered. Cross country skis are made to climb hills. In fact, there is no better ski for climbing hills.
Repeat those words to yourself, when mustering every available ounce of strength and determination to avoid sliding backwards down a “hill” that would provide a tobogganing toddler about one point five seconds of mild entertainment.
Still with me? If so, you may be a masochist, in which case I suggest you take a more direct route to torture, such as a daily commute to work by car, in a large city.
Or perhaps you are willing to overcome the awkward beginnings of Nordic skiing, because you have heard magical stories of beauty and joy from its enthusiasts.
Here’s the good news: even a novice skier can achieve glide, and it is worth the effort!
In addition to the flight-like sensation of a sustained glide, Nordic skiing provides a connection to nature.
As a youth, I skied Little Red River Park trails in Prince Albert, and many other Saskatchewan trails, and am now lucky enough to enjoy the quiet beauty of the wilderness experience of Kane Valley, just a short drive outside of Merritt.
In every place I’ve skied, I can recall moments of stillness that ground the soul, accompanied by the welcome chill of a light winter wind, and the rhythmic sound of a friend or family member’s skis gliding over the falling snow, as I gazed through the sheltering boughs of hundreds of years of forest growth.
If that were not enough, it is a near perfect form of exercise, and a great family activity!
Travis Fehr is a lifelong cyclist and the owner of Breathe Bikes on Coutlee Avenue in Merritt.
