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Cross country skiing

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Laughing Laughing Laughing

Thank you @pam w, that gave me and Mr HH a good giggle this evening!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Not much snow but the women's 4x6km relay at Ruhlpolding on Sunday was a very close finish between Doro Wierer and Preuss - 0.2 seconds gap at the end after 24km of racing and shooting. You don't see much evidence of these women struggling... well except at 57m40 where Preuss skis over the back of Wierer's skis.


http://youtube.com/v/3MViHketYk8

Good examples of V1, V2 skiing, descent etc.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Somwe had an excellent lesson with Blaise from Tracks and Trails today.

Some interesting things:

He reckoned that our roller blading had made an enormous difference to our learning curve Cool

We need to wax our skis!

He let us try his ex-WC race skis. Much better glide, nicer and more communicative feel - noticeable grade up from our skis.
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Finally the snow has been low enough to reopen the cross country ski trails, largely shut in the Isere since the start of December. I went up to the Col de Porte today where they were preparing the pistes with a quadbike towing the piste bashing blade - the snow was not the right quality to use the heavy machine. It was quite interesting with the access via an easy green piste that was like a mogul field. I asked the pisteurs if the area was really open. They were quite put out and said they'd been working on the runs since first light. Think Tacoma narrows bridge but with snow. However thinks were better in the area of the biathlon shooting zone with some reasonably smooth snow to skate on. I finally ended up doing 10km after getting a bit more into my rhythm in the end and spent some time practising One Skate (Gear 3) skating which requires some serious brain reprogramming if you've only ever done One Skate (Gear 2).

https://www.strava.com/activities/462946397
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I suspect we will be fonding on Thursday, given the forecast. We both do classic which is more sedate but I do enjoy it especially on a snowy day, even classic you can rack up the miles. The track at Courmayeur is fantastic, up hill on the out but not steep, picnic or cafe at the top, then fast run back.
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I had my second go at skating whilst in Alpe d'Huez.. forgotten how much I enjoyed it, although I'm reminded that I can't deal with steep descents very well..

Talked a mate into having his first go at it too, he was on his back bottom within 20 seconds Smile seemed to enjoy it though..
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Nice cross country ski to the Charmant Som in the Chartreuse late this afternoon. The snow was a bit soft but finally getting my skating legs back. Rain just starting when I got back down.

https://www.strava.com/activities/481948681 - 9th of 9th on the climb!!!!



of more interest, perhaps, Salomon are starting a series about cross country that may turn out to be interesting


http://youtube.com/v/zlPeYlAx8ps
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
jbob wrote:
@homphomp,
I'm thinking of doing the Gran Traverse of the Jura this winter I might just bump into you. Have fun.


Was going to mention this particular route.

A few years ago, in the spirit of 'how hard can it be?', I hired a set of xc boots and skis in the UK, bought a map from stamfords, got on a train to France and skied the GTJ.

I'm a competent skier, have skinned a bit, was reasonably fit. and about 15 years previously had an hours tuition and a day pootling about in Lake Louise.

It was fine. Better than that in fact. It was great fun. Obviously to XC well you need lessons, training, posh kit etc, but if you just want to get out into the hills for some fresh air and exercise and are reasonably competent on d/h skis you can have a blast.

The GTJ is a great idea, it's a shame there aren't more routes like it in other areas. The route finding was a bit sketchy around the resorts, but fine in the bits between. The only disappointment for me was that the views were not so good - lots of time in the forest. For some reason I had visions of being about to look out over the big lake towards the alps....

Since then I have done a bit more in a few spots (even scotland) and often try and book the family trip in a spot like La Clusaz where there is some nice XC. For some reason the rest of the family (especially the youth( don't really get it....
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I thought this was good, and it ties in with Pendodave's post above, Alain Bohard has done a tour of 173km in one day of the Jura, this despite the chronic lack of snow. Maybe an idea for the snowheads Genevois



http://www.nordicmag.info/lincroyable-periple-longue-distance-dalain-bohard-0202/
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I wonder if that was all on snow. Drove the Jura route on my way home yesterday and there wasn't a lot about.
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Quote:

Maybe an idea for the snowheads Genevois


My max is currently about 12km before collapse in overheated heap. So, maybe a little challenging for one day... snowHead
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
pam w wrote:
I wonder if that was all on snow. Drove the Jura route on my way home yesterday and there wasn't a lot about.


No quite, there are some photos in the link and it was not even all on skis.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Off to northern Finland in a week's time and starting to get excited now. It's our 5th year there and probably 10th having an x-c week although we're not complete heretics as we have alpine skiing weeks at Christmas and Easter. Thankfully it's warmed up from a week or ago when it was regularly -35. I still really haven't managed to get my clothing right yet as I'm still either over or under-dressed when I go out however I have a thin Marmot soft-shell jacket which I've been meaning to take the last few years so maybe wearing that rather than my goretex shell will hopefully make the difference. I think the problem is that you are working so hard that the membrane can't shift the evaporated sweat quick enough, even when it's -20 or colder.

I haven't had the balls to go out wearing my x-c tights on yet (my wife just starts laughing when I pull them on). I get a similar reaction when I pull my winter cycling tights on but somehow they're less slinky and to be honest it needs to get really cold for me to put my cycling tights on and in Surrey that doesn't happen too often.

Also going with my eldest daughter, her husband (non-skier) and 18 month boy. I was thinking if we could somehow get him on some skis, but maybe it's just a bit too early.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
dsoutar wrote:


Also going with my eldest daughter, her husband (non-skier) and 18 month boy. I was thinking if we could somehow get him on some skis, but maybe it's just a bit too early.


The husband or the toddler?
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Quote:

I haven't had the balls to go out wearing my x-c tights on yet (my wife just starts laughing when I pull them on)

It's not kind of her to laugh at your balls.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I'm now imagining Mr HH in slinky tights...oh dear!!

They've just cancelled the annual Marathon des Neiges for lack of snow....a couple of weeks to go yet but we may put this on hold until next year if things don't pick up Sad
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@pendodave, you sound like a man after my own heart. When I did the HLR many moons ago, the only touring I had done was a long weekend in Scotland, my training was walking in muddy fields in the West Midlands. Full weight skis, downhill boots, full weight rope and crampons and three days food plus a C&A ski jacket. Skied to Saas Fee, then train and hitched back to Chamonix.

The GTJ won't happen this year for me unless it is in condition in March which given the year we have been having seems unlikely. I'm amazed that guy managed it in 16 hrs but even before Sunday's rain it looked crappy.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
davidof wrote:
dsoutar wrote:


Also going with my eldest daughter, her husband (non-skier) and 18 month boy. I was thinking if we could somehow get him on some skis, but maybe it's just a bit too early.


The husband or the toddler?


The toddler. We've sort of tried with my son-in-law but he's never seemed that bothered despite the fact that he's a fairly sporty person so we're sort of giving up. All our girls are very keen skiers. We thought he might be keen on x-c but our daughter is pregnant again and won't be skiing so I doubt he'll try it. The grandson will just have to wait another year or so I guess
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Yes, I think 18 months is too early.

@homphomp, one of the pleasures of XC skiing is seeing so many people - of all ages - in fantastic shape. wink
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@dsoutar, I'm sure I've seen some doughty souls around Chamonix pulling youngsters along behind them in some sled like rig...
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pam w wrote:
Yes, I think 18 months is too early.

@homphomp, one of the pleasures of XC skiing is seeing so many people - of all ages - in fantastic shape. wink


I think we need to do the xc a bit first and get in fantastic shape before trying the more fitted outfits Laughing I'll stick to the old lady classic of baggy pants, jacket and a beanie
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
pam w wrote:
Quote:

I haven't had the balls to go out wearing my x-c tights on yet (my wife just starts laughing when I pull them on)

It's not kind of her to laugh at your balls.

Laughing Laughing Laughing
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
dsoutar wrote:
We thought he might be keen on x-c but our daughter is pregnant again and won't be skiing


The cross country women generally plan their pregnancies for the summer like Marit Bjoergen

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jbob wrote:
@pendodave, you sound like a man after my own heart. When I did the HLR many moons ago, the only touring I had done was a long weekend in Scotland, my training was walking in muddy fields in the West Midlands. Full weight skis, downhill boots, full weight rope and crampons and three days food plus a C&A ski jacket. Skied to Saas Fee, then train and hitched back to Chamonix.

The GTJ won't happen this year for me unless it is in condition in March which given the year we have been having seems unlikely. I'm amazed that guy managed it in 16 hrs but even before Sunday's rain it looked crappy.


Good effort! I toured with a guy once who had done the HR on foot (I assume he had snowshoes) with a mate and just made a snow-hole every night for shelter. Sometimes it's possible to over analyse things a bit....

When I did the GTJ, I had just read the first book in the Patrick Leigh Fermor schlep across Europe series (a time of gifts I think). There is a section where he is treking through mittel europe in the winter time. I just thought that a bit of self propelled transport was an interesting thing to do. I talked about it afterwards with someone from the Eagles Ski Club, and they had done it sleeping in barns. I felt like a bit of a fraud, as every night I had was extremely comfortable and well provisioned....

On a general note, my general experience of XC is that you can have a lot of fun without very much competence (though I guess a level of fitness is required). For me, XC is about the journey, not about the technique. Not worrying about whether I'm doing something right, but savoring the view, the fresh air, the stillness and the exercise. Does anyone going hiking or trekking in the summer worry about their technique? probably not, but throw a bit of snow about and the whole mindset changes.
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So the TransJu has been cancelled due to lack of snow. Only the 3rd time since it started. Last cancellation was the awful winter of 2007.

Cross country round here (Isere) has been a bit poor this year. Autrans has kept running but sometimes has been down to a loop of a few km due to man made snow. The Vercors is dry dry dry. Lots of cross country skis to be replaced at the end of the season!

In the Chartreuse and Belledonne we have some higher altitude areas: Chamrousse, Barioz and the Col de Porte. I was up at the col de Porte late yesterday. The snow is good but the cover is not great, down to 10cm in places. I like to ski up the road to the Bergeries of the Charmant Som but reaching the farmhouses I linked up with a guy and we pushed on "off piste" if you like to the very foot of the Charmant Som across a plateau.

https://www.strava.com/activities/490347388

I'm not totally relaxed on the descents to be honest.

Video du Jour, Simon Forcade (the good looking Forcade brother) as James Bond


http://youtube.com/v/OuE7qAB_TrI
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Quote:

you can have a lot of fun without very much competence (though I guess a level of fitness is required)

I'm sure that's right provided you are on fairly level terrain. I find that once a descent is other than very general a degree of competence helps! Also, better technique means expending much less energy - or covering more ground for the same expenditure of energy!

In particular, though I can now snowplough reasonably competently on XC skis, which wasn't always the case, it's tiring and can be painful (elderly joints). Being able to do the "pas tournant" is both less painful and far more elegant. I keep trying.......

In my XC area there are so many very accomplished practitioners that I am motivated to continue to improve.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@jbob, that loop in Val Ferret - how do you get to it? thanks
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@moseyp, you can drive up to planpincieux, or get a bus from the val veny cc car park. We tried to go up today, noticed signs saying the road would be closed at weekends, I guess due to limited parking so you would have to take the bus. Plus today the road was closed due to avalanche danger which is a new one for me. It's normally open. You can hire all the stuff at the shop at the end of the road, plus you need to buy a day ticket, these are always checked!


Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much on Thu 11-02-16 15:09; edited 1 time in total
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.

Map
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@jbob, thanks. I've been up a few times (road has been closed each time) and walked up about a km or two (to the first house that you encounter on a bend in the road) but turned back assuming I was in the wrong place. How far should I have to walk to find the trails?
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@jbob, ah - I think probably just after the bends visible on that map? Because I definitely passed signs for Meyen
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If you passed signs for Meyen you were nearly there. No walking allowed today though. They do close the road when it's full but there is a regular bus.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@jbob,
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@jbob,
Quote:

No walking allowed today though

do you mean along the road? how do you get up there otherwise? the sign says road closed but trails open
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@moseyp, I think due to avalanche control work they closed the road completely incl. pedestrians. Interestingly there were some skiers emerging have skied down from the Toula.
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I saw that too - the skiers. Well - a couple of snowboarders. Are you sure it's closed for everyone? There's a sign saying that the skiing is open, so I presume you can walk up (unless there's another way in). I met a good few others too (people, not skiers) @jbob,
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@moseyp, we asked when we arrived and was told it would be open again later. We had a couple of hours going up the skyway, very impressive, and returned to be told by the bus driver they had closed it for the day. It will most likely be open tomorrow but the weather may not be so good.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Feel good film of this spring is Good Luck Algeria, about Algeria's only winter olympian at the 2006 Turin games.


http://youtube.com/v/Znr831ACPqs

Sami lives just across the valley from me and skis at Chamrousse.
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If you didn't think xcountry was exciting watch the last leg of the women's pursuit Khanty-Mansiysk, all the favourites missed a shot over the previous 4 shootings and find themselves shoulder to shoulder: Wierer, Habert, Dalmeier, Soukalova with Makareinen getting a small lead which she held to the end.

From 28m10s for the last leg


http://youtube.com/v/VzAiFt9cVcs?t=28m10s
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