This process has lasted for at least 3 years, that is the 4th winter in a row. Ever since we came back to Finland from Brussels, I've been more and more thinking - at winter times - what if I'd get myself cross country skis and get back in that Finnish pain-in-the-bum skiing.
The last time I was on cross-country skis was almost 25 years ago (to be exact, few weeks from that). It was in the army and I remember the skis very well: Karhu No Ski.
You have your army winter rubber boots on, the ones with ~0,5cm thick foam boot inside, and as I was in the navy, it was not a key thing to survive on skis. Lucky us.
Before the real thing we had the practice on the training court with line-up etc. A bit like this - and remember, the snow is not a must in the army, it just makes things easier.
Then we headed to the sea - we were in the navy anyways. Winter, finland, cold, ice - get the picture? If you didn't get it, the sea is frozen most winters. So frozen you can drive a car on it. So the sea ice it is. There are no tracks made so part of the training was to make it. If you were the first in line, you cleared the path for the rest in a 20-30cm thick snow. Tough job to be the first. Same thing if you were the last: As it was not an extremely cold winter, between the snow and the ice was a layer of waterly slid. That made it for the last ones a bit tough to ski, particularly at the break. If you didn't keep your skis moving during the break, the slid froze at the bottom of the ski = impossible to ski after that. Shit happens...
Today the stars we in a right position. No other priorities or reasons to do something else, I was at the opening hour 10 am at Oittaa, Espoo to rent skis.
Well, little people are little people and as we have so many of them around, I had to settle for boots too tight. Damn Fischer, they told you make shoes bigger than # 48, but why the heck they had none in the shop...?
With no other options, I took the skating boots and skis to go with them and headed to the lake. Yep, again on the ice, but this time on a made track. "Skating?" someone is wondering now. There are two types of skis, skating and the traditional ones. If you wanna know more, CFG.
~7 km in ~45 mins without the skills, I didn't fall down a single time (it was close several times) and I sweated like in a sauna. Fantastic work-out, that I most likely will repeat! I guess it would be best to get my own skis - and particularly boots ;o) I gotta say the nature was fabulastic too!!!
While I am writing this, I am looking at a rabbit at our front yard, 5 meters from the window. It's the local guy that has been around quite often - several times at the car headlights... It's not eating our apple tree so there is no need to kick his (or is this mrs, don't know...) bum out of our yard. Neither there is a need to get him in the oven as I am full from the best pizza in town and for tomorrow a fabulastic meat dish will go in the oven in a bit. For 12 hours, wow!!!
The last time I was on cross-country skis was almost 25 years ago (to be exact, few weeks from that). It was in the army and I remember the skis very well: Karhu No Ski.
Before the real thing we had the practice on the training court with line-up etc. A bit like this - and remember, the snow is not a must in the army, it just makes things easier.
Then we headed to the sea - we were in the navy anyways. Winter, finland, cold, ice - get the picture? If you didn't get it, the sea is frozen most winters. So frozen you can drive a car on it. So the sea ice it is. There are no tracks made so part of the training was to make it. If you were the first in line, you cleared the path for the rest in a 20-30cm thick snow. Tough job to be the first. Same thing if you were the last: As it was not an extremely cold winter, between the snow and the ice was a layer of waterly slid. That made it for the last ones a bit tough to ski, particularly at the break. If you didn't keep your skis moving during the break, the slid froze at the bottom of the ski = impossible to ski after that. Shit happens...
Today the stars we in a right position. No other priorities or reasons to do something else, I was at the opening hour 10 am at Oittaa, Espoo to rent skis.
Well, little people are little people and as we have so many of them around, I had to settle for boots too tight. Damn Fischer, they told you make shoes bigger than # 48, but why the heck they had none in the shop...?
With no other options, I took the skating boots and skis to go with them and headed to the lake. Yep, again on the ice, but this time on a made track. "Skating?" someone is wondering now. There are two types of skis, skating and the traditional ones. If you wanna know more, CFG.
~7 km in ~45 mins without the skills, I didn't fall down a single time (it was close several times) and I sweated like in a sauna. Fantastic work-out, that I most likely will repeat! I guess it would be best to get my own skis - and particularly boots ;o) I gotta say the nature was fabulastic too!!!
While I am writing this, I am looking at a rabbit at our front yard, 5 meters from the window. It's the local guy that has been around quite often - several times at the car headlights... It's not eating our apple tree so there is no need to kick his (or is this mrs, don't know...) bum out of our yard. Neither there is a need to get him in the oven as I am full from the best pizza in town and for tomorrow a fabulastic meat dish will go in the oven in a bit. For 12 hours, wow!!!
Let's ski!!!
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