Since our picture-perfect Winter Picnic, we haven't been back to the river, mainly because it takes a lot of work to get there. But I have new Skate Skis, freshly waxed in our mudroom, (this involves a brick of wax, an iron & a scraper. What a mess!) And the temperatures were perfect.
I remember the day I mentally "cheated" on traditional skis and decided to leave them for Skate's. I had been labouring along a trail with a horrible pair of skis that squeaked and groaned conspicuously with every stunted 'glide.' And this man blew by me so fast I felt a big rush of air. And then he did it again and again and again. He must have lapped me six times.
Never having been on skate-skis before, I was not expecting to fly across the snow but that's what good skate skis do, I guess. At first, I was in front of Caelah but realized that, if I wasn't looking back, she quickly became a speck in the distance. She went in front after that, but it was all I could do to go slow enough. That said, when we got to deep snow, and I was forced to give up my skate ski technique, Caelah sped past with relish and left me behind.
We heard a few snowmobilers buzzing around the bend and I must admit to feeling mildly anxious each time that we'll be plowed over. But each time, they gave us a wide berth and did that hand nod-thingy they all do, kind of like truck drivers and bikers.
