Ski long 2:59:32 [1] 27.0 mi (6:39 / mi) +531m 6:16 / mi
Left the house at 7 a.m., caught the 77 to the Blue Line to O'Hare; plenty of time there to wander before seat 1A for the flight to Duluth, right over the Birkie Trail.
Rental car at the too-cute Duluth Airport, (15 minutes gate to car, including bags) and then a drive to Ely to visit Collin, who is doing a year of med school here. Chilly (but not -15 like yesterday) but gorgeous blue sky; haven't seen that all week in Chicago. We both wanted to do a three hour skate. And we did, successfully.
Best ski of the year. Perfect packed powder conditions, fun trails, beautiful woods, spectacular pink-red-orange sky along the horizon as we finished. I had left my drink belt at home so we had to duck in to the chalet a couple times to guzzle water, but that was fine. Finished right around 0, my jacket frozen on the outside, with just a thin wool underneath. Just a perfect ski.