Training Log Archive: coach ld

Another brilliant day - endless blue sky but quite chilly still. Not as windy as it's been so it didn't feel quite so bitter cold - but you needed a couple of Buffs all the same. Did a rather slow slightly back-slipping classic ski but had the outer red trail to myself it seemed. That all ended at 11 when the Toronto buses arrived and then it was a beehive of activity. Not necessarily competent skiers but lots of them happily moving in the great outdoors on a spectacular winter day. It was so nice to see.

The skating was nice today too. There was some ice mixed in with the snow so even though it was cold, and squeaky and slow in shady spots it was fast in some places too. Glide was a bit of work where the wind was picking up again in open areas. So I worked pretty hard but it was totally enjoyable. First time down to the Woolner Loop. I love skiing.

C • The love of skiing 4

First really cold ski day. It was about -15 when Huey and I met former student/athlete Brooke Gosling for a social ski at Mono. She's visiting from Australia so we don't see her often and she has a 1 year-old now so it was nice of Brooke's mom to have Lydia on a beautiful sunny morning so we could all ski together. Then eat of course. Goose met us for lunch and Lydia charmed us all. Lovely day.

Slow, careful jog - on mostly road, paved trail, with lots of icy bits. First run in quite a while but the ankle didn't feel too bad :)

After driving up Airport Rd. in worsening, very windy wild conditions I felt it prudent to turn around upon entering a particularly bad whiteout just north of Cashtown. We never made it to our destination - Highlands. I wasn't comfortable driving other people's kids in my car on icy roads. We retreated to Orangeville and practised at Mono instead. Which wasn't a bad plan B. The trees there offer so much shelter on windy days and the short loops are perfect for a team practice. We did a good hour or so of drills, skills and hills. Then had a break and snack before skiing steady for a couple of loops. It turned out to be good conditions at Mono with fresh snow on top of a hard base after yesterday's rain that turned to concrete ice.

Hoping to beat the mild weather and rain predicted, but also not wanting to drive too far I tried Albion this morning. The northeast "snow biking/skiing/snowshoe trails" weren't bad, but they could be so much better. They just can't be bothered at Albion Hills. The trail was packed down by use - not really "groomed". So it was more or less skiable, less actually unless you are a pretty competent skate skier. It was matted by traffic so it was hard to get an edge, there were furrows from the fat bikes, and lots of bumpy footprints from hikers? runners? It was a balance challenge but it was a beautiful morning. The downhills were toughest because they were fast and uneven with no way to snowplow. It's also a place where people just don't follow the rules, or read the signs. The snowshoers are supposed to give way to skiers, the bikers are supposed to give way to everyone else, there are directional arrows and signs that say "do not enter/wrong way", and it's a "groomed" trail so it's not supposed to be for hiking. I almost got runover by 2 guys skiing down a steep hill the wrong way as I was going up. I had to ski off the trail for 2 snowshoers walking down the middle of the trail, the wrong way, and I chatted with 2 women out for a lovely winter trail run. They had never been to Albion Hills. They were from Toronto. A friend had told them about really nice trails and to park on Patterson Rd. So they a) were among the group making the trails bumpy and b) didn't pay a cent to have the trail groomed. So that is why skiing at Albion is generally disappointing and frustrating. But what was I expecting on a sunny winter day during the holidays? Guess I do need to drive further.

C • Just like you say, it's fru... 8

Gorgeous day - Happy New year!! Glorious clear blue sky and fresh snow up on the escarpment. The Hockleycrest trails and been rolled but only some loops were track set. Didn't matter, it was just beautiful. Conditions couldn't have been better there- and the scenery was worth stopping for in several places in "The Valley of the Mother of God". The Girl and I had a lovely long steady classic/freestyle ski. Once we got parked. That was a bit of an ordeal.
We had been warned that the lower section of the Bruce Trail parking area was sometimes hard to get back up from. When we arrived the 2 upper spots were full and a woman was standing beside her car in the lower area. She told us not to go down there because she was stuck - it was sheer ice under the 10 cm of fresh snow. A passing pickup had said he'd help her and was turning around up the road. So, I pulled out of the parking lot and tried to pull over on the shoulder of the road - and dropped into the soft stuff in the ditch. So the nice guy in the truck pulled me out because he could hook his tow rope to our canoe loop at the front. The other lady didn't have one so we all pushed her up out of the bottom lot. Then Sally appeared, just finishing a ski! So we took her spot when she departed.

C • Parking 2