He was cleared by his doctor post knee surgery to ski, but he suggested starting out with classic skiing as opposed to skate skiing. We went to the club house and rented him equipment....
He was really nervous about falling and tweaking that knee (with good reason- he sees me falling constantly!). But he did great, only falling once.
We went out twice that day, in the afternoon and again in the evening after dark.
We often watch people skiing after dark with headlamps on and it looks so fun we wanted to try it. So we went to Walmart and picked up some really bright headlamps and headed out. It was super cold!
The nice thing about cross- country is that you don't stay cold for long. It is such an aerobic activity that soon you are shedding clothes. It is interesting to see your own breath turn into ice particles in those low temperatures.
There was no moon that night, but we were accompanied by the sound of coyotes in the distance. Kinda spooky.
Chuck decided that cross-country skiing was a lot of work and somewhat boring. Which, of course, is true when you are first starting out. The fun part is gliding on your skis, and there isn't a lot of that going on when you are first learning. The next day his calves were so sore he could barely walk, and this is a man who works out 6 days a week- both cardio and free weights.
I enjoy this sport because I love being outdoors and reveling in the beauty of nature. Even if I use the same course every day there is something new and different to marvel at. The best part is it is right out my back door- I don't have to drive anywhere to participate. It is a sport that I can do at my own pace (which is slow) and still get a workout. I am always dripping sweat by the time I get home.
Now if I just had a big fluffy dog to keep me company life would be perfect!
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