Bike or Ski?

There’s snow on our local hills, so the dilemma arises. I often manage a wee ski trip or two when conditions are right.

I had already managed one very small one this year so yesterday was a bonus. Snow, sunshine, no wind and the hills had looked good on the bike ride the day before. There was no real choice! I had some of the afternoon free so just had to go. And it was glorious. The snow lower down was perfect, though it turned a bit softer higher up.

A quick drive up (it’s only 10 – 15 minutes away), skins on the skis, heel lifts fitted, hop over the gate, say hello to the sheep and away. Got into a loverly rythym going up with occasional brief pauses for photos. Met the secondd gate and managed to hop(?) over it fairly disgracefully, then the undulating climb upwards to the top of the hill. The views on the way up and at the top were wonderful. Above me was Lammerlaw, but not enough time and the snow was getting too soft for the return journey. So, off with the skins and away. Gliding along the ridge and then the speedier descents. The wax on the skis worked well gripping on the flatter sections and gliding nicely on the faster downhill sections.

Lower down the snow was perfect for telemarking and the turns felt good. Though I was back down I was high as a kite. Glorious!!!!!!

For those who don’t know the terminology, skins are attached to the bottom of the skis with releasable glue. The nap of the fabric (it used to be seal skins in the old days) faces backwards and enables the skier to climb up hills. The heel lifts up the heel of the ski boot, this makes the boot level & puts less strain on your leg muscles. The wax, applied to the bottom of the ski, grips when you put pressure on it to go forward, but glides when there’s no pressure. You need different grades of wax for different temperatures – a real black art! A telemark turn is one where one leg slides backwards behind the other and the two skis form effectively one long one.You can only do this on freewheel skis. I also use telescopic poles, adjusted to be longer for pushing uphill but shorter for the downhills to help with the turns.So there you go, a wonderful pursuit when conditions are right.

There’s worse to come though, a cheesy video is in production!

Almost ready

Gorgeous snow conditions lower down

Have to wait for the descent

More fence icicles

Strange icicles growing vertically

Looking east

Hare and fox tracks

Over to Fife and the Firth of Forth

A gulley to the east over the valley

Another gully to the east

Follow the hare in reverse

Gate number 3

Sun, sun, sun

Lammerlaw ahead, waits for another day

As far as I go, skins off & ready to go

Haddington, down low

Time to head down

Starting the ski back

These specs were clear when I left the car

Oh so elegant!!

Ski tips lead the way down

Trapain Law and the Bass Rock

Quad bike & ski tracks up

Gate number 2

turns in the snow

 

The car waits at the bottom

Ski track up and down, put delight

quad bike, ski and sheep tracks

The sheep & hill at the finish

The Strava trace of the ski track up & down

The road home