After Mass (0800), I headed down to Grantham and got an early start on the cross country ski trails at Eastman. It was a beautiful day, with sun and newly groomed snow - the temps started in the high teens but warmed up at least 10 degrees while I was there (0915 to 1115). Being an early bird had its perks again - I didn’t see many people for most of the morning and there were trails with almost no tracks at all. Worked on my “ski V” technique - I’ve made a lot of progress this year but can see I’ve got a long way to go to get the really good form that the experienced skiers have. Might even need to get some new skis... Back in the wooded loops of John’s Glen, I mastered the scary “turning slide” hill that I chickened out of last time and also checked out a new route. Craig’s Corridor was almost a backcountry trail (definitively not groomed), with minimal area (trees everywhere) for turning and stopping. But I made it out and back and met a few people on the way who told me how to maneuver even deeper into the forest (beyond the map edges). Ran into the “Chairperson” (my nickname for Ruth-Anne) again; she helped design the trail system and is a charter member of the Eastman Community. When I got tired, I “cooled down” on the molded tracks - arms and legs kept moving throughout my visit. Managed to log over 3.5 miles of skiing in two hours - finished up just as the big crowds started to arrive. I made it back to my condo by noon. It's hard to believe I got so much done in the AM - another great day on at Eastman Cross Country Center!
