Frazz by Jef Mallett for January 05, 2024

Nordic is more work… imo… but better scenery. Not that I like either kind enough to do it again.

I have a treadmill at home that I actually use periodically. (I should perhaps use the word “epoch” but I digress…) At home I don’t have to put wool on my body, chains on my tires, wax on my skis and…Saturday and Sunday have lots of football this time of year, and the machine faces the screen. I actually have to lean to see past it…

I prefer to ski on water; a mistake is less likely to break a bone. Even then, you can get hurt pretty badly when you’re trying to learn how to do it barefoot …

Nordic? It isn’t called that in the Nordic countries. Never heard it :D Only ever heard it called cross-country skiing in English.

I prefer “Nordic” when I visit my friends in the Nordic countries.

Wishing all my ski-loving friends out there great fun and best of luck! Break a Leg!!

Actually, the distinction is between Nordic and Alpine. In the former, only the toe of the boot is attached to the ski, whereas in the latter, the whole boot is attached. Nordic is further subdivided into cross-country (on level ground) and Telemark skiing (downhill).

What I like about skiing is I don’t have to do it to get where I’m going or to just enjoy a walk, regardless of weather.

I have no idea why downhill skiing makes Frazz feel guilty, nor what Caulfield even means.

You have to drive to get to the ski hill, there are ski lifts to get you to the top. Cross Country you can do in your own backyard, although probably most people still have to drive to find a good spot for it

It helps to have a 3000 hp yacht engine when the wind is not cooperating.

I used to live in the woods not far from Jef’s house in rural Michigan. Kept the XC (Nordic) skis on the porch, which was my trailhead. Off we’d go, me and my 3 dogs. Heaven!

Nordic vs snow shoeing, snowshoes win hands down [I do love my winter mule deer hunts].

Try downhill without using the lift to get up top.

Cross country skiing does seem more on the level.

REAL downhill skiers telemark!

When I was in college here in Wisconsin, I had a lot of experience with skis: Monarski, Wielebski, Polachowski, Witowski, Skibinski, …

And then there is Skijoring. I have friends in Alaska who go skijoring, where a person on skies is pulled by a dog or dogs. They love it (both the people and the dogs)!

Sail on down the line/’Bout a half a mile or so