Skate skiing is now my second favorite sport. If my passion for racing bikes ever dwindles, I will pick up skate ski racing. In fact, if we ever move to Park City, I will race skate skis in the winter and bikes in the summer. That sounds like an ideal life. But I have a LONG way to go. Twice this week I was humbled on the skate track. First by Chrispy then by Julian & Jesse. Since I'd been out a few times in the past with Carl, I assumed I knew what I was doing. How wrong I was. There is some very serious technique behind the V1 & V2 and I don't do either of them correctly. My skis are too far apart, I plant my poles at the wrong time & grip them too hard, my body is too far forward and I use my arms too much. Other than that, it's perfect. I thought being in shape for cycling would translate to ease out there, but no. Within 5 minutes I am sweating profusely, literally steaming, and it's around 25 degrees. Thanks to those fellas for waiting for me and patiently showing me how it's done. We got in about 19K each day. (The sport is so cool that they use kilometers instead of miles, that's how you know it's tough!)
Those 2 tiny dots in the distance are Julian & Jesse, I was VERY far behind by this point.