Pike Lake Unit Kettle Moraine
Earlier this year, before I began my Birkebeiner training, I wrote a piece called five reasons to learn cross-country skiing. Winter is beautiful and the fact that skiing is a great workout top the list. These reasons sometimes work at cross purposes with each other.
Blue Mound State Park from an observation tower
I will be participating in the American Birkebeiner cross-country ski Marathon in Hayward, Wisconsin in less than two weeks. I have been strenuously skiing at every chance and when not skiing I have been running.
Sometimes when I am so caught up in the skiing, I forget to check out the scenery. I always bring several cameras along, so I usually stop and take a picture every now and then, but even that becomes part of the routine. Sometimes it is important to stop killing yourself and remember that the best part of skiing is to enjoy the outdoors.
Collage from South Kettle Moraine
I don’t think any cross-country skier would argue with this. Getting a great workout and enjoying the thrill of skiing are perks to the activity, but the best part about it is it gets you outdoors when you normally would not be.
Instead of sitting around and watching every football and basketball game (I still watch some), I have been to Lake Kegonsa State Park, Blue Mound State Park, South Kettle Moraine three times, Lapham Peak, Black River Falls State Park, North Kettle Moraine State Forest, and Pike Lake.
Cathedral of snowy pines in Blue Mound State Park
Next week I will be cruising up to train in northern Minnesota near the Canadian Border along the Gunflint Trail. I have complained to anyone that will listen how horrible this winter has been as far as snow conditions, but I really cannot complain as I have made the best of it. When I reflect on these pictures and the skiing I have done, I have been fortunate.
Skiing a pine alleyway in South Kettle Moraine State Forest
When I think back on it, it is has been a great winter and a beautiful one, and these pictures prove it. Now it is time to end the winter with a bang by skiing the Birkie and with hope, some more outings afterwards.
North Kettle Moraine State Forest
Pine tunnel at Pike Lake
Black River State Forest
Lake Kegonsa State Park
South Kettle Moraine State Forest in waning light
TT
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Stunning pictures! Good luck with the Birkie!
E
Thanks Erika!
Awesome photos! As soon as I saw the first one, I was ready to name that my favorite. However, so many beautiful photos of the snow. Snow photos are awesome and loved all of these. However, I do love the sky and clouds in the first one but struggle to call that one my favorite 🙂
Jeremy Branham recently posted..Assassination of JFK: reliving history at The Sixth Floor Museum
Thanks Jeremy,
I just do not get sick of snow on pines. I have a million of these types of photos in my library and never tire of taking them.
What nice scenery for some cross-country skiing! Looks to me like the conditions are pretty nice. I’d never heard of a “Birkebeiner” before though. Had to look that one up. Good luck Ted!
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It is amazing such a huge event is relatively unknown outside of cross-country ski circles. There are 10,000 year participants in the race and the town of Hayward swells to more than five times its population. Thanks for the good luck cheers.
Beautiful! I love visiting places to see winter scenery. Good luck with the competition!
Thanks Jill, I appreciate the note of encouragement.
Looks like you’ve amassed some lovely ski days despite the winter. There is a Cookie Loppet this weekend that I was going to enter – and I’m probably fit after hiking at altitude for a week – but I feel like I need a quiet weekend at home and so will live a race vicariously through you.
Leigh recently posted..How to Survive and Thrive in Saskatoon in the Winter
I can understand the need for a quiet weekend at home. I am ready for one myself.
These are lovely and stunning photos…
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