Sunday afternoon, I headed off from the Chelsea Nordiq parking lot (in behind the old visitor centre) for a skate ski via P8. My plan was to ski to Fortune Pkwy and go up as far as I can and make the least amount of stops. I have never been able to go all the way up Fortune non-stop (foreshadowing!).
First leg: P8 to Meech/Fortune intersection - about 13 mins, no stops. That was the easy part. As I walked across Meech lake road to the trail connecting to Fortune Pkwy, I ran into Mark and Big Ring coming from their hike, stopped and chatted for a bit.
Second leg: Fortune Pkwy (p10) to Gossip Corner. They key here was to stay in Zone 2. The first two climbs felt easy. The real challenge is the long twisty climb, i.e., make it all the way up without blowing a gasket and coupghing up a lung! I tried to keep things as smooth as possible and maintain a rythm and momentum. I switched to a left offset and kept my focus on some skate skiers about 100 meters ahead of me. Half-way up I passed the first one - Good! (that never happens!). I keep plugging along switching from left to right offset as the road turns. Second skier now stopped for a break - Say hello and keep going. I keep plugging along, legs were now on fire. I lift up my head and I am cresting the hill. I made it! Although, at the point, I was well into zone 3! I eased off a bit and just maintained a steady pace to Gossip Corner. Took a break at Gossip Corner to relish my accomplishment. The trip back was pretty uneventful, although I was grinning from ear to ear. Figuring out the climbing technique has helped immensely and I couldn't be more pleased!
Here is what I had originally intended to post on Friday courtersy of http://www.doingitwrong.com/ . Enjoy!
Stef???
Don't want to drop my umbrella!
Stef?? I think so...
Just getting a closer look at your tire, dude!
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3 comments:
you and Peter should hook up.
Personally, I don't know how to go easy while skate skiing. I have two gears: stopped and lung popping. I have no idea how to go up a hill easy. Wish that I could figure that one out.
That was exactly how I was in past; I was either blowing a gasket or stopped. John Kim really help me out with tips and tricks. I didn't get it right away, I kept practicing and it finally came to me. We should definitely hook up for a ski. We'll talk at spinning.
g.
Hey Gilles, I think I saw you returning to P8 just as I was starting out. I got up Fortune in a PB, just my 3rd time up it without needing to stop. It was a great day to be out.
P
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