Sunday 9 March 2014

RR Day 4 - the longest day

Today is the longest day. It won't be as long as normal due to the frozen marshland for one stretch being a lake. It is still the longest day even with this section taken out. Skiing in above zero temperatures is a challenge - trying to get grip on the skis. By the time it gets to about +1C, you can't use waxes as they become ineffective - you use klister - a sort of soft glue. As well as snow, this sticks to everything.

A strong wind has blown bits of birch bark and pine needles onto the track; klister sticks to these and they form a barrier between the skis and the snow, reducing the grip.

The dangers of the warm temperatures become apparent later on; I am now the last person on track, as others have given up. I am also one of the heaviest, and following in the tracks of others, this soon becomes apparent crossing what I think is a frozen bog as the water starts to reach the top of my boots. A bit of probing with the ski poles shows that it is worse ahead, so I back up and find a firmer route round. At the start of the day, this was solid enough to support a snowmobile and the weighted trail setting sledge.

At the end of the day, I fail to note that the trail has been changed from last year and end up struggling several kilometres along the snowmobile tracks until the safety snowmobile pulls up and explains to me that I missed the turn for the changed track and gives me a lift to the end. One of the pitfalls of last minute route changes is that the red/pink tape on the original route still remains.

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