Special Green

Christmas morning, 2004. My first time on skis since March. The temperature was -20 C when I started but it actually got cooler. It was -22 when I got home. Special green wax (I have used Swix waxes since I started skiing and I know their system from the polar up through special green, green, the blues, and freezing point waxes) worked fine. I drove out to Beaudry Park on the faith of Manitoba Parks reporting that there was a set trail. On the half hour drive out, I noticed that the conditions in the fields were not good. Sunshine, warm temperature, and freezing rain, followed by a freeze-up have left everything icy. The field by the parking lot was like that too, but the trails themselves were fine. The snow within the shelter of the trees was powder and it was deep enough, barely, to provide a passable set track. I settled for about 5 and half K in about 45 minutes. I had spent time finding all my clothes, waxes, accessories and it was 10:30 before I left home. I had things to do for Christmas dinner. Step one – pour wine.