I spend more of my snow days each year _not_ skating. Because non-skating
techniques and equipment are appropriate for more of the terrain and snow
conditions that I encounter -- like this:
http://roberts-1.com/t/s04/fr/3c or http://roberts-1.com/t/hra/day_3
But I don't talk about my non-skating much on this newsgroup, because this
newsgroup is about skiing at cross-country centers with groomed trails.

If the snow is firm enough and wide enough and gentle-sloped enough, I'm
going to skate. If it is not, then I use non-skating techniques. It's not a
matter of "elitism" -- just what's the way to have the most fun.

Like in California last March when Dave and I skied from near Echo Summit to
Barker Pass and Blackwood Canyon in a day, we were on light classic skis,
and skied classic striding technique most of the way. Except when we reached
Lake Aloha we found a supportive wind-crust, so we both had a fun time
skating across it.

wrote
Norwegian Birkebeiner race . . . Can you picture the
two birkebeiner's carrying the future king of Norway
. . . over the mountain passes . . . deep snow.

Can _you_ picture those two guys doing that in 40mm-wide fiberglass racing
skis and ultra-light poles with tiny baskets, and carrying backpacks holding
only 4 kg of food and warm clothing?

The authenticity of this "classic" technique re-enactment is escaping me --
since now the route is nicely groomed the whole way from Rena to
Lillehammer.

Same with the trails on Sweden's Vasaloppet Classic 90K course. When I got
my chance to ski from Salen to Mora, I _skated_ it. No regrets -- skating
was obviously more appropriate for the terrain. I feel sorry for all the
people who haven't had the chance to skate across the plateau thru Smagan --
because of a fake "classic" historical-authenticity requirement.

Ken