In article , Serge wrote:
If you are talking about XC touring it is a wrong board.

What?!?! There is nothing that limits rec.skiing.nordic to racing.
This is a general nordic skiing newsgroup ... anything relating to
nordic skiing is fair game, racing, training, tromping around the
backyard, etc. Yes, rec.skiing.backcountry does exist (which I assume
is bent a bit toward the trek up mountain, tele-ski back down crowd),
but that does not imply that touring information doesn't belong here.
And, yes, ski racing/training does tend to dominate the discussions
but that doesn't mean touring isn't fair game.

Touring can be done without lessons at all, just get a group of people
with the same interest and physical abilities.

But, for all the reasons that ski racing is done best with proper
technique, lessons, good gear, etc., ski touring is the same. As a
racer, I don't toss my technique out the window when I go for a tour.

As far as racing goes, you should take lessons first, learn skate,
stride etc., than go buy equipment with a help from your coach.

Yes.

Unlike many other sports ski racing has very little to share in a way
of equipment and technique with recreational variety of skiing.

No way! Good ski technique is good ski technique whether you are
racing around the ski trails, or ski touring around the mountains.
There is a lot of cross-over. Plus, so many skills (e.g., downhill
maneuvers) cross over from racing to touring.

I mean, you can get a high - end racing bike and and ride around
casually;
many people do. You can not do anything on high - end racing ski but
train
and race on prepared surface.

Again, I would beg to differ. You can do all sorts of stuff on racing
gear. Not that it's necessarily the best gear for touring, but it
certainly does not preclude the equipment being used for other things.

More over it puts strain on your back your doctor has no idea about.

Huh?!

Serge, you seem to be God's gift to the world of inline skating, but
what you've written here about nordic skiing seems way off the mark!

Brian