Rosie's Run first grooming..Paw Paw MI

Well..first accumulation of snow on the newly created Rosie's Run
nordic training center located along the banks of the Paw Paw river.
With the ground still warm our 3 inches of snow won't last but I just
had to get out and see how the roller would work. The 6 wheel ATV is
still getting a tune up so I pulled out the roller and dragged a
section of the course last night..Roller worked great..two passes to
cover the width of the course. The open field areas, where the course
is mowed grass, actually looked very good..I checked the course this
morning and it is covered but by this afternoon it will most likely be
bare again.
Rosie's Run is a private course with about 4 km of trails...I have a
roller ...5ft wide plastic culvert with weights mounted on a dragging
frame, a trakkor track setter for traditional and 6 wheel ATV for
grooming. It's my first year doing this so I have lots to learn but
lots of energy.
The course has been mowed, dragged, cleared, leafs blown off and just
waiting for snow. paw Paw usually is blessed with lots of lake effect
snow. Most of the course is in protected areas from the sun and holds
snow for a long time (I went out last spring and laid out the course
based on where I found late season snow)
Check this site for updates on our progress.
ps...I envy all of the nordic crowd in the twin cities..Como park
photos looked like you have great conditions early. Plus the birkie
trail has a nice base....great for that thanksgiving weekend workout.

This has got to be a first. I've heard of pulling logs to get a
training effect but pulling a groomer...serious strength workout. Paw
Paw has got to be the home of the highest concentration of good skiers
anywhere. There are four regular skiers in the area. Two elite wave
Birkie skiers (Pete, the author of this and the Frontrunner....who has
been absent from these posts most of the year) a first wave skier and
a fourth waver. These guys usually train on a golf course where they
always have to ski in a trail and then they drive 3-5 hours up into
the northern part of the lower Michigan each weekend to race. Very
hardcore.

Rosies Run is going to be a great little trail right in Petes
backyard. Are there any other regualar RSN posters who have their own
private trail?

John OC

(Charter member of Kalamazoo Nordic...the worlds smallest ski
club....4 members)






(birkebeiner) wrote in message . com...
Well..first accumulation of snow on the newly created Rosie's Run
nordic training center located along the banks of the Paw Paw river.
With the ground still warm our 3 inches of snow won't last but I just
had to get out and see how the roller would work. The 6 wheel ATV is
still getting a tune up so I pulled out the roller and dragged a
section of the course last night..Roller worked great..two passes to
cover the width of the course. The open field areas, where the course
is mowed grass, actually looked very good..I checked the course this
morning and it is covered but by this afternoon it will most likely be
bare again.
Rosie's Run is a private course with about 4 km of trails...I have a
roller ...5ft wide plastic culvert with weights mounted on a dragging
frame, a trakkor track setter for traditional and 6 wheel ATV for
grooming. It's my first year doing this so I have lots to learn but
lots of energy.
The course has been mowed, dragged, cleared, leafs blown off and just
waiting for snow. paw Paw usually is blessed with lots of lake effect
snow. Most of the course is in protected areas from the sun and holds
snow for a long time (I went out last spring and laid out the course
based on where I found late season snow)
Check this site for updates on our progress.
ps...I envy all of the nordic crowd in the twin cities..Como park
photos looked like you have great conditions early. Plus the birkie
trail has a nice base....great for that thanksgiving weekend workout.

The 9 acres here is too hilly mostly, so the best I can get for
a private ski trail is about a 700 meter loop. But then grooming
it by running around on snowshoes isn't that big a job, that is,
when we actually get decent snow. I think my max without dying
of boredom was 27 loops without a break one day many years ago.

Best, Peter

On Tue, 25 Nov 2003, John O'Connell wrote:

Rosies Run is going to be a great little trail right in Petes
backyard. Are there any other regualar RSN posters who have their own
private trail?

I suppose I qualify. We have a few Ks of trail on our property.
Not sure how many, haven't measured. We're on top of one of the
highest hills in the area. When snow is scarce people start coming
here to ski when they can't ski at their favorite trail.

That's how we discovered this area years ago. Then we were
fortunate to learn that the elderly gentleman who owned the
property wanted to sell it, before he actually listed it for sale,
and we were able to purchase it before anyone else knew it was for
sale. Partly we wanted to live up here, and partly we wanted to see
the property stay usable forest and not get subdivided by someone
just out to make a buck. Had to hold on to it and wait patiently for
several years after that before we could afford to build a house and
move up here.

Now we're busy paying off the mortgage as quickly as we can afford,
so we can buy some grooming equipment. I'm thinking we can just about
pull that off and be grooming before the kids become teenagers. :-)

-Mitch

John O'Connell wrote:

This has got to be a first. I've heard of pulling logs to get a
training effect but pulling a groomer...serious strength workout. Paw
Paw has got to be the home of the highest concentration of good skiers

You're probably right. That road in Nannestad (Cathinka Guldbergsv?)
with a couple of has-beens (Thomas & Bjørn) could never compete.

Terje

--
-
"almost all programming can be viewed as an exercise in caching"

Terje,

Point well taken, I blame my Irish heritage on my tendancy to
uhm...exagerate a bit, all part of a storytelling background. I was
certaintly not thinking about world class skiers, much less legends,
in my observations. What I was trying to convey was these guys have
developed some very fine citizen racing skills (they are all around 50
yrs old) living in an area where they are the only ones who ski. No
real clubs, training areas, groomed trails and very iffy snow. It is
just such a stark contrast to the Twin Cities area where we have tons
of skiers, multiple groomed opportunties, frequent clinics, several
adult training programs, good ski shops and races most every weekend
within a short drive. I'm just always impressed with people who are
high achievers in less than optimum conditions. I'm sure there are
many others who have done the same, I just happen to know a few.

Good Ski

John OC



Terje Mathisen wrote in message ...
John O'Connell wrote:

This has got to be a first. I've heard of pulling logs to get a
training effect but pulling a groomer...serious strength workout. Paw
Paw has got to be the home of the highest concentration of good skiers

You're probably right. That road in Nannestad (Cathinka Guldbergsv?)
with a couple of has-beens (Thomas & Bjørn) could never compete.

Terje

Rosies Run is going to be a great little trail right in Petes
backyard. Are there any other regualar RSN posters who have their own
private trail?

John OC

(Charter member of Kalamazoo Nordic...the worlds smallest ski
club....4 members)

I did not realize you were down there. You guys could merge your
resources with the Grand Rapids Ski Team.

Steve Smigiel Senior has 7 or 10 acres tracked to within an inch of
it's life. And it's scary hilly, with hardwoods & tight turns, and
even kickers on some downhills. It's a bit of a rollercoaster. I don't
think it's open to the "public" though, because his house is right in
the middle of it. It is very fun though.

If we merged we would not be able to call ourselves the worlds smallest
nordic racing team.
John is in the Twin Cities and is a member by past association with Pete &
me. Some of that association has to do with the late 60s and early 70s so
the memories are a bit fuzzy.

The FrontRunner
still recovering from the SuperStupid FlatBeiner

"Dell Todd" wrote in message
om...

Rosies Run is going to be a great little trail right in Petes
backyard. Are there any other regualar RSN posters who have their own
private trail?

John OC

(Charter member of Kalamazoo Nordic...the worlds smallest ski
club....4 members)

I did not realize you were down there. You guys could merge your
resources with the Grand Rapids Ski Team.

Steve Smigiel Senior has 7 or 10 acres tracked to within an inch of
it's life. And it's scary hilly, with hardwoods & tight turns, and
even kickers on some downhills. It's a bit of a rollercoaster. I don't
think it's open to the "public" though, because his house is right in
the middle of it. It is very fun though.