Best advice for a first time xc'er

After spending the summer recovering from back surgery by hiking the Grand
Mesa here in Colorado, my doctor has suggested that I take up xc since my
hiking routes are now snowed shut. My wife and I just went out and got
equipped for our first foray into this sport but would like some poiunters
as to any books, tapes, websites, etc that would help a first timer.
Thanks !!

On Sun, 09 Nov 2003 02:15:33 GMT, "VISAMAN" wrote:

After spending the summer recovering from back surgery by hiking the Grand
Mesa here in Colorado, my doctor has suggested that I take up xc since my
hiking routes are now snowed shut. My wife and I just went out and got
equipped for our first foray into this sport but would like some poiunters
as to any books, tapes, websites, etc that would help a first timer.
Thanks !!


Lessons. I didn't take my first lesson until I had been skiing 17 years.I
advanced more in those two hours than I had in the previous 10 years.

g.c.

I agree with George - that's the best advice you can get. You could also
get either of the DVDs from xczone [www.xczone.com], because there's
excellent instructional material on them, plus video clips. Plus, they're
entertaining!


Tim
on 11/8/03 22:02, George Cleveland wrote:

On Sun, 09 Nov 2003 02:15:33 GMT, "VISAMAN" wrote:

After spending the summer recovering from back surgery by hiking the Grand
Mesa here in Colorado, my doctor has suggested that I take up xc since my
hiking routes are now snowed shut. My wife and I just went out and got
equipped for our first foray into this sport but would like some poiunters
as to any books, tapes, websites, etc that would help a first timer.
Thanks !!


Lessons. I didn't take my first lesson until I had been skiing 17 years.I
advanced more in those two hours than I had in the previous 10 years.

g.c.

If you are talking about XC touring it is a wrong board.

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

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

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

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.

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

If you are talking about XC touring it is a wrong board.

Well ... let's just say this group leans towards hardcore.

:^]

If you're just beginning, just about any video would be beneficial.

jw
milwaukee

Serge wrote:
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.

That's not true:

I have skied more than 10 times from north to south of Telemark county
in Norway (a 180 km backcountry, four-day trip) using my skate skis
(with grip wax on them though).

Skate skis are slightly easier to control than classics, since they have
a straight edge instead of a significantly narrower front and tail.

Terje

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

"Terje Mathisen" wrote in message
...
Serge wrote:
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.

That's not true:

I have skied more than 10 times from north to south of Telemark county
in Norway (a 180 km backcountry, four-day trip) using my skate skis
(with grip wax on them though).

Skate skis are slightly easier to control than classics, since they have
a straight edge instead of a significantly narrower front and tail.

Terje

I agree with Terje - I've done a lot of light touring with my track/racing
skis and boots (in the US and Norway). In some conditions they're not
optimal (side slope ice, heavy trail breaking, packing), but they can work
fine for an afternoon's tour. On the other hand, a lot of people do a lot
better and have a lot more fun touring with a little broader ski and more
ankle support in the boot.

DJ

But there is no board for touring, is there? And you guys know all the
answers! (at least to the questions I have asked; thanks for all the help
since I started 3 yrs ago)
gr
"Serge" wrote in message
om...
If you are talking about XC touring it is a wrong board.

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

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

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

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.

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

On Sun, 09 Nov 2003 23:57:09 GMT, "GR" wrote:

But there is no board for touring, is there? And you guys know all the
answers! (at least to the questions I have asked; thanks for all the help
since I started 3 yrs ago)
gr



Seriously, the racers here vastly outnumber the touring types. This is
especially true in the off season. But I've noticed a fair number of less
competitive types who drop in during the ski season. The group is probably in
inverse relation (percentage wise) to the skiing population as a whole in the
racer to tourer ratio. But as was said, they do know their stuff. Also, since
this is a usenet group, all you need is to post a subject thats vaguely on topic
and those who want to get in the thread will. Those who don't wont. Simple as
pie, eh?

g.c.

Who used to race, but now is a duffer and enjoys that too.


"Serge" wrote in message
. com...
If you are talking about XC touring it is a wrong board.

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

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

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

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.

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

"GR" wrote in message . ..
But there is no board for touring, is there?

try: rec.skiing.granola

bt