The coolness of Caldwell's books...

I remember that they inspired me.

But they didn't help me figure out HOW to ski. I also recall being
baffled and digging around elsewhere for info about HOW to ski. I
couldn't find ANY for a few years, then I found an old German
translation.

But back to the inspiration...

My favorite aspect of Caldwell's books was the conviviality.

I recently checked out samples of most editions from the library.

His first edition, by "Johnny," had two great pics in it showing him
pruning a trail overgrown with saplings with his little boy and his
wife helping one of the kids ski through some brushy conditions. There
were lots of "romping" photos throughout.

There's a sidebar on how to teach kids how to ski. ...DON'T! He says
to leave them be. Bring them along and let them imitate until they're
about 12 years old. Don't try to teach them anything. Let them play.

In his "how to train" section I vaguely recall the hilarious
suggestions of "running through thick brush, blindfolded if need be"
and doing straight-line runs across country, scrambling over every
obstacle in the way.

His subsequent editions show pics of a girls team training by pulling
on inner tubes tied to a post. --I always liked that pic. Nice legs.
Everyday, easy to make equipment.

I swear one edition shows a team *carrying* a snowmobile for training.

To me, this sort of thing is WHY XC BECAME POPULAR ACROSS THE USA.

--JP

On Mar 4, 1:01*pm, jeff potter wrote:
I remember that they inspired me.

But they didn't help me figure out HOW to ski. I also recall being
baffled and digging around elsewhere for info about HOW to ski. I
couldn't find ANY for a few years, then I found an old German
translation.

But back to the inspiration...

My favorite aspect of Caldwell's books was the conviviality.

I recently checked out samples of most editions from the library.

His first edition, by "Johnny," had two great pics in it showing him
pruning a trail overgrown with saplings with his little boy and his
wife helping one of the kids ski through some brushy conditions. There
were lots of "romping" photos throughout.

There's a sidebar on how to teach kids how to ski. ...DON'T! *He says
to leave them be. Bring them along and let them imitate until they're
about 12 years old. Don't try to teach them anything. Let them play.

In his "how to train" section I vaguely recall the hilarious
suggestions of "running through thick brush, blindfolded if need be"
and doing straight-line runs across country, scrambling over every
obstacle in the way.

His subsequent editions show pics of a girls team training by pulling
on inner tubes tied to a post. --I always liked that pic. Nice legs.
Everyday, easy to make equipment.

I swear one edition shows a team *carrying* a snowmobile for training.

To me, this sort of thing is WHY XC BECAME POPULAR ACROSS THE USA.

--JP

I've got the edition that has the team carrying the snowmobile. I
love that book. One of the corners got mangled by a Labrador pup years
ago but its still in readable condition. The year that Zach Caldwell
came to the Birkie to offer his wax service I asked him if he was
related to John and Tim Caldwell and he seemed a little surprised that
someone in WI had heard of the family name. I think I said something
like, "anybody who knows anything about x-c skiing in the USA knows
the Caldwell name"