Cross-Country Skiing

Since Chris got to share his love of downhill skiing with Oliver earlier this winter, I was so excited to finally get him on cross-country skis. I feel like teaching him the sport of nordic skiing is his Minnesota birthright.  

A balmy Sunday afternoon (temps hit the mid-40s!) was the perfect time to get Oliver out of the house during Soren's nap time.  We met up with two of my friends and their kids at the Hyland Lake Park Reserve just south of Minneapolis.  The park has rentals and groomed trails with terrain gentle enough for beginners.   

So far so good....

This is what March looks like in Minnesota...snow-covered.

As the most experienced skier in the group, I realized everyone was looking to me to teach a bunch of four- and five-year-olds how to ski.  Our group shuffled on skis to the head of the trail.  Oliver chose the skiing equivalent of jumping off the deep end by insisting we go down a hill.  A couple feet down the trail, five of the six people in our party were lying on the snow in a tangled mess of skis and poles.  I wish we had a picture of that spectacle! And five of the six were still smiling and laughing.  Unfortunately, Oliver was not one of them.  

It turned out I didn't need to do much teaching.  Oliver wouldn't listen to me anyway and my friend's daughter Noelle happily took a few pointers (Bend your knees and lean forward!) before she was off down the hill and skiing towards the woods with our other friend's daughter in a determined pursuit. At least someone's kid was having fun!

Meanwhile, my son was in tears and wanted to go back to the lodge, where I think he thought he was going to get a hot chocolate.  So after only 20 yards onto the trail, we turned back.  Out of all the reasons he gave for why he didn't want to ski, his boots not fitting correctly was the only I had a chance at fixing.  So I exchanged his skis and boots for the toddler skis with the bindings that fit over his regular shoes and he reluctantly (very reluctantly) agreed to try skiing again for five minutes.  We held hands as we every so slowly skied back the same 20 yards we had tried before and although Oliver insisted he was not having fun, at least he wasn't crying anymore.

Proud of Oliver that he'd at least given skiing a second try, I was ready to hang out in the lodge having a snack while we waiting for the others to return.  Then I remembered the pulk sled for rent I'd seen at the ski rental desk.  Oliver likes riding in the stroller and bike trailer, so I was hoping he'd want to chill out in the sled while I pulled him on skis. 

The pulk sled salvaged our afternoon. That was $6 well spent! Oliver was happy to not be skiing and I put in the best workout on skis I've ever had pulling 40+ pounds.  It was a win-win. 

Noelle is actually the one riding in the sled in this picture.  When we got back to the lodge, the other kids wanted to give it a try.

When we got home, I discovered Oliver had a fever and he complained his ear hurt.  I felt so guilty for dragging a sick kid out skiing.  It turned out the poor little guy really wasn't feeling well.  Yet maybe that's why he didn't like skiing.  It just wasn't a good day for him.  There's hope for my nordic skier after all.