Leg stretcher in the Doldrums

I went out this morning to check out the snowfall in Gatineau Park and get in some first tracks of the season. The goal was to stretch the legs and see if I could remember the technique without pushing thinngs too much. Often after the first ski of the season I end up walking like Frankenstein for a day or two. I can report that there is plenty of snow. Occasionally the poles hit some asphalt but there must have been a good 4 or 5 inches covering the Doldrums. More snow is forecast for next week so the season is on!

Here are some comparison photos of a recent roller blade outing and from today.

  

  

  

Rolling in the Doldrums

The NCC have already closed the parkways that are used as xc ski trails for the winter. As such these roads are now the exclusive domain of roller blades, roller skis and road bikes. I took advantage of a sunny afternoon and came after work to roller blade along a shortish flat section of parkway, called the Doldrums. It is awesome to have the network of roads almost all to yourself. The leaves have mostly all fallen and the color has pretty much gone but I did have fun taking photos as the light was bright and you could see all sorts of reflections in the various ponds. As I returned to my car there was a kids xc ski team heading out for a training session, getting an early start on the xc racing season!